Behavioral Neuroscience Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering foundational concepts, key historical figures, research methods, neuroanatomy, and neurophysiology from the Behavioral Neuroscience review session notes.

Behavioral Neuroscience

The study of the neural background of mental processes and behavior.

Cardiocentrism

The belief, proposed by Aristotle, that the heart acts as the brain or seat of mental processes.

Hippocrates

Ancient thinker who identified the brain as the "seat of thoughts and emotions."

Galen

Greco-Roman physician who found that brain damage affected behavior after treating brain-damaged gladiators.

Leonardo da Vinci

Historical figure who created models of the brain from cadavers and studied brain "aqueducts."

René Descartes

Philosopher who described behavior as a machine, proposed that reflexes make movements, viewed the pineal gland as the connection between body and mind, and advocated Dualism.

Dualism

The concept that every person has a spirit and an existing physical body.

Donald Hebb

Neuroscientist who described Hebbian synapses ("cells that fire together wire together"), which change and rearrange as a result of experience or learning (neuroplasticity).

Adult Neurogenesis

The production of new neurons in the adult brain, which remains affected by neuroplasticity.

Phrenology

The historical belief in the assignment of function to specific areas of the brain by matching enlarged brain regions to behaviors.

Paul Broca

Scientist who discovered where language is localized in the brain (Broca's area).

Korbinian Brodmann

Neuroanatomist who identified $52$ distinct brain regions.

Alan Hodgkin & Andrew Huxley

Researchers who used giant squids to discover how ion channels worked in cells.

Santiago Ramón y Cajal

Neuroscientist who created the Neuron Doctrine, stating that the nervous system is made of separate and distinct cells that pass signals to each other rather than being continuously connected.

Correlation

An experimental measurement used to identify relationships between variables without inferring causation.

Experimental Study

A study method designed to test cause and effect through the manipulation of variables.

Positive Correlation

A relationship between variables where both variables increase together or decrease together.

Negative Correlation

A relationship between variables where one variable increases while the other decreases.

Somatic Intervention

An experimental approach involving the alteration of a bodily structure or function to measure resulting changes in behavior.

Behavioral Intervention

An experimental approach involving the alteration of behavior or experience to measure resulting changes in bodily function or structure.

Independent Variable (IV)

The factor or variable that the researcher intentionally decides to manipulate or change.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The variable that the researcher measures to test the effect of the manipulation.

Within-Subjects Design

An experimental design where a single group of participants is tested before and after a manipulation, serving as their own control group.

Between-Subjects Design

An experimental design involving two separate groups of participants, where one receives the manipulation (experimental group) and one does not (control group).

Coronal Plane

An anatomical plane that slices through the body or brain vertically from side to side, dividing it into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

Grey Matter

Brain tissue composed primarily of neuronal cell bodies and dendrites.

White Matter

Brain tissue composed mainly of myelinated axons.

Precentral Gyrus

The ridge in the frontal lobe that serves as the primary motor cortex.

Postcentral Gyrus

The ridge in the parietal lobe that serves as the primary sensory cortex.

Central Sulcus

The anatomical groove that divides the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.

Sylvian Fissure

Also known as the lateral sulcus, the deep groove that forms the boundary of the temporal lobe.

Frontal Lobe

The cerebral lobe responsible for executive functioning, critical thinking, and motor cortex operations.

Parietal Lobe

The cerebral lobe responsible for sensory processing and spatial awareness.

Temporal Lobe

The cerebral lobe responsible for auditory processing, memory, and learning.

Occipital Lobe

The posterior cerebral lobe responsible for visual processing.

Cerebellum

A major structure of the central nervous system involved in movement, coordination, and motor skills.

Medulla Oblongata

A brainstem structure responsible for vital autonomic functions.

Pons

A brainstem region that conveys information about movement from the cerebral hemispheres to the cerebellum.

Midbrain

A central brain region controlling sensory and motor functions, including visual/auditory reflexes and sleep/arousal mechanisms.

Superior Colliculi

Structures located in the midbrain responsible for visual processing.

