MCAT Behavioral Sciences

Franz Gall

phrenology (parts of brain can expand)

Pierre Flourens

extirpation/ablation to study effects of lesions

William James

functionalism (adaptation to environment)

John Dewey

functionalism (focus on whole organism)

Paul Broca

lesions (Broca’s area-speaking ability)

Hermann von Helmholtz

nerve impulse speed

Sir Charles Sherrington

synapses

Parasympathetic nervous system:

* … pupils
* … saliva flow
* … bronchi
* … heartbeat
* … peristalsis and secretion
* … bile release
* … bladder

* constricts
* stimulates
* constricts
* slows
* stimulates
* stimulates
* contracts

Sympathetic nervous system: 

* … pupils
* … saliva flow
* … bronchi
* … heartbeat
* … peristalsis and secretion
* … sweating or piloerection
* … glucose production and release
* … secretion of adrenaline and norepinephrine
* … bladder contraction
* … orgasm

* dilates
* inhibits
* relaxes
* accelerates
* inhibits
* stimulates
* stimulates
* stimulates
* inhibits
* stimulates

What does the hindbrain consist of?

medulla, pons, cerebellum

medulla function

breathing, heart rate, digestion (vital functions)

pons function

has sensory and motor pathways between medulla and cortex

cerebellum function

maintains posture and balance and coordinates body movements

what does the midbrain consist of?

superior and inferior colliculi

superior colliculi function

reflex response to visual stimuli

inferior colliculi function

reflex response to auditory stimuli

What does the forebrain consist of?

cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system (telencephalon)

thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, pineal gland (diencephalon)

Thalamus function

sensory relay station for all senses except smell

Hypothalamus function

homeostasis (metabolism, temperature, and water balance)

endocrine functions

autonomic nervous system control

emotions during arousal states

drive behaviors

Hypothalamus acronym

FFFF: feeding, fighting, flighting, sexual functioning

Lateral hypothalamus function

hunger center (triggers eating or drinking)

ventromedial hypothalamus function

satiety center (stops eating)

anterior hypothalamus

sexual activity, sleep, body temperature

posterior pituitary function

ADH and oxytocin secretion

pineal gland function

melatonin secretion

basal ganglia function

coordinate muscle movement (make them smooth)

Parkinson’s disease is associated with destruction of what?

basal ganglia

What does the limbic system consist of?

septal nuclei, amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, anterior cingulate cortex

septal nuclei function

pleasure (addiction)

amygdala function

fear and rage

hippocampus function

learning and memory

anterior cingulate cortex function

impulse control and decision-making

What does the frontal cortex consist of?

prefrontal cortex and motor cortex

Prefrontal cortex function

regulates attention and alertness (by communicating with reticular formation)

perception, memory, impulse-control, emotion, planning

Primary motor cortex function

initiate voluntary movements

What does the parietal lobe consist of?

Somatosensory cortex

Parietal lobe function

sensation, spatial processing, and manipulation

Somatosensory cortex function

destination for sensory signals for touch, pressure, temperature, and pain

What does the occipital lobe contain?

visual cortex

What is the dominant hemisphere for most people?

The left hemisphere

What does the temporal lobe consist of?

auditory cortex, Wernicke’s area

Which lobe is the hippocampus deep inside of?

temporal lobe

What is Wernicke’s area’s function?

language reception and comprehension

What are the functions of the dominant hemisphere?

language, logic, math skills (analysis, details)

What are the functions of the nondominant hemisphere?

intuition, creativity, music cognition, and spatial processing

Is acetylcholine found in the peripheral or central nervous system or both?

both

Which neurotransmitter transmits nerve impulses to the muscles?

acetylcholine

Is acetylcholine the primary neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous system?

parasympathetic

In the CNS, is acetylcholine primary excitatory or inhibitory?

excitatory (attention and arousal)

A loss of … neurons connecting with the … is associated with Alzheimer’s

cholinergic, hippocampus

What are the catecholamines?

epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine

What do catecholamines play an important role in?

emotions

What are the primary neurotransmitters of the sympathetic nervous system?

epinephrine and norepinephrine

What do norepinephrine and epinephrine control?

alertness and wakefulness

Which sympathetic nervous system neurotransmitter commonly acts as a local level neurotransmitter?

norepinephrine

Which sympathetic nervous system neurotransmitter is often secreted from the adrenal medulla to act as a hormone?

epinephrine

Which catecholamine plays an important role in movement and posture?

dopamine

The loss of dopaminergic neurons in the basal ganglia is associated with which disease?

Parkinson’s

What does serotonin play a role in?

mood, sleep, eating, dreaming

Which neurotransmitter produces inhibitory postsynaptic potentials?

GABA

Which amino acid serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter by increasing chloride influx into the neuron?

glycine

Which amino acid acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter?

glutamate

Which neuropeptides are natural painkillers?

endorphins

Which brain structure regulates the hormonal function of the pituitary gland?

hypothalamus

The hypothalamus releases hormones to the pituitary gland through what?

hypophyseal portal system

Which structure releases epinephrine and norepinephrine?

adrenal medulla

Which structure releases corticosteroids, testosterone, and estrogen

adrenal cortex

Neurulation occurs when the … overlying the notochord begins to furrow forming a neural … surrounded by 2 neural …

ectoderm, groove, folds

Cells at the leading edge of the neural fold are called the … and will migrate throughout the body to form disparate tissues

neural crest

Which plate of the neural tube differentiates into sensory neurons?

alar plate

Which plate of the neural tube differentiates into motor neurons?

basal plate

Which reflex involves pulling arms in and crying after abrupt head movements?

Moro reflex

When does the Moro reflex usually disappear?

After 4 months (continuation after 1 year signifies developmental problems)

Which reflex causes the toes to spread apart when the sole of the foot is stimulated?

Babinski reflex

What are groups of neuron cell bodies outside the central nervous system?

ganglia

Rods and cones → …, …, … → … cells axons form the …

bipolar cells, amacrine cells, horizontal cells, ganglion, optic nerve

What do optic nerve fibers pass through before the visual cortex?

lateral geniculate nucleus

What do vestibulocochlear nerve fibers pass through before the auditory cortex?

mediolateral geniculate cortex

What structure localizes sound?

superior olive

Odor molecules → … nerves in the … …→ … …→… …→ higher regions of the brain

olfactory, olfactory epithelium, olfactory bulb, olfactory tract

What do Pacinian corpuscles respond to?

deep pressure and vibration

What do Meissner corpuscles respond to?

light touch