Unit 3 - Biological Bases of Behavior

AP Psychology

Neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

Axon

the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles and glands

Dendrite

a neuron’s bushy branching extensions that recieve messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

What part of the neuron recieves the messages?

Dendrites

What part of the neuron sends the message?

Axon/Axon Terminal

Myelin Sheath

a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one sausage-like node to the next

Cell Body/Soma

contains the nucleus, the cell’s life support center

Node of Ranvier

Gaps in myelin sheath that impulses jump over

Schwann Cell

produces myelin sheath, supports protects and maintains it

Glial Cells

nervous system’s supporters; feed and nourish neurons, protect them; help us learn, think, and remember

Axon Terminal (Buttons)

ends of the axon, contains vesicles that store neurotransmitters

#1?

Dendrites

#2?

Cell Body

#3?

Nucleus

#4

Axon

#5

Myelin Sheath

#6

Schwann Cell

#7

Node of Ranvier

#8

Axon Terminal

How to pronounce words so you don’t sound like an idiot! —Myelin Sheath

mialin (kind of like violin, NOT myeh-lin)

How to pronounce words so you don’t sound like an idiot! — Node of Ranvier

Ran-vi-ay (NOT ran-veer)

Synaptic Vesicle

stores the neurotransmitters in the axon terminal

Action Potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon

Resting Potential

where the neurons start and end, banana in the ocean→ inside- negative protein ions, positive potassium ions, outside- positive sodium ions- axon surface is selectively permeable

Depolarization

positive sodium ions flood into channels (attracted to negative interior)

Are Potassium ions positive or negative? Sodium ions?

Positive; Positive

Is the inside of the axon positive or negative?

Negative

Repolarization

potassium ions flow out of the channel, resets to start again

Threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

All-Or-None Principle

a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing; you can’t half-fire a gxn, you cant half pull a trigger either you fully pull it and it shoots or you dont pull it enough or at all and it doesn’t shoot, and even if you hesitate and another person is prepared and confident the bullet will still go with the same speed and intensity

Refractory Period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired ; like in pokemon shield when you have to send your pokemon to the clinic to regain health so you can fight with them again and you have to wait a couple seconds while it heals them

Synapse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft

Neurotransmitter

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons, when released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

Reuptake

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

Acetylcholine/ ACh

enables muscle movement, learning, memory — too little=unable to contract (botox) — ACh-producing neurons deteriorate=alzheimers — neither excitatory nor inhibitory

Dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, emotion — “pleasure hormone” — pleasure and reward — too much=schizophrenia, too little=parkinson’s/tremors — excitatory

Serotonin

mood , hunger, sleep, arousal — too little=depression — SSRIs are effective treatment — NOT happiness hormone → mood regulation — neither excitatory nor inhibitor

Nor-epinephrine/Epinephrine

adrenaline or non-adrenaline — fight or flight — energy, hypes up, focus, controls alertness and arousal — too little=depressed, too much=anxious — treatment: SNRI — extremely excitatory

GABA

major inhibitory neurotransmitter — too little= seizures, tremors, insomnia

Glutamate

major excitatory neurotransmitter — memory — too much=migraines or seizures due to overstimulation

Endorphins

“morphine within” - natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

Substance p

associated with feelings of pain (p means pain) — released by sensory neurons in the peripheral and central nervous systems — increases blood vessel size and starts inflammation process — works together with glutamate — what sends blood to start the healing process

Multiple Sclerosis

immune system attacks neurons’ myelin sheath covering — slows down neurotransmission — weakness in limbs, muscle spasms, coordination/balance issues

Myasthenia Gravis

immune system attacks ACh receptors in neuromuscular junctions — muscles become easily fatigued or temporarily paralyzed — slurred speech and difficulty swallowing are among common symptoms

Agonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response

Antagonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or blocks a response

Sensory Neuron

neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord → incoming/afferent

Motor Neuron

neurons that carry outgoing messages from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands — efferent/outgoing

Interneuron

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

Nervous System

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

Central Nervous System

the brain and the spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body

Somatic Nervous System

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles → also known as the skeletal nervous system

Autonomic Nervous System

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (heart) — its sympathetic division arouses; its para-sympathetic division calms

Sympathetic Nervous System

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

Para-sympathetic Nervous System

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

Reflex/Reflex Arc

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

Endocrine System

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

Pituitary Gland

the endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

Hormone

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands; travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues

Ocytocin

“bonding” “love” “cuddle” hormone, enables birth contractions, breast milk release, released during/after orgasm

Cortisol

stress hormone that increases blood sugar

Lesion

tissue destruction — a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

Electro-Encephalo-graph (EEG)

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the Brain’s surface — waves are measured by electrodes placed on scalp

Computerized Tomography (CT Scan) or (CAT Scan)

a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice of the brain’s structure

Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scan)

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain preforms a given task

Magnetic Resonance Imagine (MRI)

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft-tissue — shows brain anatomy

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans — fMRI scans show brain function as well as its structure

Contralateral hemispheric organization

sensory and motor functions from one side of the body are controlled by the opposite hemisphere of the brain

Brain Stem

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival functions

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Pons

coordinates sleep and movement; keeps you in REM sleep

Reticular Activating System

a nerve network that travels through the brain stem and thalamus; controls arousal and attention; filters incoming stimuli; helps “multi-task” ; if severed, youll be in a coma

Thalamus

brain’s sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla; all senses except smell; 911 dispatcher/mail person for senses

Cerebellum

the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory

Limbic System

neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

Hippocampus

processes and creates new memories and sends it away to be stored (DOES NOT STORE IT IN ITSELF)

Amygdala

generates emotions, mainly aggression and fear, as well as other strong emotional experiences

Hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities (such as eating, drinking, body temperature) helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion (pleasure) and reward (remember the 4 Fs→ fight, flight, food, and sex/f*ck)

3 parts of the Limbic System:

Amygdala, Hippocampus, Hypothalamus

3 parts of the Brain Stem:

Medulla, Pons, Reticular Formation

Cerebral Cortex

“newest” part of the brain, intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center

Frontal Lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements

Motor Cortex

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

Parietal Lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position

Somatosensory Cortex

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

Occipital Lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

Visual Cortex

receives information from visual fields

Temporal Lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear

Association Cortex

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, thinking, remembering, and speaking

Corpus Callosum

the large bundle of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

Prefrontal Cortex

forward part of the frontal lobes enables judgment, planning, and processing

Executive Functioning Skills

front of the frontal lobe; not developed until ~25; helps with time management, planning, memory, self-regulation/monitoring, cognitive flexibility, goal-setting, emotion and impulse control etc etc

Aphasia

disorder affecting language

Broca’s Area

controls motor movement associated with speech, located in frontal lobe near motor cortex; muscle movement to talk - brocas aphasia=broken speech; understand everything and knows what to say but cant physically say it or doesnt know how to produce the sounds to say it

Wernicke’s Area

controls language comprehension, located in temporal/parietal lobe, wernicke’s aphasia - “wacky speech”, doesnt understand what others are saying nor what they themselves are saying and cant read

Angular Gyrus

translates visual written information to speech, talks to wernickes area to comprehend language

language is on what side of the brain

LEFT

Plasticity

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

Neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons; reorganizes after damage, and builds new pathways based on experience