Psych 110

Front 1

What is a lesion?

Back 1

Brain tissue destroyed through stroke, accident, or surgery

Front 2

What is the split brain phenomenon?

Back 2

A condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by severing the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them

Front 3

What are some brain imaging techniques?

Back 3

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

CT (computed tomography) Scan

PET (positron emission tomography)Scan

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

fMRI

Front 4

What is an electroencephalogram (EEG)?

Back 4

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. This is more for structure.

Front 5

What is an CT (computed tomography) Scan?

Back 5

A series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body; alsocalled CAT scan. This more for structure.

Front 6

What is an PET (positron emission tomography) Scan?

Back 6

A visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes, while the brain performs a given task. This is more for function.

Front 7

What is an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)?

Back 7

A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain. This is more for function.

Front 8

What is an fMRI?

Back 8

A variant of technique that measures level of activity in different parts of the brain

Front 9

What is an electrical stimulation?

Back 9

A microelectrode is placed on a particular area of the brain and the area is stimulated by a jolt of electrical current

Front 10

What is a sensory neuron?

Back 10

Neuron that detects changes in theexternal or internal environment and sends information about these changes tothe central nervous system

Front 11

What is a motor neuron?

Back 11

Neuronlocated within the central nervous system that controls the contraction of amuscle or the secretion of a gland

Front 12

What is an interneuron?

Back 12

Neuronlocated entirely within the central nervous system that communicates andintervenes between sensory inputs and motor outputs

Front 13

What is a reflex?

Back 13

A simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus

Front 14

What is paraplegia?

Back 14

A break in the spinal cord. A loss of sensation and voluntary movement to parts of body below the site of break.

Front 15

What is the membrane in the cell?

Back 15

A structure consisting principally of lipid molecules that defines the outerboundaries of a cell.

Front 16

What is the mitochondria in the cell?

Back 16

An organelle that is responsiblefor extracting energy from nutrients.

Front 17

What is the nucleus in the cell?

Back 17

A structure in the central regionof a cell, containing the chromosomes.

Front 18

What is the chromosome in the cell?

Back 18

A strand of DNA, with associatedproteins, found in the nucleus; carries genetic information

Front 19

What is a gene?

Back 19

The functional unit of thechromosome, which directs synthesis of one or more proteins.

Front 20

What is the soma or cell body of a neuron?

Back 20

The cell body of a neuron, whichcontains the nucleus

Front 21

What is the dendrite of a neuron?

Back 21

The branched, treelike extensionsattached to the soma of a neuron; receives information from the terminal buttonof other neurons

Front 22

What is the axon of a neuron?

Back 22

The extension of a neuron, endingin branching terminal fibers, through which messages are sent to other neuronsor to muscles or glands

Front 23

What is the terminal button of a neuron?

Back 23

The bud at the end of a branch ofan axon; forms synapses with another neuron; sends information to thatneuron

Front 24

What is a neurotransmitter?

Back 24

A chemical that is released by aterminal button; has an excitatory or inhibitory effect on another neuron

Front 25

What are glial cells?

Back 25

Support cells of the centralnervous system, provides structural support, provides nutrients and othersubstances to neurons. It engages in phagocytosis,process by which cells engulf and digest other cells or debris caused bycellular degeneration; form scar tissue, and forms myelin sheaths.

Front 26

What is the myelin sheath?

Back 26

A layer of fatty cells segmentallyencasing the fibers of many neurons. It enables vastly greater transmissionspeed of neural impulses because neural signal jumps from one node of Ranvier(naked portion of myelinated axon) to the next. It decreases the amount of energyneeded for neural conduction. It insulates neurons, preventingmessages from spreading between adjacent neurons.

Front 27

What is the blood brain barrier?

Back 27

A semi-permeable barrier betweenthe blood and the brain produced by cells in the walls of the brain’scapillaries. It regulates the chemicals that canenter the CNS from the blood and helps the CNS maintain the propercomposition of fluids inside and outside the neurons.

Front 28

What is area postrema?

Back 28

A region of the medulla where theblood-brain barrier is weak; poisons can be detected there and can initiatevomiting.

Front 29

What is the resting membrane potential?

Back 29

(-70mV): occurs because variousions are located in different concentrations in fluid inside and outside thecell

Front 30

What is action potential?

Back 30

The brief electrical impulse thatprovides the basis for conduction of information along an axon

Front 31

What is a synapse?

