Mcat Behavioral Sciences Chapter 1

Front 1

Neuropsychology

Back 1

the study of the connection between the nervous system and behavior. Focuses on brain regions.

Front 2

3 Types of neurons in the nervous system

Back 2

Afferent (sensory), efferent (motor), interneurons

Front 3

Reflex arcs

Back 3

use the ability of internerouns in the spinal cord to relay info to the source of the stimuli while also rerouting it to the brain

Front 4

PNS devision (2 types)

Back 4

1. somatic (voluntary)

2. Autonomic (automatic)

Front 5

autonomic system (2 types)

Back 5

1. parasympathetic (rest-digest)

2. sympathetic (fight or flight)

Front 6

brain (3 subdivisions)

Back 6

1. hindbrain

2. midbrain

3. forebrain

Front 7

Hindbrain ( 3 parts of the hindbrain)

Back 7

1. cerebellum

2. medulla oblongata

3. reticular formation

Front 8

Midbrain (2 parts)

Back 8

1. superior colliculi

2. inferior colliculi

Front 9

Forebrain (5 parts)

Back 9

1. thalamus

2. hypothalamus

3. basal ganglia

4. limbic system

5. cerebral cortex

Front 10

Thalamus (function)

Back 10

relay station for sensory info

Front 11

hypothalmus (function)

Back 11

matins homeostasis and integrates with the endocrine system through the hypophyseal portal system and connects to the anterior pituataryb

Front 12

basal ganglia (function)

Back 12

refines movements and helps maintain postural stability

Front 13

limbic system (function)

Back 13

controls emotion and memory

Front 14

Limbic system (3 parts)

Back 14

1. septal nuclei

2. amygdala

3. hippocampus

Front 15

septal nuclei (function)

Back 15

involved in the feeling of pleasure, pleasure-seeking behavior and addiction

Front 16

amygdala (function)

Back 16

controls fear and aggression

Front 17

hippocampus (function)

Back 17

consolidates memories and communicates with other parts of the limbic system through and extension called the fornix

Front 18

cerebral cortex (4 parts)

Back 18

1. frontal lobe

2. parietal lobe

3. occipital lobe

4. temporal lobe

Front 19

frontal lobe (function)

Back 19

controls executive function, impulse control, long term planning, motor function and speech production

Front 20

parietal lobe (function)

Back 20

controls sensations of touch, pressure, temperature, and pain, motor function, and speech production

Front 21

occipital lobe (function)

Back 21

visual processing

Front 22

temporal lobe (function)

Back 22

controls sound processing, speech perception, memory, and emotion

Front 23

neurotransmitters

Back 23

released by neurons to carry a signal to another neuron or effector

Front 24

acetylcholine (function)

Back 24

used by the somatic nervous system to move muscles, the PNS and the CNS

Front 25

dopamine (function)

Back 25

maintains smooth movements and steady posture

Front 26

endorphins and enkephalins (function)

Back 26

natural painkillers

Front 27

epinephrine

Back 27

fight and flight acts as a hormone

Front 28

norepinephrine

Back 28

fight or flight

acts as a neurotransmitter

Front 29

GABA (function)

Back 29

brain stabilizer

Front 30

serotonin (function)

Back 30

modulates mood, sleep patterns, eating patterns, and dreaming

Front 31

family studies

Back 31

look at the relative frequency of a trait within a family compared to the general pop.

Front 32

twin studies

Back 32

compare concordance rates between monozygotic and dizygotic twins

Front 33

adoption studies

Back 33

compare similarities between adopted children and their adoptive parents, relative to similarities with their bio. parents.

Front 34

How does the nervous system develop?

Back 34

It develops through neurulation. The notochord stimulates overlying ectoderm to fold over, creating a neural tube topped with neural crest cells.

Front 35

neural tube (what does it become?)

Back 35

central nervous system (CNS)

Front 36

neural crest (what does it become?)

Back 36

crest cells spread out throughout the body, differentiating into diff. tissues.

Front 37

primitive reflexes

Back 37

exist in infants and disappear with age.

Front 38

gross and fine motor skills (how do they develop?)

Back 38

progress head to toe and core to periphery

Front 39

Social skills (how do they develop?)

Back 39

parent-oriented to self oriented to other oriented

Front 40

language skills (how do they develop?)

Back 40

become more complex

Front 41

adaptive value

Back 41

the extent to which a trait or behavior positivily benefits a species by influencing the evolutionary fitness of the species

Front 42

lateral hypothalamus (LH)

Back 42

hunger center

Front 43

ventromedial hypothalamus

Back 43

provides signal to stop eating

Front 44

anterior hypothalamus

Back 44

controls sexual behavior

Front 45

dopamine (associated disorders)

Back 45

schizophrenia

parkinsons

Front 46

pineal gland fucntion

Back 46

circadian rhythm (releases melatonin)

Front 47

Franz Gall

Back 47

phrenology, associated development of a trait with growth of the relevant part of the brain

Front 48

Pierre Flourens

Back 48

extirpation: concluded the different brain regions have specific functions

Front 49

William James

Back 49

father of American psychology pushed for importance of studying adaptions of the individual to his or her enviroment

Front 50

John Dewey

Back 50

landmark article on functionalism; argued for studying the entire organism as a whole

Front 51

Paul Broca

Back 51

correlated pathology with specific brain regions such as speech production with Broca's area

Front 52

Hermann von Helmoltz

Back 52

measured speed of a nerve impulse

Front 53

Sir Charles Sherrington

Back 53

inferred the existence of synapsesa

Front 54

adrenal medulla (hormone)

Back 54

adrenaline

Front 55

adrenal cortex (hormone)

Back 55

cortisol, a stress hormone