Inferior Colliculi

Structures located in the midbrain responsible for auditory processing.

Thalamus

A diencephalic structure that acts as a relay center for most sensory information reaching the cerebral cortex from the central nervous system.

Hypothalamus

A diencephalic structure that regulates autonomic, endocrine, and visceral functions.

Basal Ganglia

A group of subcortical structures consisting of the caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus that regulates motor control.

Limbic System

An interconnected network of memory and learning structures including the hippocampus, fornix, amygdala, cingulate gyrus, olfactory bulb, thalamus, and hypothalamus.

Somatic Nervous System

The part of the peripheral nervous system consisting of nerves that connect the brain to major muscles and sensory systems.

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the peripheral nervous system connecting the brain to visceral/internal organs and glands.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for initiating the "Fight or Flight" response.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for initiating the "Rest & Digest" response.

Cranial Nerves

A set of $12\text{ pairs}$ of nerves in the brain with both sensory and motor divisions.

Spinal Nerves

Nerves connected to the spinal cord divided into $5\text{ segments}$: cervical ($8$), thoracic ($12$), lumbar ($5$), sacral ($5$), and coccygeal ($1$).

Resting Membrane Potential

The electrical potential across a neuron membrane at rest, measured between $-50\text{ to }-90\text{ mV}$ (often around $-70\text{ mV}$), where the inside is negative relative to the outside.

Electrostatic Force

The physical force that causes ions to flow toward oppositely charged areas.

Diffusion

The movement of particles down their concentration gradient from high to low concentration.

Sodium-Potassium Pump

A membrane transport mechanism that consumes ATP to shoot $3\text{ Na}^+$ ions out of the cell for every $2\text{ K}^+$ ions brought in, restoring negative resting potential.

Graded Potential

Sub-threshold voltage changes occurring inside a neuron that vary in magnitude and do not produce an action potential.

Threshold Potential

The critical membrane potential level (approximately $-55\text{ mV}$) required at the axon hillock to initiate an action potential.

Absolute Refractory Period

The period during an action potential when voltage-gated $\text{Na}^+$ channels are inactivated, preventing another action potential from firing in the backward direction.

Relative Refractory Period

The period following an action potential when voltage-gated $\text{Na}^+$ channels are closed (not inactivated) and voltage-gated $\text{K}^+$ channels remain open, requiring stronger depolarization to fire another action potential.

Saltatory Conduction

The mechanism where an action potential jumps between Nodes of Ranvier along a myelinated axon to accelerate signal propagation.

Spatial Summation

The integration of postsynaptic potentials arriving at a neuron simultaneously from different locations.

Temporal Summation

The integration of postsynaptic potentials arriving at a single location on a neuron in rapid sequence over time.

Synaptic Transmission

The process of neuronal communication where depolarization opens calcium channels, allowing $\text{Ca}^{2+}$ influx to promote exocytosis and release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A technique used to measure electrical brain potentials and detect event-related potentials (ERPs) or seizure activity.

Tonic-Clonic Seizure

A large-scale seizure type (formerly known as grand-mal) causing widespread neural activation and loss of consciousness.

Partial Seizure

A localized seizure type (formerly known as petit mal) occurring in smaller brain regions in short bursts that may go undetected.

Complex Partial Seizure

A seizure type often preceded by an aura consisting of sensory hallucinations.

Cranial Nerve Names Mnemonic

"Old Opie Occasionally Tries Trigonometry And Feels Very Gloomy, Vague, And Hypoactive" (Olfactory, Optic, Oculomotor, Trochlear, Trigeminal, Abducens, Facial, Vestibulocochlear, Glossopharyngeal, Vagus, Spinal Accessory, Hypoglossal)

Cranial Nerve Functional Classification Mnemonic

"Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More" (S = Sensory, M = Motor, B = Both)

Spinal Cord Divisions Mnemonic

"Count Their Last Seconds" (Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, Sacral, plus Coccygeal)

Cranial Nerve I (Olfactory)

Type: Sensory. Function: Smell. Mnemonic word: Old / Some

Cranial Nerve II (Optic)