Back 31

Junctionbetween terminal button of one neuron and membrane – usually the somatic or dendritic membrane –of another. It's the communicationacross synaptic cleft.

Front 32

What is the reuptake?

Back 32

Transporters located in thepre-synaptic membrane transport the molecules of neurotransmitter back into thecytoplasm – most common method

Front 33

What is the enzymatic deactivation?

Back 33

Destructionof a neurotransmitter by an enzyme after its release (e.g., destruction ofacetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase)

Front 34

What are neuromodulators and hormones?

Back 34

Like neurotransmitters, act on cells by attaching to receptor sites and initiating electrical and chemical changes in these cells. Neuromodulators are released by neurons. Hormones are secreted by the endocrine glands and travel through the bloodstream.

Front 35

What does anterior mean?

Back 35

located near or toward the head

Front 36

What does posterior mean?

Back 36

located near or toward the tail

Front 37

What does rostral mean?

Back 37

“toward the beak”;in a direction toward the front of the face

Front 38

What does caudal mean?

Back 38

“toward the tail”;in a direction away from the front of the face

Front 39

What does dorsal mean?

Back 39

in a direction toward the top ofthe head or the back

Front 40

What does ventral mean?

Back 40

in a direction toward the bottomof the skull or the front surface of the body

Front 41

What does lateral mean?

Back 41

toward the side of the body, awayfrom the middle

Front 42

What medial mean?

Back 42

towardthe middle of the body, away from the side

Front 43

What does ipsilateral mean?

Back 43

locatedon the same side of the body

Front 44

What does contralateral mean?

Back 44

locatedon opposite side of the body

Front 45

What does frontal section to the brain mean?

Back 45

a slice through the brain parallelto the forehead

Front 46

What does horizontal section to the brain mean?

Back 46

a slice through the brain parallelto the ground

Front 47

What does sagittal section to the brain mean?

Back 47

a slice through the brainperpendicular to the ground and parallel to the temporal lobes

Front 48

What is the central nervous system?

Back 48

thebrain and spinal cord

Front 49

What is the peripheral nervous system?

Back 49

thesensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to therest of the body

Front 50

What is the sympathetic nervous system?

Back 50

It's a division of the autonomic nervous systemthat controlsfunctions that accompany arousal and expenditure of energy. The adrenalmedulla:portion of the adrenal gland that secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine. It stimulatesincreased heart rate, rise in blood sugar level, piloerection (“goosebumps”)

Front 51

What is the parasympathetic nervous system?

Back 51

It's a divisionof the autonomic nervous system that controls functions that occur during arelaxed state; secretes acetylcholine. It supportsactivities involved with increases in the body's supply of stored energy, such assalivation, gastric and intestinal motility

Front 52

What are meninges?

Back 52

It's three layers of tissue that encase the central nervous system; the dura mater, arachnoid membrane, and the pia mater

Front 53

What is the cerebrospinal fluid?

Back 53

It's a clear fluid, similar to bloodplasma, that fills the ventricular system of the brain and the subarachnoidspace surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The CSF supports the weight of thebrain – the brain “floats”in CSF. It helps reduce shock to the CNScaused by sudden head movements

Front 54

What are ventricles?

Back 54

Four hollow spaces located insidethe brain and each ventricle produces CSF.

Front 55

What are founder cells?

Back 55

Cells of the ventricular zonedivide and give rise to cells of the central nervous system (in fetus). At the end of cortical development(about third month of gestation), founder cells receive a chemical signal thatactivates killer genes within the cell, causing them to die in process called apoptosis

Front 56

What is neurogenesis?

Back 56

The production of new neurons inthe developed brain

Front 57

What is the forebrain?

Back 57

The most rostral of the three major divisions of the brain

Front 58

What is the cerebral cortex?

Back 58

It's the part of brain that bestdistinguishes us from other beasts. The outmost layer of gray matter ofthe cerebral hemispheres that is 3mm thick. It contains 20 billion neurons. The cerebralcortex consists mainly of glia and cell bodies, which gives it grayish brownappearance.

Front 59

What is the frontal lobe?

Back 59

Involved in speaking and musclemovements, in making plans and judgments, and in emotional control.

Front 60

What is the primary motor cortex?

Back 60

posterior part of frontal lobe thatcontrols voluntary movements

Front 61

What is the prefrontal cortex?

