Biological Psychology Exam Ch 8 + Ch 9

ghrelin

chemical released by the stomach during a period of food deprivation

polysomnograph

combination of EEG and eye-movement records

neuropeptide Y (NPY)

compound that blocks the satiety actions of the paraventricular nucleus

narcolepsy

condition characterized by frequent periods of sleepiness during the day

vegetative state

condition in which someone alternates between wakefulness and sleep but shows only limited responsiveness

Vasopressin raises blood pressure by

constricting the blood vessels

jet lag

disruption of circadian rhythms due to crossing time zones

PGO wave

distinctive pattern of high-amplitude electrical potential

antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

enabler of the kidneys to reabsorb water from urine; also known as vasopressin

An advantage of maintaining a constant body temperature is that it

enables an animal to stay equally active at all environmental temperatures.

Fructose, used in corn syrup as a sweetener, may lead to increased obesity by

failing to trigger satiety

On average, people with bulimia show a variety of biochemical abnormalities, including increased production of

ghrelin

negative feedback

homeostatic process that reduces discrepancies from the set point

leptin

hormone released by fat cells in proportion to their volume

cholecystokinin (CCK)

hormone released from the duodenum that constricts the sphincter muscle between the stomach and duodenum

angiotensin II

hormone that constricts the blood vessels, compensating for the drop in blood pressure

melatonin

hormone that influences both circadian and circannual rhythms

arcuate nucleus

hypothalamic area with sets of neurons for hunger and satiety

ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH)

hypothalamus region in which damage leads to faster stomach emptying and increased insulin secretion

Sodium-specific hunger is closely associated with ____.

hypovolemic thirst

activation-synthesis hypothesis

idea that a dream represents the brain's effort to make sense of distorted information

sleep apnea

impaired ability to breathe while sleeping

insomnia

inadequate sleep

A disruption of circadian rhythms due to crossing time zones is known as

jetlag

glucagon

pancreatic hormone that stimulates the liver to convert stored glycogen to glucose

paraventricular nucleus (PVN)

part of the hypothalamus in which activity tends to limit meal size

preoptic area

part of the hypothalamus that controls drinking

pontomesencephalon

part of the reticular formation that contributes to cortical arousal

duodenum

part of the small intestine adjoining the stomach; first digestive site that absorbs nutrients

neurocognitive hypothesis

proposal that dreams represent thinking related to recent memories under conditions of reduced sensory input

homeostasis

tendency to maintain a variable, such as temperature, within a fixed range

What are the dreamlike experiences at the onset of sleep that are difficult to distinguish from reality?

Hypnagogic hallucinations

(T or F) The physiological changes that defend body temperature depend on areas in and near the hypothalamus.

True

endothermic

temperature control by the body's physiological mechanisms

osmotic pressure

tendency of water to flow across a semipermeable membrane from low to high solute concentration

A common misconception is that eating turkey increases the body's supply of ____, which enables the brain to make chemicals that make you sleepy.

tryptophran

(T or F) Alternation between wakefulness and sleep depends completely on stimuli in the environment

False

(T or F) Brandi tells her classmate that dreaming only occurs during REM sleep.

False

(T or F) In response to emotionally arousing events, the locus coeruleus releases norepinephrine.

True

A set point refers to

a very narrow range that the body works to maintain at a stable level

What does the eating cycle of bulimia have in common with addictive drugs?

both activate the brain's reinforcement areas

preoptic area/anterior hypothalamus (POA/AH)

brain area important for temperature regulation, thirst, and sexual behavior

subfornical organ (SFO)

brain structure where its cells monitor osmotic pressure and sodium concentration

minimally conscious state

condition of decreased brain activity with occasional periods of purposeful actions and limited speech comprehension

brain death

condition with no sign of brain activity and no response to any stimulus

pineal gland

endocrine gland located just posterior to the thalamus that releases the hormone melatonin

basal metabolism

energy used to maintain a constant body temperature while at rest

A zeitgeber is a

environmental cue that resets a biological clock

agouti-related peptide (AgRP)

inhibitory transmitter that blocks the satiety actions of the paraventricular nucleus

lactase

intestinal enzyme that metabolizes sugar in milk

What kind of thirst is produced by an increased concentration of solutes in the blood?

osmotic

insulin

pancreatic hormone that enables glucose to enter the cells

Taste and other mouth sensations contribute to ____.

satiety

lactose

sugar in milk

ectothermic

temperature control by relying on external sources of heat or cooling

(T or F) Allyn suffers from anorexia. After she eats, she purges her food by forcing herself to vomit.

