Major Concepts Unit 1- Ch.

2
1. Describe the biological basis of behavior
All human behavior depends on rapid information travel and

processing
The nervous system is the bodys communication network, handling

information just and the circulatory system handles blood.

It operates using an electrochemical communication system
Communication within this system provides the basis for ALL thought

feeling and behavior.

2. Define biological psychology and discuss its relationship to the philosophy of
monism and other related disciplines. Discuss the reciprocal influence in the
mind- body relationship.
Biological Psychology- It is entirely nature based. Explanation of
behavior and mental processes in terms of the functioning of the

physical body.
Relationship to monism- Body and mind are one. The mind is what the

brain does.
Other disciplines- Focusing on the nervous system. Structure and
function of the nervous system and how it effects mind, feeling, and
behavior. The nervous system rapidly shares information by using a
electrochemical communication system. The neuron is a decision

making cell that shares with other neurons.

Reciprocal Influence- All of the neurons interact with one another and

effect one another.

Everything we think feel and do is controlled by biological mechanisms
3. Define lesion and stroke and describe how studies of damaged brains have
contributed to the understanding of the function of brain regions. Describe
the case of Phineas Gage.
Lesion- Any type of damage to the brain that is cause intentionally or
accidentally.

Stoke- Paul Broka pinpointed the locations of strokes and what part led
to certain functions. Broka area is the area that controls speech,

reading, and writing.

Phineas Gage- was in an accident where his frontal lobe was damaged
and he went from being a shy well-mannered guy to a repulsive and

immature guy.
4. Not on Exam
5. Define and describe electroencephalogram (EEG) and single- cell recording
(via microelectrodes) and describe what these show about brain functioning.
Electroencephalogram (EEG)- Records the electro activity of the brain

by placing leaves on someones head and measuring the electricity.

Single- cell recording (via microelectrodes)- Use for brain surgery. Tiny

electro stimulator that can do one neuron at a time.

6. Compare and contrast (define and explain) neuroimaging techniques
Computer assisted tomography (CT scan)- Proved three dimensional
pictures of the structure of the brain. Provides pictures by taking x

rays.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)- uses concentrated magnetic fields
to build a three dimensional picture of the brain. PET uses radioactivity

tagged glucose, follows the flow of energy through the brain.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (Fmri)- tracks the amount of

oxygen directly
7. Define and describe the function of neurons and their 3 basic parts. What are
terminal buttons and where on neurons are they located? How are the
different parts of neurons related to the terms gray matter and white matter
in the brain?
Neuron- The basic unit of the nervous system. Receives signals for
neurons or sense organs, processes the signals, sends signals to other

neurons, muscles, or organs. Does all of the communication

Main parts of the neuron:

Dendrites- Receives signals from other cells. Branch like

structure that looks like trees. There are 100s and thousands of

these.
Axon- Transmits information to the next line of cells. Only one
uses electrochemical transport. It is white matter. There are 100

thousand miles of it in your head.

Cell body- Thinking part of the neuron. Information processing

areas. Gray area.

Terminal buttons- the type of information that was shared between

neurons was chemical. No two neurons actually touched each other.

8. Describe the difference in function between sensory neurons and motor
neurons. Describe how neurons relate to brain circuits.
Sensory neurons- designed to receive information from the world,

transform it to electrochemical signals, and send it to the brain.

Motor neurons- Takes commands from the brain and tells the body

what to do
Brain circuit- A set of neurons that effect one another
9. Define and describe the function of glial cell (glia) as they relate to neurons
Glial cells- Provide physical structure and support for neurons and
surround the axon and ever neuron in the body. It provides instillation
for electro signals. Clean up neural debris. And protect signals from

going places they shouldnt go.

Neurons function like batteries, positive and negative ions to create
electricity. When it is at rest the inside is negative and the outside is
positive. When a neuron fires the charges flip. The axon powers
electrical signal and the cell membrane covers the axon and absorbs
positive ions.

10.None
11.None
12.Define synapse and describe the nature of synaptic connections in the human
nervous system.
Synapse- The connection point between two neurons

13.Define neurotransmitters, vesicles, and receptors and describe their

relationship to communication in the nervous system. How are
neurotransmitters delivered between neurons?
Neurotransmitters- Chemical messenger inside the nervous system.
Every memory is stored by them. Forms the basis of behavioral and
environmental control. There are different types and they all carry 2-5

different messages, we know of about 50 of them.

o Medication effects how these work
Receptor- Specialized sites on dendrites that are designed to match up
with neurotransmitters. The way they bond is exactly like a lock and
key, the receptors are the lock. Everything we absorb in our body can

block the locks or it can open them, like drugs.