Type: Sensory. Function: Vision. Mnemonic word: Opie / Say

Cranial Nerve III (Oculomotor)

Type: Motor. Function: Eye movement. Mnemonic word: Occasionally / Marry

Cranial Nerve IV (Trochlear)

Type: Motor. Function: Eye movement. Mnemonic word: Tries / Money

Cranial Nerve V (Trigeminal)

Type: Both (Sensory & Motor). Function: Facial sensation and mastication/chewing. Mnemonic word: Trigonometry / But

Cranial Nerve VI (Abducens)

Type: Motor. Function: Lateral eye movement. Mnemonic word: And / My

Cranial Nerve VII (Facial)

Type: Both (Sensory & Motor). Function: Facial expression and taste. Mnemonic word: Feels / Brother

Cranial Nerve VIII (Vestibulocochlear)

Type: Sensory. Function: Hearing and equilibrium/balance. Mnemonic word: Very / Says

Cranial Nerve IX (Glossopharyngeal)

Type: Both (Sensory & Motor). Function: Taste and swallowing. Mnemonic word: Gloomy / Big

Cranial Nerve X (Vagus)

Type: Both (Sensory & Motor). Function: Autonomic visceral organ control. Mnemonic word: Vague / Brains

Cranial Nerve XI (Spinal Accessory)

Type: Motor. Function: Neck and shoulder movement. Mnemonic word: And / Matter

Cranial Nerve XII (Hypoglossal)

Type: Motor. Function: Tongue movement. Mnemonic word: Hypoactive / More

Frontal Lobe

Location: Anterior portion of the cerebral cortex, bounded posteriorly by the central sulcus.
Function: Executive functioning, critical thinking, and motor control (contains the primary motor cortex in the precentral gyrus).

Parietal Lobe

Location: Superior and posterior to the central sulcus.
Function: Sensory processing (contains the primary sensory cortex in the postcentral gyrus) and spatial awareness.

Temporal Lobe

Location: Lateral and inferior boundary defined by the Sylvian fissure/lateral sulcus.
Function: Auditory processing, language, learning, and memory.

Occipital Lobe

Location: Most posterior region of the cerebral cortex.
Function: Visual processing.

Cerebellum

Location: Posterior and inferior region of the brain, behind the brainstem.
Function: Coordination of movement, motor skills, and balance.

Medulla Oblongata

Location: Lowest portion of the brainstem, continuous with the spinal cord below.
Function: Controls vital autonomic functions such as heart rate and respiration.

Pons

Location: Brainstem region situated superior to the medulla and anterior to the cerebellum.
Function: Conveys motor movement information from the cerebral hemispheres to the cerebellum.

Midbrain

Location: Superior portion of the brainstem, lying between the diencephalon and the pons.
Function: Controls sensory and motor functions, including eye movement and auditory/visual reflexes.

Superior Colliculi

Location: Dorsal aspect of the midbrain (tectum).
Function: Visual processing and visual reflexes.

Inferior Colliculi

Location: Dorsal aspect of the midbrain, inferior to the superior colliculi.
Function: Auditory processing and auditory reflexes.

Thalamus

Location: Diencephalon, situated superior to the brainstem.
Function: Primary relay center for sensory information traveling to the cerebral cortex.

Hypothalamus

Location: Diencephalon, located directly below the thalamus.
Function: Regulates autonomic, endocrine, and visceral functions (homeostasis).

Basal Ganglia

Location: Deep-lying structures of the cerebrum (includes caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus).
Function: Regulates motor control and movement execution.

Hippocampus

Location: Limbic system structure located in the medial temporal lobe.
Function: Consolidation, formation, and storage of memories.

Amygdala

Location: Limbic system structure located deep within the anterior temporal lobe.
Function: Coordinates autonomic and endocrine responses to emotional states.

Rostral

Direction towards the beak, nose, or front end of the head/neuraxis.

Caudal

Direction towards the tail or posterior end of the neuraxis.

Superior

Located above or towards the upper portion of the brain or body.