Back 61

anteriorpart of frontal lobe that is involved in formulating plans and making judgments

Front 62

What is the parietal lobe?

Back 62

includes the primary somatosensory cortex (anterior part of parietal lobe):surface of the body is “mapped” on the surface of the brain

Front 63

What is the occipital lobe?

Back 63

includes the primary visual cortex (posterior part of occipitallobe), which receives visual information from the opposite visual field

Front 64

What is the temporal lobe?

Back 64

includes the primary auditory cortex (superior part of temporal lobe),which receives auditory information

Front 65

What is Broca's aphasia?

Back 65

Speechis meaningful, but halting, labored, and ungrammatical; function words (e.g., a,the, in, about) areomitted

Front 66

What is Wernicke's aphasia?

Back 66

Also known as fluent aphasis. It's the lossof ability to understand speech and to produce meaningful words; speech isfluent and grammatical but consists of empty words: word salad

Front 67

What is the corpus callosum?

Back 67

a large bundle of axons that interconnects corresponding regions of theassociation cortex on each side of the brain

Front 68

What is the limbic cortex?

Back 68

phylogeneticallyolder part of cortex

Front 69

What is the limbic system?

Back 69

Adoughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem andcerebral hemispheres. It's associated with emotions and memory. It includesthe amygdala and the hippocampus.

Front 70

What is the amygdala?

Back 70

Twoalmond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and arelinked to emotion, particularly fear and aggression

Front 71

What is the hippocampus?

Back 71

Donut-shapedstructure that is important in memory

Front 72

What is the basal ganglia?

Back 72

It's a collection of subcortical nuclei that are important in the control ofmovement(part of the forebrain)

Front 73

What is nucleus accumbens?

Back 73

It's the reward center of the brain. Alldrug addiction involves the release of dopamine into the nucleus accumbens

Front 74

What is the thalamus?

Back 74

It's locateddirectly caudal to the basal ganglia. It's the relaystation for neural messages: directs messages to sensory receiving areas in thecortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

Front 75

What is the hypothalamus?

Back 75

Small but important neuralstructure lying beneath (hypo) the thalamus. It controls the autonomic nervoussystem. It controls the anterior and posteriorpituitary glands. It organizes behavior related tosurvival, including the “four f’s”:fighting, feeding,fleeing,and mating

Front 76

What is the pituitary gland?

Back 76

It's attached to the base of thehypothalamus. Justin front of the pituitary stalk is the opticchiasm,the connection between the optic nerves where half of the fibers of each opticnerve cross to the contralateral side

Front 77

What is the anterior pituitary gland?

Back 77

The endocrine gland whose secretionsare controlled by the hypothalamic hormones. It secretes hormones that controlother endocrine glands, e.g., gonadotropichormonesstimulate release of sex hormones by ovaries and testes. It alsocontrols release of prolactin,which is involved in breastfeeding, and somatotropic hormone (growth hormone)

Front 78

What is the posterior pituitary gland?

Back 78

Controlssecretion of oxytocin, which stimulates ejection of milkand uterine contractions during childbirth; and vasopressin,which regulates urine output by kidneys

Front 79

What is the brain stem?

Back 79

It's the oldest part and central core ofthe brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull. It's responsiblefor automatic survival functions. (It's part of the midbrain)

Front 80

What is the reticular formation?

Back 80

A large network of neural tissue incentral part of brain stem. It plays a part in sleep, arousal,attention, and various vital reflexes. (part of the midbrain)

Front 81

What is the periaqueductal grey?

Back 81

It is involved in sensitivity to pain: opiates,such as morphine, decrease sensitivity to pain by stimulating receptors in thisregion. It also plays an important role in the panicresponse.

Front 82

What is the pons?

Back 82

Bulge in the brain stem that ispart of reticular formation and is important in sleep and arousal. (part of the hindbrain)

Front 83

What is the medulla oblongata?

Back 83

It's the base of the brainstem. It controls vital functions, such asheart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. (part of the hindbrain)

Front 84

What is the cerebellum?

Back 84

It's the“littlebrain”attached to the rear of the brainstem. It helpscoordinate voluntary movement and balance. (part of the hindbrain)

Front 85

What is the spinal cord?

Back 85

It's a cord of nervous tissue that extendsfrom base of brain. It's protected by the vertebral column(backbone). It contains reflexive control circuitsthat operate independently of the brain. Onlyabout two-thirds as long as vertebral column: rest of space is filled by massof spinal roots (caudaequina).