False

(T or F) Orexin inhibits appetite.

False

(T or F) Paige wants to lose weight. The most effective long-term plan is for her to limit her intake of sweet foods.

False

(T or F) Professor Farris tells her class that the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus is found in the brain stem.

False

(T or F) Homeostasis refers to temperature regulation and other biological processes that keep body variables within a fixed range.

True

(T or F) Obese people tend to produce more insulin than people of normal weight.

True

(T or F) Orexin is not necessary for waking up, but it is for staying awake.

True

(T or F) Temporary sleep deprivation causes the body to respond in a similar manner as it does to being ill.

True

(T or F) The activation-synthesis theory of dreams argues that dreams are the result of random brain activity.

True

(T or F) The biological clock depends on part of the hypothalamus, called the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

True

TERMS BELOW

________________

An electroencephalograph displays

a net average of all the neurons' potentials

It appears from research with cats that one function of the messages from the pons to the spinal cord is to prevent us from ____.​

acting out our dreams.

allostasis

adaptive way in which the body changes its set points depending on the situation

aldosterone

adrenal hormone that causes the body to retain salt

basal forebrain

area anterior and dorsal to the hypothalamus; includes cell clusters that promote wakefulness and sleep

lateral hypothalamus

area of the hypothalamus that controls insulin secretion and alters taste responsiveness

Pamala has a fever of 107f. Her doctor is concerned because

at this temperature, she is starting to damage her own body cells

night terror

experience of intense anxiety from which a person awakens screaming

coma

extended period of unconsciousness with a low level of brain activity

Lenora loves eating carbohydrates. When she does, they are initially broken down in her

mouth

Loss of orexin-containing neurons in the hypothalamus may contribute to ____.​

narcolepsy

Which condition has often been interpreted as an intrusion of REM sleep into wakefulness?

narcolepsy

orexin

neurotransmitter that increases wakefulness and arousal

endogenous circadian rhythm

self-generated sense of time that lasts about a day

endogenous circannual rhythm

self-generated sense of time that lasts about a year

sleep spindle

series of 12 to 14 Hz brain waves in bursts that last at least half a second

K-complex

sharp brain wave associated with temporary inhibition of neuronal firing

Carlee's EEG recording shows a predominant amount of alpha waves. What is going on?

she is very relaxed but still awake

periodic limb movement disorder

sleep disorder characterized by repeated involuntary movement of the legs and sometimes the arms

rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

sleep stage with high brain activity and relaxation of the large muscles

paradoxical sleep

sleep that is deep in some ways and light in others

What is the main site for absorption of digested food into the bloodstream?

small intestine

locus coeruleus

small structure in the pons that emits bursts of impulses in response to meaningful events

A person's circadian activity cycle would most likely drift out of phase with the activity of other people if the person ____.​

spends a period of time in seclusion, away from sunlight.

Seth is currently is Stage 4 sleep. The next stage he will enter will most likely be

stage 3

non-REM (NREM) sleep

stages of sleep other than that with high brain activity and large muscle relaxation

Orexin, produced by neurons in the hypothalamus, appears to be necessary for

staying awake

alpha wave

steady series of brain waves that is characteristic of relaxation

zeitgeber

stimulus that resets the circadian rhythm

organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT)

structure important for monitoring osmotic pressure and sodium concentration in the blood

reticular formation

structure that selectively increases arousal and attention in various forebrain areas

melanocortin

type of chemical that promotes satiety

set point

value that the body works to maintain

Which hormone, released by the posterior pituitary, both raises blood pressure and enables the kidneys to reabsorb water?

vasopressin