Section 2 - The Biology of Animal Behavior

What nervous systems do most animals have?

Central and Peripheral

What are the individual cells that make up nervous system called?

Neurons

What are the chemical molecules released by neurons called?

Neurotransmitters

How long do neurons transmit information to and from the brain?

Milliseconds

What is the range if length of neurons?

Millimeters to Meters

What is sensation?

Physical detection of stimuli

What sense do sharks primarily use to navigate the world?

Smell

What are tetrachromats?

People who have additional sensory nerves to see more colors

What is perception?

Converting sensation in cells to interpret and react to the environment

What is perception based off of?

Memory and Learning

What are the neurons in an animal’s eyes called?

Rods and cones

When did the vertebrate nervous system evolve?

500 million years ago

What is a spinal column?

Bones along an animal’s back that supports/protects nerves and neurons

What makes up the vertebrate nervous system?

Peripheral and Central Nervous Systems

What analogy does the packet use for the central nervous system?

It is the control center

What analogy does the packet use for the peripheral nervous system?

It is the communication network

What makes up the peripheral nervous system?

All the nerves and neurons outside of the brain and spinal cord

What is the only behavior that peripheral nerves can produce?

Reflexive/Involuntary ones

What are nociceptors?

Type of somatosensory organ and perceives pain

What are somatosensory neurons?

Specific type of neurons that sense different inputs

What do nociceptors detect?

Pressure and Temperature

What are examples of reflexive behavior?

Touching something hut, eyelid blinking

What is proprioception?

Using sensations from neurons in the muscles that the brain uses to understand space

What areas of the human body are more sensitive compared to the rest?

Face and Hands

What is the autonomic nervous system responsible for?

“Sustaining life”? and background processes like breathing/heart rate

What makes up the autonomic nervous system?

Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous system

What is another name for the sympathetic nervous system?

"Fight or Flight” system

What primarily controls the sympathetic nervous system?

Spinal Cord

What does the sympathetic nervous system respond to?

Danger/ Possibility of Danger

What is the parasympathetic Nervous system also known as?

Rest and digest system

What does the parasympathetic Nervous system do?

Corrects the animal’s state back to balance after the sympathetic nervous system has triggered

What would a constant state of sympathetic nervous system activation do to an animal’s body?

Prevent body from properly absorbing nutrients, disrupt social behavior, impact reproduction

What would a constant state of parasympathetic Nervous system activation do to an animal?

Cause severe injury/death of animal cannot escape danger when present

What is believed to be a triggering factor for many autoimmune diseases?

Long-term activation/constant switching of the sympathetic nervous system

Where is information processed?

Central Nervous system

What connects the brain to the peripheral nervous system?

Spinal cord

What protects a vertebrates’ central nervous system?

Backbone and cerebrospinal fluid

What connects the brain to the spinal cord?

Brainstem

What is the blood-brain barrier?

Cells surrounding the blood supply in the brain that allow only specific molecules to enter/exit