Biopsych

biopsychology

mental processes and observable behaviors are linked to biological structures and processes

neurons

highly specialized cells that communicate info in electrical chemical forms; we have 100 billion, extremely small, look like snow flakes

dendrites

1. thybers that receive info; goes into cell body - info travels to myelin sheath

axons

4. "away"; fiber that carries neurons message to other body areas

myelin sheath

3. white, fatty substance that allows increase in neuron communication speed

action potential

brief electrical impulse by which info is transmitted along the axon of the neuron

synapse

point of communication, area for the transfer of signals; "jump"

cell body

2. contains nucleus, provides energy

central nervous system

contains the brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

carries messages to and from the CNS

somatic nervous system

controls voluntary muscles and transmits sensory info to the CNS

autonomic nervous system

controls involuntary body functions - self governing

sympathetic nervous system

arouses body to expend energy - "gas pedal"

parasympathetic nervous system

calms body to conserve and maintain energy - "brakes"

neurogenesis

birth of new neurons; inhibited by stress; killed off by nicotine

excitatory neurotransmitter

increase the possibility that the next neuron will fire

acetylcholine

makes your stomach contract when you vomit; primary roles: learning, memory,cognition, muscle contractions; associated disorders: too little - alzheimers

dopamines

primary roles: movement (voluntary), thought processes, rewarding sensations; associated disorders: parkinson's, schizophrenia, and drug addiction

serotonin

primary roles: emotional states, sleep, appetite, pain surpressor; associated disorders: too little - depression

norepinephrine

primary roles: physical arousal; increases heartbeat, learning, memory; associated disorders: depression, stress

GABA

primary roles: inhibition of brain activity; associated disorders: anxiety disorders, epilepsy

endorphins

natural high; primary roles: pain perception, appetite, positive emotions, blood pressure, sexual activity; associated disorders: too much - opiate addiction

hypothalamus

emotion and motivation, stress reactions, biological clock that controls bodies daily rhythm

Broca's area

(1861) damage results in difficulty in articulating words and faulty grammar; in the frontal lobe

Wernicke's area

damage results in inappropriate or nonsensical word choice; makes speech fluid and understandable or make sense; in temporal lobe

temporal lobe

by your ears and temples; contain areas involved in hearing, memory, perception, emotion, and language

parietal lobe

located at the top of the head; contain areas that receive info on pressure, pain, touch, and temperature

occipital lobe

located at the lower part of the head; contains areas that receive visual info

frontal lobe

located at the front of the brain; contains areas involved in short-term memory, higher-order thinking, initiative, social judgment, and speech production

localization of function

specialization of particular brain areas

cerebral cortex

gray matter; 3 mm thick, 3/4 of neurons are here

amygdala

initial evaluation of sensory info to determine its importance; mediation of anxiety and depression; emotions, particularly anger

hippocampus

memory; formation of new memories about facts and events

corpus callosum

nerve fibers that join left and right hemispheres

pons

regulates sleep wake cycle and dreaming

medulla

regulates heartbeat and breathing

cerebellum

regulates balance and coordination; also contains memory for simple skills and learned reflexes

thalamus

relay of impulses from higher centers to the spinal cord, and of incoming sensory info to other brain centers

primary somatosensory

deals mostly with senses in the hands and face

pituitary gland

MASTER GLAND; regulates activites of several other glands; produces growth hormones; size of a cherry

thyroid gland

controls body metabolism rate

pineal gland

produces melatonin, which helps regulate sleep-wake cycles

hormones

chemical messengers secreted into the bloodstream by endocrine glands and effect functioning of target organs and tissues

endocrine system

system of glands located throughout the body that secrete hormones into the bloodstream; controlled by hypothalamus

adrenal glands

produce epinephrine and norepinephrine which cause physical arousal in response to danger, fear, anger, stress, and other strong emotions; fight./flight, stress, and sympathetic nervous system

pancreas

regulates blood sugar and insulin levels; involved in hunger; if this isn't functioning, diabetes

ovaries

secretes estrogen and progesterone which regulate female sexual development and reproduction and influence sexual behavior

testes

secrete testosterone, which regulates male sexual development and reproduction and influences sexual behavior

CAT

permits 3D imaging of a living human brain

MRI

produces pictures of inner brain structures

EEG

(electrical) measures brain activity on a millisecond-by-millisecond basis

PET

(positron emission tomography scanning) 3 techniques that use radioactive energy to map exact regions of brain activity; inject radioactive element into the brain; measured by amount of glucose being used

plasticity

the brain is flexible and parts adapt to perform functions if needed

primary motor actions

deals w/ 600 muscles of action movement

hindbrain

structures on top of the spinal cord; "lifesupport system"; last part of your brain to die

midbrain

coordinates simple movements w/ sensory info; small

forebrain

"BIG GUY"; thought, memories, personality, and ability to reason are here

right hemisphere

nonverbal, perceptual and spacial skills, emotion, art and music, and face recognition

left hemisphere

language, speech, math calculations, and writing

split-brain operation

an operation given to patients w/ severe epilepsy to split the corpus callosum, preventing the transfer of signals across the 2 hemispheres

split brain research

patients are unable to verbally identify the picture flashed to the nonverbal right hemisphere, but are able to grasp the object w/ their left hand; in contrast, when the image is flashed to their verbal left hemisphere, they can easily name it

brain stem

part of the brain at the top of the spinal cord, consisting of the medulla and pons

phrenology

"read" from bumps on the skull

prefrontal cortex

located in the front of the brain; implicated in planning complex cognitive behaviors, personality expressions, decision making and moderating correct social behavior

TMS

use magnets to stimulate brain cells