14.Describe the difference between excitatory and inhibitory effects of
neurotransmitters on neurons.
Excitatory- Inhances the function
Inhibitory- Lowers the function
15.Describe the basic functions of the neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine- primary cause of alzhiemers disease
Dopamine- people who have too many neurons, develop skitsophrinia

and or Parkinson disease

Serotonin- Anti depressant increases serotonin.
GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid)- calms your brain and body system

down. Anxiety
16.Define and describe agonist and antagonist. Describe selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Examples.
Agonist- enhance neurotransmitters. Excitatory. Drugs such as LSD,

cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, oxycontin

Antagonist- Block neurotransmitters. Getting bit by a cobra shuts down

neurotransmitters or fertilizing grass.

SSRI- blocks the reuptake of serotonin. Prozac, Zoloft, paxil
17.Describe the hierachial organization of the human nervous system. Define its
different subdivisions, and describe their functions.

Peripheral Nervous System- links the brain to the organs and muscles
of the body and carries information between them. 2 parts: somatic

nervous system and automatic nervous system

SNS- includes neurons in our secondary organs that conveys info to the
brain about the state of the body and environment under VOLUNTARY

control.
ANS- Controls the smooth muscles (heart, lungs, stomach) they are self
regulating and not under conscious control. 2 major divisions:
sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system.
o Sympathetic nervous system- usually comes into play in
response to a threat in the environment- fight or flight response.
Speeds up the heart rate, dialates pupils, produces sweat,
o

inhibits stomach. People prone to anxiety tend to have this.

Parasympathetic nervous system- counteract sympathetic
effects. It relaxes organisms (food coma). It provides the body

with repair and energy storage.

Central Nervous System- Spinal cord, reflexes, cerebral hemisphere
etc. Tells the body what to do. Cerebral cortex connects one side of the

brain to the other. R brain controls L body, L brain controls R body.

18.Describe spinal cord and consider examples of reflexes under spinal cord
control. How do they operate?
The spinal cord can initiate some aspects of behavior, such as reflexes.
Reflexes are automatic responses to an event and dont require
thought. Pulling your finger away from something hot or being pricked.
19.Describe the cerebral cortex. Define and describe the following parts
Occipital lobes- concerned entirely with different aspects of vision.
Temporal lobes- process sound, enter new memories, strong visual

memories, and comprehending language.

Parietal lobes- Register special location, body position, movement,
sense of touch and pain, and skin temperature

Frontal lobes- involve in speech, the search for specific memories,

reasoning, planning, and emotion. Makes humans different than

animals.
20.Understand the nature of brain hemisphere lateralization as it relates to
research on split brain operations.
The most compelling evidence that the 2 half brains perform distinct

21.

functions comes from slit brain operations

These patients have sever epilepsy
Doctors serve them corpus calcium wich connects the 2 hemispheres

Medulla- metabolism, heart rate, breathing, and circulation

Brainstem- basic survival
Pons- bridge
Cerebellum- controls balance
Thalamus- switchboard information for senses
Hypothalamus- Thermostat. All basic biological instincts, hunger,

warmth, sex, aggression

Hippocampus- Remember. Allows us to form new memories
Amygdala- Anger, fear. Learning through fear and anger. Responds to

punishment
Nucleus accumbers- Reward and addiction
22.Hormones- chemicals that are produced by glands, travel through the blood
stream, and can act as neurotransmitters.
Endocrine system- is mostly involved with arousal, growth, metabolism, and
sex
Pituitary Glands- Its hormones control other glands. It is still controlled by the
brain
23.Mendelian inheritance- Gregor Mendel- the transmission of characteristics by
individual elements of inheritance (genes).
1. For each trait, and offspring receives and inheritance of an element
from each parent
2. In some cases one element dominates another. If one doesnt
dominate another it is recessive.
Genotype- The sum total of your particular set of genes. Gene code.
Phenotype- observable structure or behavior of an organism. The physical
expression of your genetic code.

Polygenic- The joint action of combination of genes working together. Most

psychological traits.
24.Plasticity- brains ability to change with experience
Pruning- connections are also added or can be reformed if damaged
25.Behavioral genetics- any conclusion about the relative contributions of genes
and environment can apply only to the specific circumstances in which they
were measured.
Twins separated at birth having the same mental issues.