AP Psych Units 1 and 2

What do phrenology and biological psychology have in common?

They share a focus on the links between the brain and behavior

When a neuron fires an action potential, what does the information travel through and in what order?

Dendrites, cell body, axon

How does our nervous system allow us to experience the difference between a slap and a tap on the back?

Stronger stimuli cause more neurons to fire and to fire more frequently than happens with weaker stimuli

What happens in the synaptic gap?

Neurons send neurotransmitters across this tiny space between one neurons terminal branch and the next neurons dendrite or cell body

Neuron

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

Cell body

The part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell’s life-support center

Dendrites

A neurons branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses towards the cell body

Axon

The neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

Myelin

A fatty tissue layer encasing the axons of some neurons; enables greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next

Glial cells

Cells in nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; also help learning, thinking, and memory

Action potential

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Threshold

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Refractory period

pause occurs after a neuron has fired; action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to resting state

All-or-none response

A neurons reaction of either firing or not firing

What is reuptake?

occurs when excess neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the sending neuron. Can also drift away or broken down by enzymes

Serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins are all chemical messengers called ___

Neurotransmitters

What is the function of Acetylcholine (ACh)

Enables muscle action, learning, and memory

What are examples of malfunctions of Acetylcholine?

With Alzheimer’s disease, ACh-producing neurons deteriorate

What is the function of dopamine?

Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

What is the malfunction of dopamine?

Oversupply linked to schizophrenia, while an under supply is linked to Parkinson’s disease

What is the function of serotonin?

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

What is the malfunction of serotonin?

Under supply linked to depression.

What is the function of norepinephrine?

Helps control alertness and arousal

What is the function of GABA(gamma-aminobutyric acid)?

A major inhibitory neurotransmitter

What is the malfunction of GABA???

Under supply linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia

What is the function of glutamate?

A major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory

What is the malfunction of glutamate?

Oversupply can overstimulate the brain, producing migraines or seizures

What is the function of endorphins?

Neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure

Agonist

A molecule that increases a neurotransmitters action

Antagonist

A molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitters action

Motor neurons

Carry outgoing messages from the CNS to muscles and glands

Sensory neurons

Carry incoming messages from sensory receptors to the CNS

Interneurons

Communicate with the CNS and process information between incoming and outgoing messages

What bodily changes does your ANS direct before and after you give an important speech?

your ANS sympathetic division will arouse you, then your parasympathetic division will calm you

Reflex

A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

How does information flow through your nervous system as you pick up a fork?

1. CNS systems hungry brain activates and guides your arm and hand via peripheral nervous systems

2. As fork is picked up, brain process info from your sensory nervous system to guide the fork

3. Function cycle starts with sensory input, processes through CNS, and finishes motor output

Why is the pituitary gland called the “master gland?”

Responds to signals from the hypothalamus, pituitary releases hormones that trigger other endocrine glands to secrete hormones, which influence brain and behavior

How are the nervous and endocrine systems alike?

Both produce chemical molecules that act on the body’s receptors to influence our behavior and emotions

How do the nervous and endocrine systems differ?

The endocrine system secretes hormones in the bloodstream, meaning that its slower than the nervous system (however, it’s messages linger longer than the nervous system)

Why are psychologists concerned with human biology?

We are biopsychosocial systems

Neurons

Elementary components of the nervous system, the body’s speedy electrochemical information system

What does a neuron consists of?

Cell body, dendrites, and axons

What does myelin sheath enable?

Faster transmission

What do glial cells do?

Support nerve cells and participate in learning, thinking, and memory

What are the steps of the all or none process?

1. Combined received signals exceed the minimum threshold

2. Neuron fires

3. Transmits the electrical impulse (action potential) down its axon

How do nerve cells communicate with other nerve cells?

When action potentials reach the end of an axon they stimulate the release of neurotransmitters

What is the process of reuptake?

The sending neuron reabsorbs the excess neurotransmitter in the synaptic gap

How do neurotransmitters influence behavior?

