Sarah Physcology

Which two parts make up the entire nervous system?

Central Nervous System & Peripheral Nervous System

The brain and spinal cord make up which system?

Central Nervous System

What system do the body’s nerves make up?

Peripheral Nervous System

What is another name for a nerve cell?

Neuron

What is a synapse?

Gap between neurons

What is a neurotransmitter?

Chemical Messenger

What does the myelin sheath do?

Speeds up signals

What happens after neurotransmission? (3 things)

Reuptake, Breakdown, Binding

Which neurotransmitter is involved in attention, thought, and memory?

Acetylcholine

Which neurotransmitter is produced in response to pain or aerobic exercise, causing feelings of euphoria?

Endorphins

Which neurotransmitter helps regulate mood, sleep, and anxiety? Too much may cause confusion; too little could cause depression.

Serotonin

Which neurotransmitter is involved in reward, motivation, and addiction? Too much could result in aggression; too little is related to Parkinson’s Disease.

Dopamine

What is the “All-or-none” Principle?

Neuron fires fully or not at all

Which brain function(s) are disrupted if anandamide levels are altered by THC?

Memory, Mood, Appetite

THC found in Marijuana causes an increase in which neurotransmitter?

Dopamine

Who is most at risk of developing a dependence on THC?

Teens & people with a family history of addiction

What is neuroplasticity?

The brain’s ability to change and adapt

What does the autonomic nervous system control?

Involuntary Functions (heart rate, digestion, breathing)

What does the somatic nervous system control?

Voluntary Functions (walking, grabbing, talking)

What is it called when a stimulus triggers the body’s automatic response without input from the brain?

Reflex

What is the hindbrain responsible for?

Basic Survival Functions (breathing, heart rate, sleep)

What is the midbrain responsible for?

Sensory & Motor functions, Alertness

What is the forebrain responsible for?

Thinking, Emotions, Decision making

Which part of the brain controls the pituitary gland and regulates hunger and body temperature?

Hypothalamus

Brain surgeons use stimulation to map out various functions of the brain. What do they use to stimulate the brain?

Electrodes or Electrical Stimulation

What does the cerebellum do?

Balance, Coordination, Movement

What brain system is involved in attention and arousal and screens out some stimuli?

Reticular Activating System

What is another name for the central core of the brain that controls behaviors necessary for survival and helps form emotional memories?

Limbic System

What is the corpus callosum?

Connects the left and right brain hemispheres

What does the cerebral cortex do?

Thinking, Perception, Memory, Language

What are the four sections of the cerebral cortex referred to as?

Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, Occipital Lobes

What does the temporal lobe do?

Hearing, Memory, Language

What does the occipital lobe do?

Vision

What does the parietal lobe do?

Touch, Spatial Awareness

What does the frontal lobe do?

Thinking, Planning, Decision Making, Movement

What association area processes sensory information (e.g., touch)? Damage could cause tactile agnosia.

Somatosensory Cortex

Which association area connects parietal and frontal lobes for voluntary movements (e.g., endurance)? Damage here affects coordination of movement:

Motor Association Area

Which association area allows us to understand speech by piecing sounds/sights together:

Wernicke’s Area

Which association area allows us to speak by connecting the frontal lobe to the motor cortex:

Broca’s Area

Breathing and other autonomic reflexes are controlled by what:

Brainstem

What are some things that can cause brain trauma:

Falls, Car Accidents, Sports Injuries, Violence

What is a Congenital Brain Injury:

Brain damage at birth

What is an Acquired Brain Injury?

Brain damage after birth

What is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy?

Brain damage from repeated head hits

Phineas Gage had a TBI, which lobe was damaged?

Frontal Lobe

Identify different types of brain infections.

Meningitis, Encephalitis, Abscesses

What are seizures?

Sudden brain activity causing shaking or confusion

Identify different types of vascular conditions that negatively affect the brain.

Stroke & Aneurysm

Identify different types of neurodegenerative conditions.

Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s

What causes the “rush” people experience when doing something risky, such as doing snowboarding tricks inside a 22-foot half-pipe?

Caused by adrenaline and dopamine

What signs of a major brain trauma were evident immediately after Kevin’s accident?

Loss of consciousness, Confusion, Headache

What is a long-term consequence of Kevin’s brain injury, even years after the incident?

Memory & Mood problems

What is the risk to Kevin if he has another brain injury?

More brain damage risk

If someone gets a concussion, how likely are they to get another?

Higher chance of getting another concussion

What does the pituitary gland do?

Controls growth & body functions

What is a gland?

An organ that makes hormones

What is a hormone?

Chemical messengers in the body

When a person is angry or frightened, which gland prepares the body for action?

Adrenal glands (release adrenaline)

What does oxytocin do?

Helps with bonding and childbirth

What does the thyroid gland do?

Controls metabolism

What hormones are secreted by the adrenal glands?

Adrenaline & Cortisol

What are the consequences of taking anabolic steroids?

Heart issues & liver damage

What factors relate to the study of nature versus nurture?

Genetics vs Environment

What is heredity?

Passing traits from parents to offspring/kids

What are genes?

DNA that determines traits