PSYCH UNIT 1 TEST

wish fullfillment

dream theory; freud-the interpretation of dreams; unconscious drives and wishes

information processing

dream theory; helps sort out day’s events and consolidate memories

physiological function

dream theory; brain stimulation from REM may help develop neural pathways

activation synthesis

dream theory; REM triggers neural activity, evokes random visual memories

cognitive development

dream theory; dream content reflects dreamers’ level of cognitive development

psychoactive drug

chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

substance use disorder

continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk

tolerance

w/ alcohol and drug frequent users, brain adapts to offset the drug effect, require higher doses leading to addiction

addiction

caused by ever-increasing doses of psychoactive drugs, struggle w/ withdrawal

addiction

important to limit using _________ to label driven, excessive behaviors

depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens

types of psychoactive drugs

depressants

calm neural activity and slow body functions

alcohol, barbiturates, opiates

depressants

depressants

pleasurable effects: initial high followed by relaxation, euphoria, relief from pain

depressants

negative after effects: depression, memory loss, organ damage, withdrawal

stimulants

excites neural activity and speeds up bodily functions

caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy

stimulants

stimulants

pleasurable effects: increased alertness, arousal, relaxation, euphoria, energy

stimulants

negative after effects: anxiety, insomnia, heart disease, cancer, irritability, hypertension, dehydration, impaired cognitive function

hallucinogens

distort perceptions and evoke sensory images

LSD and marijuana

hallucinogens

hallucinogens

pleasurable effects: visual trip, mild hallucination

hallucinogens

negative after effects: panic and impaired memory

NREM-1 (non-REM stage 1)

slow breathing, irregular brain waves

hypnogogic sensations

during NREM-1, bizarre experiences while transitioning to sleep→ hallucinations, sense of falling

NREM-2

about 20 min, clearly asleep, could be awoken w'/o much difficulty

NREM-3

about 30 min, deep sleep, slow waves, hard to awaken

NREM-3

end of this stage may result in bedwetting, back to NREM-2

REM

rapid eye movement

REM

about 10 min then gets longer as sleep progresses

REM

brain waves rapid (like when awake), heart rate rises, breathing rapid, every 30 seconds eyes dart around (start of dream), scary dreams, genital arousal, nocturnal emission

REM

motor cortex is active, brain stem blocks messages→ paralysis

consciousness

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment

sleep

periodic loss of consciousness

circadian rhythm

biological clock (temp and wakefulness changes that occur in a 24-hour period)

genetics, cultural infleunces, light

factors that affect sleep

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

in hypothalamus, causes the pineal gland to decrease melatonin in the morning and increase in the evening

light, night shift workers working, artificial light, and social jet lag

disrupts our circadian rhythm

protect (promote survival), recuperate immune system, restore memories from the day, creative thinking (dreams), support/growth

why do we need sleep?

the “great sleep recession”

sleep patterns leave us feeling drained of energy, accumulate sleep debt

paid off sleep debt by sleeping 12+ hours after spending 14 hours in bed for a week

U.S. Navy and National Institutes of Health Experiments

agitation, loss of energy, predictor of depression, decreased academic function, diminished productivity, irritability

sleep loss can lead to

weight gain

can stem from sleep deprivation

phrenology

studying bumps on the skull reveals a persons mental traits, however not valid

phrenology

however did reveal that brain functions are in specific various brain regions

similar

information systems of humans and animals are _______

neurons

billions in humans, nerve cells, building blocks of our body’s neural info system

neurons

born and wither away; consists of cell body and its branching fibers

cell body

cell’s life support center

dendrite

of a neuron; receives and integrates info from other cells conducting it toward the cell body

axon

of a neuron; passes messages from cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands

terminal branches

of a neuron; forms junctions with other cells

myelin sheath

of a neuron; covers axon/in some, helps speed neural impulses

neural impulse

action potential, electric signal traveling down the axon

speak, listen

dendrites, axons

myelin sheath

if ______degenerates, leads to multiple sclerosis—communication to muscles is slow

glial cells

supports nerve cells like worker bees for queen bees (neurons)

glial cells

chats w/ neurons (role in memory and learning)

more glia

more complex brain=

action potential

by neuron, brief electrical charge that travels down its axon

stimulated by sense or neighboring neurons

action potential is fired when

neural impulse speed

a quarter-second slower than a computer

ions

positively charged atoms

neurons chemical to electricity process

ions exchanged in this

resting axon’s fluid membrane

mostly positively charged sodium ions inside

resting axon’s fluid interior

negative large protein ions and small potassium positive ions (negatively charged)

selectively permeable

axon’s surface is

positive-outside/negative-inside

resting potential in axon

axon opens its gates, positive flow inward, so do other axons next to it and goes on like a domino effect which is depolarization

What happens to an axon when a neuron fires?

excitatory-gas pedal, inhibitory-brake

most neural signals are _________, but can be ___________

threshold

excitatory signals exceed inhibitory signals by a minimum intensity → triggering action potential

action potential

all-or-none response; like a gun

synapse

junction between axon tip of sending neuron to dendrite or cell body of another (synaptic gap)

synapse

transmits messages through by neurotransmitters

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers released at axon’s end during action potential

excess neurotransmitters

after action potential, __________are either broken down by enzymes or reabsorbed by sending neuron (reuptake)

reuptake

excess neurotransmitters after action potential can be _______, reabsorbed by sending neuron

neurotransmitters

infleunce our emotions, motions and interactions

acetylcholine

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

acetylcholine

alzheimer’s = neurons deteriorate

blocked=paralyzed

dopamine

influences movement, learning attention and emotion

dopamine

oversupply: schizophrenia undersupply: tremors, parkinson’s disease

serotonin

affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

serotonin

undersupply results in depression

norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal; undersupply: depress mood

GABA

major inhibitory neurotransmitter; undersupply: seizures, tremors, and insomnia

glutamate

major excitatory neurotransmitter/memory overstimulation can lead to migraines

endorphins

neurotransmitter perception of pain and pleasure

can be suppressed w/ opiates

agonist

molecules increase a neurotransmitter’s action a “high”; drugs

antagonist

decrease a neurotransmitter’s action by blocking production/release; poisons

nervous system

neurons communicating w/ neurotransmitters

central nervous system

brain and spinal cord, body’s decision maker

peripheral nervous system

responsible for gathering info and moving central nervous system decisions to other body parts

nerves

electric cables of axon bundles that link central nervous system with body’s sensory receptors, muscles, and glands

neurons

move info through the nervous system

sensory neurons

carry messages from body’s tissues

sensory neurons

send sensory receptors inward (afferent) tp brain and spinal cord for processing

motor neurons

efferent (outward) central nervous system info to muscles and glands

interneurons

between sensory and motor neurons and is of the spinal cord and brain, billions

somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system

peripheral nervous system