Through neurotransmitters, specifically ACh and endorphins

How do drugs and other chemicals affect neurotransmitters?

They affect the brain chemistry at synapses

Agonists

Excite by mimicking particular neurotransmitters or by blocking their reuptake

Antagonists

Inhibit a particular neurotransmitter’s release of block its effect

Multiple sclerosis is a result of a degeneration in the:

Myelin sheath

Following the release of neurotransmitters across the synapse, and an action potential, what is most likely to take place?

The sending neuron reabsorbs the neurotransmitter for reuse

What does it mean for a neuron to be in a refractory period?

The neuron is temporarily unable to fire another action potential

What idea came from phrenology?

Specific areas of the brain control specific functions

When there is a positive charge inside an axon and a positive charge outside of it, the neuron is:

Depolarizing

Morphine is considered to be a(n)

Agonist

Which neurotransmitters are most likely to under supply in someone who is depressed?

Serotonin and norepinephrine

How might myelin sheath cause a loss of neural functioning?

Damage to the myelin sheath can slow down neural impulses

how does a loss of ACh affect neural functioning?

ACh is the neurotransmitter involved in muscle action, so moving would be harder

Nervous system 

communication network, consisting of the PNS and CNS

Where is the central nervous system (CNS)

the brain and spinal cord

What is the Peripheral nervous system (PNS) made up of?

the sensory+motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body.

nerves

bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the CNS with muscles, glands, and sense organs.

sensory (afferent) neurons

carry incoming info from tissues and sensory receptors to brain and spinal cord.

motor (efferent) neurons

carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.

interneurons

in the brain and spinal cord; communicate internally and process information between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.

somatic nervous system

division of the PNS that controls the body’s skeletal muscles.

Autonomic nervous system

part of the PNS that controls the glands and muscles of internal organs.

What does the sympathetic division of the ANS do?

It arouses

what does the parasympathetic system of the ANS do?

It calms

Endocrine system 

“slow” communication system; glands secrete hormones into bloodstream

Hormones

messengers made by endocrine glands, travel through bloodstream, affect other tissues.

adrenal glands

pair of endocrine glands that secrete hormones that arouse the body in times of stress.

pituitary gland 

Under influence of hypothalamus, regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

What is the function of the CNS???

its the nervous systems decision maker

what is the function of the PNS???

transmits the CNS descisions to the rest of the boys 

What are the two main divisions in the PNS???

the somatic and autonomic systems

what are the three types of neurons?

1. Sensory

2. Motor

3. Interneurons 

how does the endocrine system interact with the nervous system?

it secretes hormones into the bloodstream

what does the hypothalamus influence?

the pituitary gland

If you accidentally touch a hot stove, which of the following is responsible for moving your hand away before you even realize what you have done?

Interneuron

Hormones are ______ released into the bloodstream.

chemical messengers

Which division of the autonomic nervous system calms a person down once a stressful event has passed?

Parasympathetic

Which of the following endocrine glands may explain unusually tall height in a 12-year-old?

Pituitary

Which of the following communicates with the pituitary, which in turn controls the endocrine system?

Hypothalamus

Which division of the nervous system enables a person to move the muscles necessary to walk down the street?

Somatic

Female sex hormones are released by the:

ovaries

The role of interneurons is to:

transmit and process information within the brain and spinal cord.

Lesion 

tissue destruction 

EEG (electroencephalogram)

recording of waves of electrical activity across the brain’s surface.

MEG (magnetoencephalography)

measures magnetic fields from the brain’s natural electrical activity.

CT (computed tomography) scan (CAT)

X-ray photographs combined by computer into a representation of a brain’s structure.

PET (positron emission tomography) scan

detects where radioactive glucose goes while the brain performs a task.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue.

What does an MRI scan show?

MRI scans show brain anatomy.

fMRI (functional MRI)

a technique for revealing blood flow, compares successive MRI scans.

What does a fMRI can show?

fMRI scans show brain function as well as structure.

Brainstem

central core of the brain, responsible for automatic survival functions.

medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.