Psychology Mcat notes

Neuropsychology

The study of behavior and the nervous system

Sensory

-One of the three neurons.

-ascend in the cord

-Afferent

Motor

-Efferent

-neurons exit the cord to the effector

-One of the three neurons

Interneurons

-Used by reflex arcs in the spinal cord to relay information to the source of the stimuli while also sending that information to the brain

Central nervous system

A system made up of primarily the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system

A system made up of primarily cranial and spinal nerves

Voluntary

Somatic is deemed as __ compared to autonomic

Automatic

Autonomic is deemed as __ compared to Somatic

Parasympathetic

The automatic action of Rest and digest would be considered?

Sympathetic

The automatic action of Fight or flight would be considered?

hindbrain

The cerebellum, medulla oblongata, and reticular formation make up what subdivision of the brain?

midbrain

The inferior and superior colliculi make up what subdivision of the brain?

Forebrain

The thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, limbic system, and cerebral cortex make up what subdivision of the brain?

Thalamus

a relay system for sensory information.

hypothalamus

Maintains homeostasis and integrates with the endocrine system and through the hypophyseal partial system connection to the anterior pituitary.

Functions:

-Feeding

-Fighting

-Flighting

-(sexual) functioning

Basal Ganglia

Smooth movements and maintain postural stability

The limbic system

Contains the septal nuclei and amygdala hippocampus. Controls emotions and memories.

Frontal lobe

-One of the four lobes.

-Controls executive function, impulse control, long-term planning, motor function and speech production.

Parietal lobe

--One of the four lobes.

-Controls sensation of touch, pressure, temperature, our pain, spatial processing, orientation and manipulation.

Occipital lobe

Controls visual processing

Temporal lobe

Control sound processing, speech perception, memory and emotion.

Neurotransmitter

released by a neuron to carry a signal to another neuron or effector.

Acetylcholine

-A type of Neurotransmitter

-Voluntary muscle control, parasympathetic nervous system, attention, alertness.

Epinephrine

-A type of Neurotransmitter

-Released by the adrenal medulla

-Fight or flight responses, wakefulness, alertness

Dopamine

-A type of Neurotransmitter

-Smooth movements, postural stability

Serotonin

-A type of Neurotransmitter

-Mood, Sleep, eating, dreaming

GABA and Glycine

-A type of Neurotransmitter

-Brain “stabilization”

Glutamate

-A type of Neurotransmitter

-Brain excitation

Endorphins

Natural Painkillers

Cortisol

-A stress hormone

-released by the adrenal cortex

Testosterone

-mediate with libido

-Released by the adrenal cortex

-increase aggressive behavior

-testes produce

Estrogen

-mediate with libido

-Released by the adrenal cortex

-Produced in Ovaries

Family studies

-Related to the Nature vs nurture debate

-Looks at the relative frequency of a trait within a family compared to the public.

Twin studies

-Related to the Nature vs nurture debate

-Compares concordance rates of fraternal and identical twins

Adoption studies

-Related to the Nature vs nurture debate

-Compares similarities of adopted children and adopted parents vs Biological parents.