Ap Psychology: Princeton Review: Ch. 6: Biological Bases Of Behavior

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Physiological psychology

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study of behavior as influenced by biology

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EEG(electroencephalogram)

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measures subtle changes in brain electrical activity through electrodes places on the head; allowed scientists to get electrical pic of brain during cognitive tasks

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CAT Scan(Computerized Axial Tomography)

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generate cross-sectional images of the brain through an X-ray like technique

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MRI(Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

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generates more highly detailed pics of the brain than the CAT, captures "snapshots" dont allowe observation of brain in action over time

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PET Scans (Positron Emission Tomography) and Functional MRI Scans

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view the brain as its working; Fuctional MRI: provides viewing by rapid sequencing of MRI images
PET Scans: images via diffusion of radioactive glucose in the brain

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Nervous System

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divided into two distinct subsystems

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CNS(Central Nervous System)

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comprised of the brain and the spinal cord

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PNS(Peripheral Nervous System)

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Comprising all other nerves in the body

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Afferents

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nerves sending information to the brain

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Efferents

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nerves conveying information from the brain

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Reflexes

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quick and involuntary responses to environmental stimuli

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Somatic Nervous System

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responsible for voluntary movement of large skeletal muscles

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Autonomic nervous system

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controls the nonskeletal or smooth muscles; heart and digestive tract; not under voluntary control

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Sympathetic nervous system

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associated with processes that burn energy; heightened state of physiological arousal: Flight-or-fight reaction

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Parasympathetic nervous system

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complementary opposite system responsible for conserving energy; becomes active, sending blood to the stomach for digestion and slowing the heart rate and conserving eneregy

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forebrain

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located at the front of the head; contains the limbic system, hypothalmus, thalmus, cerebral cortex

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limbic system

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learning, emotion, memory; hippocampus, amygdala, septum

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hippocampus

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learning and memory formation; damage prevents new memory formation:anterograde amnesia

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amygdala/septum

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anger; amygdala:aggression; septum:fear

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hypothalmus

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controls the temperature and water balance of the body; controls the autonomic nervous system; regulates behaviors such as those of fighting, eating, mating, emotions and reactions to pain and stress; controls the endocrine system

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thalmus

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gateway for most of the sensory input to the brain; relays input to appropriate regions of the cerebral cortex through neural projections; recieves and directs sensory input from visual and auditory systems; conveys information about balance and pain

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neural projections

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paths of neurons that extend from one area of the brain to another

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cerebral cortex

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wrinkled outer layer of the brain. thinking, planning, language use, fine motor control; receives sensory input via thalmus and sends out motor information

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midbrain

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location of reticular activating system:network of neurons responsible for consciousness, attention, sleeping, and wakefulness

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brain stem

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midbrain, hindbrain, thalmus, hypothalmus; junction between the brain and the spinal cord

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hindbrain

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made up of the cerebellum. medulla oblongata, pons; controls muscle tone and balance

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medulla oblongata

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controls heart rate, swallowing, breathing, digestion

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pons

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passes neural information from one brain area to another

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cerebral cortex

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covers the bulk of the outer surface of the brain

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cerebral hemispheres

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joined together in the center of the brain by a dense band of nerves called the corpus callosum; most info passsed contralaterally: left receptors transmit info to right hemisphere; ipsilateral:info transmission occurs on same side of body(rarer)

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Aphasia

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loss of speaking ability from brain damage to the left hemisphere (paul broca)

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left hemisphere

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language processing

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right hemisphere

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visual and spatial information

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frontal lobe

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higher thought and reasoning, primary motor cortex, planning and performing movements

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parietal lobe

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handles somatosensory info, primary somatosensory cortex: receives info about temp, pressure, texture, pain

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temporal lobe

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handles auditory input and critical for processing speech and appreciating music

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occipital love

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processes visual input

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Agnosia

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difficulty in processing sensory input

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Apraxia

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inability to organize movement

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Alexia

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inability to read

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nerves

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bundles of neurons; basic unit of nervous system

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soma

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nucleated cell body

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dendrites

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branch out from the soma; receive input from other neurons through receptors on their surface

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Axon hillock

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joins cell body w/ axon

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axon

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long tubelike structure that responds to input from the dendrites and soma; transmits neural messages down its length and then passes its info on to other cells

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myelin sheath

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surrounds the axon; insulation for the electrical impulses carried down the axon and speeds up the rate at which electrical info travels down the axon

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nodes of Ranvier

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small gaps between the myelin sheath beads; help speed up neural transmission

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terminal buttons

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come very close to the cell body and dendrites of other neurons but dont touch

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synapse

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gap between terminal buttons and dendrites/cell body

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neurotransmitters

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chemical messengers; released by terminal buttons; go across synapse and bind with receptors on subsequent dendrites

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action potential

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nerve impulse; certain level of stimulation is surpassed; neurons fire causing permeability of the cell membrane to change bermitting electrically charged ions to enter the cell; travels down the axon to the terminal buttons; causes the realease of a nerotransmitter ; are "all or none"-either generated or notl fixed strength

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Refractory phase

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phase in which no amount of stimulation can cause the neuron to fire again-relative refractory phase-needs more stimulation than usual to fire again

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Enzymes

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break down neurotransmitters after they have been released and have conducted the impulse

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Reuptake

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neurotransmitter after they have been released is absorbed back into the cell

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Acetylcholine

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neurotransmitter; affects memory function, muscle contraction, particularly in the heart

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Serotonin

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neurotransmitter; related to arousal, sleep, pain sensitivity, mood and hunger regulation

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Dopamine

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neurotransmitter; associated with movement, attention, reward; imbalances may play a role in parkinson's desease and schizophrenia

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GABA

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neurotransmitter; inhibitory

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endocrine system

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way in which various parts of the body relay info to each other; works through groups of cells called glands:release hormones

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Hormones

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affect cell growth and proliferation

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Pituitary Gland

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primary gland; master gland; released hormones which control hormonal release by many other glands; located under hypothalmus(controls it);

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Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

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released under stress by pituitary gland; stimulates adrenal glands; results in flight-or-flight reaction

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Adrenal Glands

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secrete epinephrine(adrenaline) and norepinephrine(noradrenaline)

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Thyroid Gland

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front of neck; produces thyroxine regulates cellular metabolism

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Behavioral Genetics

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application of the principles of evolutionary theory to the study of behavior

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Traits

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distinctive characteristics or behavior patterns that are determines by genetics

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Genes

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the basic biological elements responsible for carrying info about traits between successive generations

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genotype

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comprises al possible combos of genes

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phenotype

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observable result

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nature v. nurture debate

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concern with relative influences of genetics and environment

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Down's syndrome

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occurs when there is a break in the 21st chromosomal pair; causes retardation

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Huntington's Chorea

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genetic disorder that results in muscle impairment which occurs after age 40; caused by the degeneration of the basal ganglia