ap psych biological mcq

central nervous system

consists of the brain and spinal cord and coordinates all of the body's activities

peripheral nervous system

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

dendrite

the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

soma

cell body

axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

neuron

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

function of a neuron

process and transmit information

hormones

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

chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

dna

A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.

genes

DNA segments that serve as the key functional units in hereditary transmission.

natural selection

A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.

mutations

Random errors in gene replication that lead to a change in the sequence of nucleotides. The source of all genetic diversity.

behavior genetics

the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

twin studies

a common method of investigating whether nature or nurture affects behavior

klinefelters

trisomy of sex chromosome, XXY, results from two or more X chromosome in males

down syndrome

3rd copy of chromosome 21

Turner Syndrome

A chromosomal disorder in females in which either an X chromosome is missing, making the person XO instead of XX, or part of one X chromosome is deleted.

endocrine system

the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

pineal gland

secretes melatonin

pituitary gland

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

adrenal gland

A pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress.

hypothalamus

keeps your body stable and in homeostasus

spinal reflex

A simple automatic action of the spinal cord not requiring involvement of the brain, such as the knee-jerk reflex

somatic nervous system

Division of the PNS that controls the body's skeletal muscles.

sympathetic nervous system

fight or flight

autonomic nervous system

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

parasympathetic nervous system

a set of nerves that helps the body return to a normal resting state

Endorphins

"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.

excititory neurotransmitters

excite a neuron; cause a response

action potential

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

excess dopamine

schizophrenia

lack of dopamine

Parkinson's disease

inhibitory neurotransmitters

inhibit a neuron; decrease a response

parapelgia

paralysis of both legs and the lower part of the body

quadripelgia

paralysis of all four limbs

afferent neuron

nerve cell that sends messages to brain or spinal cord from other parts of the body; also called sensory neurons

efferent neurons

neurons that take information from the brain to the rest of the body

agonist

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter's action

antagonist

occupy a receptor site to block a neurotransmitter

depolarization

The process during the action potential when sodium is rushing into the cell causing the interior to become more positive; -55

repolarization

Return of the cell to resting state, caused by reentry of potassium into the cell while sodium exits the cell; -70

all or none law

principle that the action potential in a neuron does not vary in strength; the neuron either fires at full strength or it does not fire at all

membrane potential

voltage across a membrane

myelin sheath

covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses

nodes of ranvier

a gap in the myelin sheath of a nerve, between adjacent Schwann cells.

schwann cells

produce myelin in PNS

stimulus threshold

the minimum level of stimulation required to activate a particular neuron

resting potential

the state of the neuron when not firing a neural impulse

synapse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

reuptake

process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the synaptic vesicles

dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

serotonin

regulates mood

Norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

gaba

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter

acetycholine

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

glutamate

A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory

hierarchical organization of the brain

hindbrain-->midbrain-->forebrain

hindbrain

medulla, pons, cerebellum, reticular formation

midbrain

A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory information and relays it upward.

Forebrain (cerebral cortex)

Collection of upper-level brain structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, and limbic system.

cerebral cortex

The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center.

left hemisphere

controls the right side of the body; analytical, language, math

right hemisphere

controls the left side of the body; creative, intuitive, spacial

occipital lobe

vision; wired backwards

medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

pons

A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain

Cerebellum

Balance and coordination

reticular formation

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

basal ganglia

structures in the forebrain that help to control movement

gray matter

Brain and spinal cord tissue that appears gray with the naked eye; consists mainly of neuronal cell bodies (nuclei) and lacks myelinated axons.

corpus callosum

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

temporal lobe

An area on each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex near the temples that is the primary receiving area for auditory information

pariental lobe

processes information about touch; creates 3d spacial awarness

frontal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement

long-term potentiation

an increase in a synapse's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation. Believed to be a neural basis for learning and memory.

Hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

the limbic system

neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.

Thalamus

the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

Hypothalamus

A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

Amygdala

processes fear and threatening stimuli; linked to emotion.

prefrontal cortex

involved in impulse control and long term planning; not fully developed until 25

cortical areas

Thinking, memory and language are the last to develop. Mental abilities surge-Fiber pathways supporting language and agility.

somatosensory cortex

registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

motor cortex

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

brocas area

Controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

Wernicke's area

controls language reception - a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe

roger sperry

scientist who won a Nobel Prize for work with split brain patients; theorized that the hemispheres could operate independently of each other.

cortical localization

notion that different functions are located in different areas of the brain

Michael Gazzaniga

Conducted the "HE-ART" experiments with split brain patients

lateralization of function

the tendency for some neural functions or cognitive processes to be specialized to one side of the brain or the other. Sometimes called "hemispheric specialization" or "hemispheric lateralization".

structural plasticity

The brain's ability to actually change its physical structure (as a result of learning).

functional plasticity

The brain's ability to move functions from a damaged area of the brain to other undamaged areas.

lesion

tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

Epigenetics

is the study of how the environment and other factors can change the way that genes are expressed.

blood-brain barrier

Blood vessels (capillaries) that selectively let certain substances enter the brain tissue and keep other substances out

neurogenesis

the strengthening and development of neural tissue

neurogenesis rats

Group I involved rats both raised in isolation, and with no toys to stimulate their brain.

Group II rats was raised in small groups, and was given toys to play with.

Findings: rats in Group II had heavier forebrains - stimulation caused long term potentiation/neurogenesis, which made their brains weigh discernably more.