MCAT Psych/Soc Chapt 1

franz gall

phrenology. brain shape determined function

pierre flourens

function of specific brain parts through ablation

william james

functionalims

john dewey

a latter functionalist thinker

paul broca

used brain lesions to determine functional impairement (Broca’s Area)

Hermann van Helmholtz

speed of nerve impulse

Sir Charles Sherrington

a pioneering neurophysiologist known for his work on synapses and reflexes.

central nervous system

brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

the part of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord, responsible for connecting them to limbs and organs.

somatic nervous system

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movements and transmits sensory information to the central nervous system.

afferent nerves

“affect” brain. sensory neurons that transmit information into brain

efferent neurons

“effect” of brain. motor neurons

autonomic nervous system

automatic functions such as heart beat, breath, pupil dilation

parasympathetic nervous system

rest and digest. opposes sympathetic response and conserves energy. acetylcholine

sympathetic nervous system

fight or flight. responds to stress by increasing HR, dilating pupils, decreasing digestion, increasing glucose in blood, releases epinephrine

brain stem

most primitive region of the brain (hindbrain and midbrain)

hindbrain

cerebellum, medulla oblongata, pons

cerebellum

part of hindbrain responsible for coordination, movement, and balance

medulla oblagata

keeps heart beating

pons

controls breathing, arousal

midbrain

sensorimotor and relay center

forebrain

higher processing. contains cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system, thalamus, and hypothalamus

prosencephalon

forms into forebrain

mescencephalon

forms into midbrain

rhombencephalon

forms into hindbrain

EEG

uses electrical stimulation to map brain activity

rCBF

maps brain activity to blood flow

fMRI

maps brain activity via hydrogen in blood flow and magnets (assumed that hydrogen activity associated with neural firing)

meninges

tissue between brain and skull

cerebospinal fluid

liquid that cushions brain

thalamus

sensory relay system (everything but smell)

hypothalamus

responsible for hunger and pleasure

lateral hypothalamus

controls ability to feel hungry

ventromedial hypothalamus

controls satiety

anterior hypothalamus

controls reproductive behavior

posterior pituitary

site of release for ADH and oxytocin. connects to HT

pineal gland

releases melatonin (regulates sleep)

basal ganglia

controlled movements and coordination (signals extrapyramidal system not MOTOR neurons)

executive movements

limbic system

controls emotion and memory

amygdala

“angry” amy

controls anger and aggressive response

hippocampus

responsible for long term memory

septal nuclei

primary pleasure center

anterior cingulate cortex

higher order thinking

retrograde amnesia

cannot remember old memories

antegrade amnesia

cannot form new memories

cerebral cortex

“neocortex”

bumpy area. divided into frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal

frontal crotex

higher order thinking, executive function

parietal lobe

touch, temperature, pain. sensory center and spatial awareness. contains wernicke’s area (interpret speech)

occipital lobe

vision

temporal

hearing

association areas

part of brain that integrates information from diverse regions of brain

projection areas

part of brain that performs rudimentary tasks

dominant hemisphere

(usually left) responsible for analytical activity

nondominant hemisphere

associated with intuition, creativity, spatial processing

neurotransmitter

chemical responsible for paracrine neural signaling

catecholamines

NTs involved in emotion. (dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine). they have similar structure

acetylcholine

responsible for voluntary movement, para

sympathetic nervous system. lack is associated with Alzheimer’s

dopamine

responsible for movement and posture. active in basal ganglia

low levels of dopamine are associate with…

parkinson’s

high levels of dopamine are associate with…

schizophrenia

seratonin

associated with mood stabilization, sleeping,eating dreaming. low levels associated with depression

epinephrine

acts as response to fight or flight. can act as hormone or NT

norepinephrine

acts as fight or flight response locally. low levels are associated with depression. high levels are associated with a manic disorder

GABA/glycine

major inhibitory NT. causes hyperpolarization

glutamate.

major excitatory NT

neuromodulator

peptides that are slow acting in the neurotransmission process

endorphins

bodies natural pain killers (neuromodulators)

pituitary gland

master gland. controls hormone release

anterior pituitary

connects to hypothalamus and receives signals for hormones. releases its own hormones

adrenal glands

sit on top of kidneys. medulla releases epinephrine for sympathetic nervous. cortex releases corticosteroids such as cortisol, testosterone, estrogen

gonads

sex glands that produce sex hormones in higher concentratuins

neurulation

notochord stimulates ectoderm to differentiate

neural tube

from furrowing of ectoderm forms CNS.

neural crest

spreads through body to form various tissues. alar plate develops into affective or sensory neurons

basal plates into effective or motor

rooting reflex

infants turn towards things that touch cheek

Babinski reflex

toes spread when touching heel

grasping reflex

infant curl fingers

moro reflex

infants put hands over head when head moves

gross motor skills progress..

head→ toe

core→ periphery