Biological Bias

Ap Pysch

Innate

belonging to

Predisposed

(typically a person) is more prone to something

Salient

most noticeable/important

Subjective

based on opinion rather than fact

Nature

the natural, possibly genetically determined behaviors/characteristics of a person

Nurture

the idea that environmental factors influence the development and behavior of a person

Epigenetics

how events in the cells change the function of them, but not the input of the genes

Histone modification

a protein that fits inside the nucleus and controls the cell

DNA methylation

a light switch is added to DNA genes

No methylation means

gene is turned on

Nativists

believe most behaviors are from inheritance

NAture

Ancestry

NUture

Upbringing

Evolutionary perspective

how natural selection affects behaviors in a species long term

Natural selection

the best of the best stay, the rest did

Selective breeding

any trait that is favored naturally or artificially (made by man) spreads to future generations via forced breeding

Eugenics

unethical idea of superior and inferior people

Identical twins are called

monozygotic twins

Fraternal Twins are called

dizygotic twins

Difference between identical and fraternal Twins

fraternal comes from two eggs and share 50% of genes, identic develop from one egg and have the exact same genes

Adoption studies

where babies are adopted at an early age and the child is compared to the adopted and biological parents

Heritability

the extent in which our genes are to blame for our traits; can also be an estimate of observed differences among people

What do twin studies compare?

similarities between MZ and DZ (fraternal and identical twins)

Adoption studies major words are (hint two)

personality and intelligence

Heritability is what kind of measure?

mathematical

CNS

central nervous system includes brain and spinal cord

PNS

peripheral nervous system includes all the other nerves

Somatic nervous system

sents commands to control the voluntary skeletal muscles, brings sensory input back in

Autonomstic nervous system

controls the activity of glands, organs, and smooth muscles: can be both involuntary and voluntary muscles

Symptomatic nervous system (hint s=stress)

coordinates fight or flight mode, uses norepinephrine naturally

Parasympathetic nervous system (hint p=peace)

associated with rest, repair, and energy stores, calms and restores the body after stress

Parasympathetic and symptomatic are ..., and will.. be activated at the same time

opposing, not

Central nervous system (CNS) includes

brain and spinal cord

PNS includes..?

Spinal cord to arms, hands, and feet

Somatic includes

CNS + sensory receptors

Autonomic includes

Spinal cord to lungs, heart and stomach intestines, bladder and sex organs

Sympathetic includes

Fight or flight (everything BUT digestion go UP)

Parasympathetic includes

Rest and restoring (everything BUT digestion goes DOWN)

What are the nervous system branches?

-hint-there are three

CNS + PNS, Somatic + Autonomic, Sympa + para

Glial cells

takes care of the neuron, doesn’t generate action potential

On your hand and arm, where are the parts of a neuron?

Hand = cell body, freckle on hand = nucleus, fingers = dendrites, myelin sheath = skin, axon hillock = wrist, node of Ranvier = if there’s a cut on the arm

Presynaptic cell

hint- terminal bud

a cell before synapse

Postsynaptic cell

hint- dendrite

after synapse

Difference between sensory and motor neurons

hint-SAME

Sensory: info comes in (afferent)

Motor: info goes out (efferent)

What are inside terminal buds?

Vesicles, and inside those are neurotransmitters

How a neuron fires (action potential)

resting (potato chip), resting = -70 mV, either a neuron fires or it doesn’t

— is greater than —-, —- reach threshold

E is greater than I, I reach threshold

Depolarization

hint- SIN and POUT

Switching charges, the gates open and Sodium comes in and Potassium goes out

Repolarization

when the cell is returning to normal levels (potato chip again)

Refractory period

hint- loading a gun

Inactive time because the cell is getting repolarized

What happens when there’s not a myelinated sheath on the axon body?

There are slow messages

Reuptake

when neurotransmitters get ‘sucked’ back into the same neuron they just came from

Enzyme Deactivation

hint-pacman

Cleaning the extra transmitters up that weren’t used in reuptake

What two illnesses are associated with not having a myelin sheath?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Myasthenia Gravis (MG)

What’s the difference between MS and MG?

MS-neurological, possible loss of muscle control

MG-autoimmune, lacks acetylcholine receptors

Excitatory

hint- GLUTAMATE

Increases likelihood that the neuron with fire

Inhibitory

hint-GABA

Decreases the likelihood that the neuron with fire

What function is Dopamine (DA) related to?

Pleasure and reward

What function is Acetylcholine (AcH) related to?

memory and learning

What function is Serotonin (5ht) related to?

mood and sleep

What function is Norepinephrine (NE) related to?

Fight or flight

What function is Glutamate (Glu) related to?

learning, long term memory and LTP

What function is GABA related to?

calming and sleep

What function is Endorphins (End) related to?

stops pain signals

What function is Substance P (powder) related to?

produces pain

What happens if there’s too much of DA?

Schizophrenia, trouble controlling impulses

What happens if there’s too much of AcH?

muscle convulsions

What happens if there’s too much of 5HT?

Headaches and OCD

What happens if there’s too much of NE?

Anxiety and mania

What happens if there’s too much of Glu?

migraines or seizures

What happens if there’s too much of GABA?

relaxed

What happens if there’s too much of End?

higher pain tolerance

What happens if there’s too much of Substance P?

increased pain

What happens if there’s too little of DA?

Parkinson’s

What happens if there’s too little of AcH?

Alzheimer’s

What happens if there’s too little of 5HT?

depression

What happens if there’s too little of NE?

depression

What happens if there’s too little of glu?

schizophrenia

What happens if there’s too little of GABA?

anxiety

What happens if there’s too little of Endorphins?

more pain experience

What happens if there’s too little of substance P?

Decreased pain

What do the NS and Endocrine system have in common?

Chemicals, message location, message speed and the effect

BBB

Blood, brain, barrier, the protective gate around the brain

Definition and example of Depressants

To reduce nervous energy, Alcohol

Definition and example of Opioids

Reduces pain and adds pleasure, Morphine

Definition and example of Stimulants

Excites and speeds function, caffeine

Definition and example of Hallucinogens

distorts perceptions and evokes false visual outputs, Marijuana and THC

In simple words, what do depressants, stimulants, opioids, and hallucinogens do?

D:decrease CNS activity, S:increases CNS activity, O: pain relievers, H:distorted sensations

Two types of Agonist

Mimics the message to keep movement going or blocks reuptake from happening (pre and post synaptic)

Antagonist

decreases effectiveness by blocking dendrite receptors

Depressants

down gaba

Alcohol

da, cerebellum and hippocampus

Barbiturates

sleep and anxiety that are addictive and lethal when combined with alcohol.

Benzodiazepines

promote sleep and relaxation, known for their addictive potential.

Opioids

t alleviate pain by releasing endorphins; includes heroin and suboxone.

Methadone

A synthetic opioid used as a treatment for addiction.

Naloxone (Narcan)

A medication that blocks opioid receptors to counteract narcotic overdose.

Stimulants

Substances that increase dopamine levels and induce euphoria, such as nicotine.

Caffeine

A stimulant that blocks adenosine receptors, leading to tolerance and withdrawal symptoms.

Cocaine

A stimulant that blocks dopamine receptors, providing a short-lived euphoric effect followed by a crash.