Psych Quiz Study (1.1, 1.2, 1.3 (a,b,c), 1.4 (a,b,c))

what are genomes?

common set of genes amongst humans

what are monozygotic twins?

identical twins who developed from a single fertilized egg that split in two, creating 2 genetically identical organisms

what are dizygotic twins?

offspring that develop from 2 separate eggs and are genetically no more similar than ordinary siblings

what is epigenetics?

it studies how environments can influence genetic expression

what are the parts + function of the central nervous system?

brain and spinal cord, body’s decision maker

what are the parts + function of the peripheral nervous system?

all the nerves and ganglia, gets and transmits CNS decisions to other body parts

what are nerves and what do they do?

they are electrical cables formed from bundles of axons. they link the CNS with the body’s sensory receptors, muscles, and glands

function of sensory neurons + their second name

carry messages from the body’s tissues and sensory receptors inward to the CNS for processes

second name is AFFERENT

function of motor neurons + their second name

carry instructions from the CNS outward to the body’s muscles and glands

second name is EFFERENT

What are interneurons?

neurons in the CNS that process information

what are the parts of the peripheral nervous system?

somatic + autonomic

what is the function of the somatic nervous system?

controls skeletal muscles

what is the function of the autonomic nervous system

controls our glands and internal organ muscles. it influences functions like heartbeat and digestion

what is the sympathetic nervous system and what nervous system is it part of

it arouses and expends energy (“fight or flight”) — accelerates heart rate, raises blood pressure, etc to make your body ready to act

what is the parasympathetic system and what larger nervous system is it part of

calms you + observes energy (“rest and digest”)

sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous system?

parasympathetic (rest and digest), decreases alertness vs. sympathetic ("fight or flight), increases alertness

reflex arc

single sensory and single motor neuron that communicate through a spinal cord interneuron

what are the two parts of a neuron?

dendrites and an axon

what does the myelin sheath do?

its a layer of fatty acid tissue that insulates axons + speeds up their impulses

what are the gaps between the myelin sheath?

the nodes of ranvier

what happens when the myelin sheath degenerates?

less control + react time, multiple sclerosis in serious cases

what are glial cells and what do they do?

glail cells are nervous system cells supporting, nourishing, and protecting neurons. They play a role in learning, thinking, and memory

action potential

neural impulse : a brief electrical charge traveling down an axon

resting potential

the fluid outside of an axon’s membrane has positively charged ions, inside has negatively charges ions.

excitatory neural signals vs inhibitory neural signals

“pushing neuron’s acceleration vs “pushing neuron’s brealk”

what is the threshold

level of stimulation required to trigger a neural response

what is the refractory period

brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired. subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state

all-or-nothing response

a neuron’s reaction of either firing with full-strength response or not firing at all depending on strength of stimuli

synapse

junction between axon tip of the sending neuron and dendrite or cell body of receiving neuron

neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap. when released by the sending neuron, they travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron.

reuptake

neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

acetylcholine (ACh)

enables muscle action, learning, and memory. it is also linked to alzheimers

dopamine

Influences movement, learning, attention, emotion

low levels: can cause low motivation and movement issues linked to parkinson’s disease

serotonin

helps regulate happiness, anxiety, and general emotional stability

low levels: low mood, anxiety, irritability

endorphins

natural opioids - hormones like neurotransmitters linked to pain control + pleasure

norepinephrine

controls alertness and arousal

low levels: decrease in alertness, energy, blood pressure

GABA

inhibitory neurotransmitter that slows down nerve activity to produce a calming effect

glutamate

excitatory neurotransmitter + memory

substance P (P for PAIN)

pain perception neurotransmitter

morphine

pain medication / natural opioid

agonist

molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action

antagonist

molecule that blocks/inhibits a neurotransmitter’s action

what is myasthenia gravis?

chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes fluctuating weakness in voluntary skeletal muscles

hormones

chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands — travels through the bloodstream and affects other tissues

oxytocin

hormone that enables organsm, labor contractions, and milk flow while nursing.

what are psychoactive drugs?

chemicals that alter the brain + produce changes in perceptions and moods

substance abuse disorder

disorder characterized by continued substance use despite resulting life disruption

what is “drug action”

when a person experiences tolerance OR withdrawl

what are the 3 types of psychoactive drugs?

depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens

depressants

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

examples of drugs that are depressants

alcohol, barbiturates/tranquilizers, opiods

what are 3 effects of addiction?

memory disruption, reduced self awareness, expectancy effects (expectations can influence behavior —ex: someone simply believing that they are consuming alcohol can cause someone to act out/extra)

barbiturates/tranquilizers

depresses nervous system activity, reducing anxiety by impairing memory + judgment — includes narcotics and extensive use can cause loss of endorphins

stimulants

excite neural activity, speeds up body functions

(pupils dilate, heart and breathing rates increase, blood sugar levels rise, reducing appetite)
energy + self-confidence rise

3 examples of stimulants

nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines

nicotine

stimulant commonly found in tobacco products like cigarettes, chewing tobacco, e-cigs, etc

cocaine

powerful addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant

effects of using cocaine

• may heighten reactions

• could cause disturbances, suspiciousness, convulsions

• cardiac arrest

• causes euphoria by depleting neurotransmitters

effects of using amphetamines

body functions rise —> energy and mood rises

methamphetamines

the stronger version of amphetamines that cause ~8 hrs of heightened energy + euphoria
other effects: seizures, isolation, violent outbursts

ecstasy

stimulant and mild hallucinogen

what does ecstasy do?

triggers dopamine release, blocks re uptake of serotonin

can lead to overheating, increased blood pressure, and death

what are hallucinogens

psychedelic drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory imput. examples include: LSD and MDMA

LSD

hallucinogen that causes altered thinking, visual pseudo-hallucinations, sensory animation, and ego dissolution (a sense of losing personal identity)

can also dilate pupils and increase heart rate

marijuana

exhibits all 3 (stimulant, depressant, hallucinogen)

psychoactive drug with THC — has good and bad effects

biopsychosocial approach

integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

neuroplasticity

the brain’s ability to change/ reorganize

lesion

tissue destruction

How can a lesion occur?

naturally (disease, trauma), during surgery or experimentally

optogenetics

a technique that allows neuroscientists to control the activity of individual neurons

MEG (magnetoencephalography)

brain-imaging technique that measures magnetic fields form the brain’s natural electrical activity

CT (computed tomography ) scan

series of x-ray photos from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice of the brain’s structure

PET (positron emission tomography)

depicts brain activity by showing each brain’s area’s consumption of its chemical fuel (sugar glucose) when the brain performs a task

MRI (magnetic emission tomography)

uses magnetic fields + radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue (shows anatomy NOT function)