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42 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Define "biological psychology" |
Biological psychology: The field of psychology investigating the biological foundations of cognition and behavior. |
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What three regulatory systems make up biological psychology? |
Biological psychology comprises three biological systems: 1) Nervous system 2) Endocrine system 3) Immune system |
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What three disciplines are found in biological psychology? |
Three disciplines found in biological psychology:
P.E.N.
1) Psychoneuroimmunology 2) Endocrinology 3) Neurology |
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Define neurology. |
Neurology: Study of the nervous system. |
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Define endocrinology. |
Endocrinology: Study of glands and their secretion's effects on behavior (e.g. pheromones and sociosexual behavior). |
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Define pheromones. |
Pheromones: Chemical signalling between two organisms within a species. |
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Are the amount of pheromones cumulative? |
No. The amount of pheromones aren't cumulative. |
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Define psychoneuroimmunology. |
Psychoneuroimmunology: 1) Study of the interactions between nervous system, immune system, and the environment. 2) How the immune system makes a person feel sick. |
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What are the three major structures of the brain? |
Three major structures of the brain: 1) Medulla oblongata 2) Pons 3) Cerebellum |
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State the general purpose, and function of the medulla oblongata. |
Medulla oblongata:
- Gateway to the brain from the peripheral nervous system; separates the brain from the spinal cord.
- Autonomic functions (e.g. breathing, heart beats, stomach churning)
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State the function of the pons. |
Pons:
Autonomic functions (e.g. facial expressions and other conscious movement)
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State the general purpose, and function of the cerebellum. |
Cerebullum:
- aka "little brain"
- Major function: Signal integrator--integrates both incoming and outgoing signals from the brain.
- Smoothens our movements.
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State the functions of the midbrain. |
Midbrain:
- Sensory reflexes - Respiration - Circadian rhythm
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What brain structures compose the forebrain? |
Brain structures of the forebrain: - Corpus callosum - Thalamus - Hypothalamus - Hippocampus - Amygdala - Cerebral cortex - Lobes - Precentral gyrus - Postcentral gyrus |
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What is the corpus callosum? What does it do? |
Corpus callosum: - Bundle of axons - Connects the left and right hemispheres
*Note: Corpous callosum tends to be thicker in women than in men. |
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What are some differences between a woman and man's brain? |
Differences between a woman and a man's brain:
- Women tend to have a massa intermedia. Men don't.
- Women tend to have a thicker corpus callosum.
- Men have a thicker sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN). This is the most consistent difference between a man and a woman's brain.
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State the thalamus' function. |
Thalamus: - Relay "station" for sensory neural signals (e.g. like an airport). |
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What is a massa intermedia? Why was it discussed in class? |
Massa intermedia:
- Like the corpus callosum; another bridge between the left and right hemispheres.
- Women are more likely to have a massa intermedia in comparison to men. |
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Hypothalamus:
1) What do they look like?
2) What does it control?
3) Is there a difference between men and women? If so, what? |
Hypothalamus:
1) Little nodules that are stuck together.
2) The four F's--feeding, fighting, fleeing, and "fooling around"
3) Men have a more dense sexually dimorphic nucleus (which is located in the thalamus). |
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Limbic system:
1) What does it do?
2) What composes it? |
Limbic system:
1) Brain areas associated with emotion and memory.
2) Hippocamus and Amygdala |
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What does the hippocampus look like? |
The hippocampus looks like a seahorse. |
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Where is the amygdala located? |
The amygdala is located right atop the hippocampus. |
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What is the cerebral cortex? |
Cerebral cortex:
Thin layer of neurons on the surface of the brain. |
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Where is the longitudinal fissure? |
Separates the left and right hemispheres. |
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Where is the central sulcus? |
Horizontal fissure that wraps around the entire brain. |
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Where is the sylvian fissure? |
Large fissure on the side of the brain that separates the frontal lobe from the temporal lobe. |
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What is the proper name for a bump in the brain? |
Bumps in the brain = gyrus
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Where is the precentral gyrus? |
Precentral gyrus: The section of the brain anterior to the central sulcus and runs horizontally across the brain; anterior to the postcentral gyrus. |
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Where is the postcentral gyrus? |
Postcentral gyrus: The section of the brain posterior to the central sulcus and runs horizontally across the brain; posterior to the precentral gyrus. |
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What feature does the pre- and post-central gyri span? |
Both pre- and post- central gyri span the central sulcus. - Anterior to the central sulcus is the precentral sulcus. - Posterior to the central sulcus is the post-central sulcus. |
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Name and locate the lobes of the brain. |
Lobes of the brain: 1) Frontal 2) Occipital 3) Temporal 4) Parietal |
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What is the precentral gyrus responsible for? |
Precentral gyrus: - Voluntary movement |
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What is the postcentral gyrus responsible for? |
Postcentral gyrus: - Hosts the primary somatosensory cortex which is responsible for the sensation of touch. |
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What does ECT stand for? What is ECT? What is its purpose? |
ECT = Electroconvulsive Therapy
- Brief electrical shock applied to the head.
- Treatment for only the most serious forms of depression. |
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Define psychosurgery. |
Psychosurgery: Surgical removal or destruction of nerve pathways to influence behavior. |
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Name the types of psychosurgeries. |
Types of psychosurgeries: - Lobotomy - Trepanation - Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) |
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Define lobotomy. |
Lobotomy: Surgical incision into the frontal lobe of the brain to sever one or more nerve tracts. |
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Define trepanation. |
Trepanation: Boring a hole in the skull to get the ghosts out. |
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Define DBS. |
DBS = Deep Brain Stimulation
Surgical implantation of subcortical electrodes that are activated by a "brain pacemaker". |
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A human's resting membrane potential is around ______ mV. |
A human's resting membrane potential is around -70 mV. |
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What are the two major ions responsible for action potentials? |
Two ions responsible for action potential: - Na+ - K+ |
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There is more ___ ions inside the cell. There is more ___ ions outside of the cell. |
There is more K+ ions inside the cell. There is more Na+ ions outside of the cell.
*Note: "Ooo Na Na" song = bad connotation = Na+ being outside the cell. |