Biopsychology 1

contributed most to Cajal's ability to find that neurons are separate from one another

Camillo Golgi's cell staining method

physiological

Explaining differences in running speed as a function of differences in muscle fiber types

ionotropic

Glutamate opens sodium gates, enabling sodium ions to enter the postsynaptic cell

functional example

Having camouflage that matches an animal's typical surroundings in order to provide protection from predators

Suppose you were bitten by a black widow spider whose venom increases the release of acetylcholine from the presynaptic terminal. Which of the following treatments would be most effective?

Increase the activity of acetylcholinesterase.

once an action potential starts

It is regenerated at other points along the axon

selective permeability

Only certain molecules are allowed to cross the membrane freely

Why do neurons rely so heavily on glucose as their source of nutrition

Other fuels do not readily cross the blood-brain barrier

Which of the following would produce spatial summation

Present two or more weak stimuli at the same time

temporal summation

Sherrington found that repeated stimuli within a brief time have a cumulative effect

axon

The information sender of the neuron, which conveys an impulse toward either other neurons or a gland or muscle

exocytosis

The neuron excretes neurotransmitter through its membrane

NOT true of axons

They carry information toward the soma

How do most biological psychologists feel regarding the use of animals in research

They use animals only if the potential benefits to humans outweigh the costs to the animals

freely flow across a cell membrane

Water, oxygen and carbon dioxide

all-or-none law

a neuron produces an action potential of maximal strength, or none at all

most likely to suffer from a thiamine deficiency

alcoholics

Protein channels

allow small charged molecules to cross the cell membrane

When a membrane is at rest, what attracts potassium ions to the inside of the cell

an electrical gradient

The chemicals used as neurotransmitters in humans are found in

apparently all or nearly all other species

"Second messengers" carry their messages to

areas within the postsynaptic cell

Neurons typically have one ____, but many ____

axon; dendrites

biological psychology concerns

brain functioning

Dendrites

branching fibers that get narrower near their ends

Schwann cells

builds myelin sheaths around axons in the periphery of the body

When an action potential reaches the end of an axon, the depolarization causes what ionic movement in the presynaptic cell

calcium into the cell

Voltage-activated channels

channels for which a change in the voltage across the membrane alters their permeability

reflex arc

circuit from sensory neuron to muscle response

Loewi demonstrated that synapses operate by the release of chemicals. He did this by:

collecting fluid from a stimulated frog's heart, transferring it to another frog's heart, and measuring that heart rate

the membrane

composed of two layers of fat molecules that are free to flow around one another

EPSPs

decay over time and space

Activation of autoreceptors tends to

decrease further neurotransmitter release

Multiple sclerosis

demyelinating diseases

Many neurons release neuropeptides mostly from the

dendrites

Ontogenetic Explanation

describes how a structure or behavior develops, including the influences of genes, nutrition, experiences, and their interactions

polarized

difference in electrical potential between the inside and the outside of the membrane

dispute between abolitionists and animal researchers

dispute between two ethical positions

Minimalists

do not tolerate any kind of animal research

The function of an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

evaluate proposed experiments to ensure that they minimize pain and discomfort

Depolarization is to ____ as hyperpolarization is to ____.

excitation; inhibition

cell membrane is composed of two layers of

fat

Neurotransmitter is to ____ as cyclic AMP is to ____.

first messenger, second messenger

Nodes of Ranvier

gaps in the myelin of axons

The anterior pituitary is composed of ____ and the posterior pituitary is composed of ____

glandular tissue; neural tissue

EPSP

graded depolarization

Inhibitory synapses on a neuron

hyperpolarize the postsynaptic cell

most important consideration in developing a drug that will act in the brain

if the drug will cross the blood-brain barrier

Vesicles are located

in presynaptic terminals

Many dendrites contain short outgrowths called spines that

increase the surface area available for synapses

Nitric oxide

increases blood flow to certain areas of the brain

Saltatory conduction ____ the velocity of action potentials and ____ the amount of energy used by the neuron.

increases; decreases

psychophysiologist

interested in changes in heart rate

Chemicals are released by axons

into the junction between neurons

A receptor can directly open a channel exerting a(n) ____ effect or it can produce slower but longer ____ effects.

ionotropic; metabotropic

oligodendrocytes

myelinate axons in the brain and spinal cord

resting potential is mainly the result of

negatively charged proteins inside the cell

At the microscopic level, we find two kinds of cells

neurons and glia

Santiago Ramon y Cajal

neurons are separate from one another.

inhibitory synapses in the spinal cord

ordinarily prevents extensor muscles from contracting at the same time as flexor muscles

Increased permeability to which of the following ions would most likely result in an IPSP?

potassium

Small, charged molecules can cross the cell membrane through

protein channels

At the peak of the action potential, the electrical gradient of potassium:

pushes potassium out of the cell

Temporal summation most likely occurs with

rapid succession of subthreshold excitation.

Ionotropic effects

rapid, short-lived effects

"spontaneous firing rate"

rate of producing action potentials even when it is not stimulated.

After a meal that was rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which neurotransmitter level would be increased the most

serotonin

In general, a single neuron releases ____ neurotransmitter(s) and can respond to ____ neurotransmitter(s)

several; many

One of the most distinctive features of neurons compared to other types of cells

shape

During the entire course of events from the start of an action potential until the membrane returns to its resting potential, what is the net movement of ions?

sodium in, potassium out

EPSP results from

sodium ions entering the cell.

What does myelin cover

some axons in vertebrates and none in invertebrates

Synapses

specialized junctions between neurons

presynaptic terminal

stores high concentrations of neurotransmitter molecules in vesicles

What provides the building blocks for synthesizing all neurotransmitters

substances found in the diet

Ribosomes

synthesizes new proteins

Reuptake

the absorption of neurotransmitters by the presynaptic neuron

advantage of having a resting potential

the cell is prepared to respond quickly to a stimulus

resting potential

the difference in voltage called that typically exists between the inside and the outside of a neuron

Charles S. Sherrington

the first to infer the properties of synapses

Concentration gradients lead to

the movement of ions to areas of their lowest concentrations

What causes an EPSP

the opening of sodium channels

relative refractory period

the sodium gates are reverting to their usual state

at the peak of the action potential

the sodium gates begin to close, shutting out further entry of sodium into the cell

Sherrington deduced that transmission at a synapse must be slower than conduction along an axon. This was based on what kind of evidence

the speed of reflexive responses

two requirements for the brain to metabolize glucose

thiamine and oxygen

The sodium-potassium pump repeatedly transports ____ sodium ions out of the cell while drawing ____ potassium ions into it.

three; two

Which of the following is NOT a factor in determining whether or not two EPSPs combine to reach threshold

threshold of the presynaptic cell

Temporal summation is to ____ as spatial summation is to ____

time, location

NOT performed by glia

transmitting information

The risk of having part of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier

viruses or toxic chemicals are more likely to damage it

Which chemicals flow most freely across a cell membrane

water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide

evolutionary explanation of why we get goose bumps when cold

we inherited the mechanism from our remote ancestors who had more hair.