Front 86

What is the caudal block?

Back 86

It's an njection of a local anestheticinto the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the cauda equinaproduces anesthesia and paralysis of the lower part of the body

Front 87

What is an afferent axon?

Back 87

an axon directed toward the centralnervous system, conveying sensory information

Front 88

What is an efferent axon?

Back 88

an axon directed away from the centralnervous system, conveying motor commands to muscles and glands

Front 89

What are the cranial nerves?

Back 89

Twelve pairs of peripheral nervesattached directly to the brain that serve sensory and motor functions of thehead, neck, and shoulders

Front 90

What is the vagus nerve?

Back 90

The largest of the cranial nerves,conveying efferent fibers of the parasympatheticdivision of the autonomic nervous system to organs of the thoracic andabdominal cavities

Front 91

What is neuroplasticity?

Back 91

Thebrain's capacity for modification, as evidentin brain reorganization following damage (especially in children) and inexperiments on the effects of experience on brain development

Front 92

What is psychopharmacology?

Back 92

the study of the effects of drugson the nervous system and on behavior

Front 93

What is pharmacokinetics?

Back 93

the process by which drugs areabsorbed, distributed within the body, metabolized, and excreted

Front 94

What are the sites of action?

Back 94

the locations at which molecules ofdrugs interact with molecules located on or in cells of the body, thusaffecting some biochemical processes of these cells

Front 95

What is an intravenous injection?

Back 95

injection of a substance directly into avein

Front 96

What is an IV injection?

Back 96

the drug is dissolved in a liquid, theninjected

Front 97

What is a subutaneous injection?

Back 97

the drug can be formed into a dry pelletor placed in a sealed silicone rubber capsule, then implanted beneath theskin.

Front 98

What is oral administration?

Back 98

administration of a substance intothe mouth, so it is swallowed

Front 99

What is sublingual administration?

Back 99

administration of a substance byplacing it beneath the tongue (e.g., nitroglycerine for angina pectoris orhomeopathic remedies)

Front 100

What is intrarectal administration?

Back 100

administration of a substance intothe rectum

Front 101

What is inhalation?

Back 101

administrationof a vaporous substance into the lungs (e.g., nicotine, freebase cocaine, andmarijuana)

Front 102

What is topical administration?

Back 102

administration of a substance absorbed through the skin (e.g., steroid hormonesto reduce inflammation, nicotine patches)

Front 103

What is intracerebralintracerebroventricular administration?

Back 103

administration of a substancedirectly into the brain

Front 104

What is the dose-response curve?

Back 104

plots the magnitude of the effect of a drug as a function of the amountof the drug administered

Front 105

What is the therapeutic index?

Back 105

the ratio between the dose that produces toxic effects in 50% of theanimals and the dose that produces the desired effect in 50% of the animals

Front 106

What is tolerance?

Back 106

a decrease in the effectiveness ofa drug that is administered repeatedly

Front 107

What is sensitization?

Back 107

an increase in the effectiveness ofa drug that is administered repeatedly

Front 108

What is withdrawal symptoms?

Back 108

the appearance of symptoms oppositeto those produced by a drug when the drug is administered repeatedly and thensuddenly no longer taken

Front 109

What is the placebo effect?

Back 109

an inert substance given to anorganism in lieu of a physiologically active drug

Front 110

What is antagonist?

Back 110

a drug that opposes or inhibitsthe effects of a particular neurotransmitter on the postsynaptic cell·

Front 111

What is agonist?

Back 111

a drug that facilitatesthe effects of a particular neurotransmitter on the postsynaptic cell•

Front 112

What is direct agonist?

Back 112

a drug that binds with andactivates a receptor

Front 113

What is direct antagonist or receptor blocker?

Back 113

a drug that binds with a receptorbut does not activate it; prevents the natural ligandfrom binding with the receptor

Front 114

What is indirect agonist or antagonist?

Back 114

some receptors may have multiplebinding sites to which neuromodulators and drugs can bind – these substancesmay act as indirect agonists or antagonists

Front 115

What is indirect agonist?

Back 115

drugs that block autoreceptorsmay act as agonists by increasing release of neurotransmitter•

Front 116

What is acetylcholine?

Back 116

It's the primary neurotransmitter secreted by the efferent (motor) axons of thecentral nervous system. All muscular movement isaccomplished by the release of acetylcholine. It is involvedin learning and memory.