Biological Bases of Mental Life and Behaviour

Flashcards for review of Biological Bases of Mental Life and Behavior lecture notes.

Neurotransmitters

Cells that transmit information across cells by binding to receptor sites.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit information across cells - binding to receptor sites. Their function can be inhibitory (decrease) or excitatory (increase).

Acetylcholine

Neuromuscular junctions (where motor neurons communicate with muscles).

Dopamine

Released in the brain response to reward, involved in a range of cognitive functions & disorders.

Glutamate

Important for normal brain function. Nearly all excitatory neurons in the CNS are glutamatergic.

Serotonin

Regulates many biological processes in the body (and is in all brain regions). It’s involved in a range of cognitive functions & disorders.

Norepinephrine/ Noadrenaline

In both CNS and PNS and both a hormone and neurotransmitter. Linked to mood, attention, memory and stress

Gamma-aminonutyric acid (GABA)

Opposite of glutamate Has inhibitory function and involved in development found most in the CNS.

Action Potential

Transmit signals over long distances. Travel from initial segment to terminals.

Graded Potential

Determine if action potential is generated. Travel less than a mm.

Central Nervous System

Brain and spinal cord. Transmits messages to/from the brain to the body (muscles and organs) responsible

Peripheral Nervous System

Somatic (muscles and sensory) and autonomic (internal organs) nervous system. Autonomic nervous system includes sympathetic (adaptive function) and parasympathetic (routine function) nervous systems

Parasympathetic nervous system

Regulates involuntary physiological processes in 'Rest and digest' mode.

Sympathetic nervous system

Regulates involuntary physiological processes in 'Fight of flight' mode.

Endocrine System

Collection of glands that secrete chemicals (hormones) into bloodstream.

Hippocampus

Storing information in memories.

Amygdala

Coordinates endocrine system, keeps regulation.

Cingulate gyrus

Emotion and pain processing.

Thalamus

Relays motor and sensory information

Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

Non-invasive imaging with high spatial resolution to reveal metabolic or biochemical function.

Voltage-clamping

Recording the electrical flow across a cell membrane.

Histological staining

Staining brain tissue and counting the cells present using a light or electron microscope (often for detecting diseases).

Electrocorticography (ECoG)

Invasive technique that has a high temporal resolution but low spatial resolution.

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Non-invasive technique that has a high temporal resolution but low spatial resolution.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Expensive but non-invasive technique which looks at blood flow. Has high spatial but low temporal resolution.

Genes

Genes carry information specifying our physical and biological traits.

Genotype

‘The code’.

Phenotype

‘The expression’ or observable attributes/qualities.

Epigenetics

Gene expression altered by the environment.

Neuroplasticity

Brain changes and adaptation (growth and reorganisation) to environmental and behavioural experiences