Biopsychology and Neural Function: Key Concepts and Processes

a deficiency in acetylcholine may cause which one of the following conditions?

Alzheimer's

how does acetylcholine function?

By amplifying and inhibiting signals

a neurotransmitter is a type of

Chemical signal

What are neurotransmitters?

Chemicals that transfer impulses between cells.

what do we call the process by which enzymes break down excess neurotransmitters?

Degradation

which of the following is correct regarding the interaction between dopamine and serotonin?

Dopamine and serotonin have controdictory functiond and can balance each others effects on health.

Neurotransmitter molecule

Has a molecular structure that precisely fits the receptor site on the receiving neuron, much as a key fits a lock

How can playing a musical instrument impact the brain?

It can increase the size of your temporal lobe.

What does acetylcholine do?

It regulates REM sleep

This newer type of antidepressant inhibits the reuptake of serotonin back to the first communicating neuron.

SNRI's

This is an older type of antidepressant that works by increasing the concentration of norepinephrine and serotonin.

TCA's

What happens when someone has a stroke?

The blood doesn't reach part of their brain.

Human behaviors and feelings are primarily controlled by

The brain, nerves, and hormones

Sending neuron

The neuron which transmits a message to another neuron.

Which of the following do biopsychologists study?

The relationship between brain activity and mental states.

An example of neuroplasticity is

a blind person having a heightened sense of smell

Action potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

which of these is not a field closely related to biopsychology?

all of these are closely related sub fields of biopsychology.

aside from existing mental illness, what is another common way that biopsychology is encountered by people?

all of these are correct.

what substance breaks down acetylcholine and removes it from the synapse?

cholinesterase.

Myelin sheath

covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses

The part of a neuron that receives signals is called a

dendrite

Neural impulse

electrical signal traveling down the axon

Terminal branches of axon

form junctions with other cells

according to biopsychology, eating disorders

have biochemical triggers

While famous, the case of phineas gage isnt very definitive.

his past wasnt well documented

receptor sites

holes in the surface of the dendrites or certain cells of the muscles and glands, which are shaped to fit only certain neurotransmitters

where is the majority of serotonin found in the human body?

in the intestine.

What functions does dopamine have in the human body?

it regulates emotional responses hormone secretion, motoric action, and reward sensation

When you're at a restaurant and the waiter comes out with your dinner, which system is responsible for telling your brain that your food has arrived?

nervous system

An action potential occurs when a

neural impulse travels along an axon

the all or none law states that

neurons must fire a signal once it starts

During a refractory period

neurons remake sodium ions

What do you call a chemical messenger that sends a signal across the synapse between neurons?

neurotransmitter.

Serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine are all examples of which of the following?

neurotransmitters

generally, antidepressants work by increasing the brain's concentration of which of the following?

neurotransmitters

these are chemical messengers within the brain that allow nerve cells to communicate with each other.

neurotransmitters

what do we call chemicals that carry messages between cells in the nervous system?

neurotransmitters

Receiving neuron

postsynaptic neuron

Dendrites

receive messages from other cells

What do we call it when the original neuron reabsorbs excess neurotransmitters?

reuptake

Synaptic gap

space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the receptors of the next neuron

what do we call the gap between neurons?

synapse

when a neuron fires, where does it send the neurotransmitters?

synapse

vesicles containing neurotransmitters

synaptic vesicles

What does the ter neuroplasticity refer to?

the brain adjusting to damage or changing based on new abilities

Cell body

the cell's life support center

Axon

the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

What is biopsychology?

the study of how the brain and related systems influences behavior.

what are the symptoms people with broca's aphasia have?

they have difficulty speaking

joseph has broca's aphasia. What can help him recover his lost abilities?

treatment, rehabation, and time

low levels of dopamine in body are associated with

vulnerability to addictions.

when are animals studies used in biopsychology research?

when it would be unethical to preform the study on humans