The Nervous System
What is the part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord?
Central Nervous System
What is the gap between two neurons called?
Synapse
What part of the brain controls basic functions like breathing and heart rate?
Medulla oblongata
What is a circadian rhythm, and approximately how long is the human sleep-wake cycle?
The 24-hour biological cycle that regulates sleep-wake patterns
What is the difference between sensation and perception?
Sensation is detecting stimuli from the environment, while perception is the brain's interpretation of those stimuli
What is the autonomic nervous system responsible for?
Involuntary processes (like heart rate and digestion)
Name three neurotransmitters and identify whether each is typically excitatory or inhibitory.
Possible answers: dopamine (excitatory), serotonin (typically inhibitory), GABA (inhibitory), glutamate (excitatory), acetylcholine (excitatory), endorphins (inhibitory), etc.
Which lobe controls motor movement, and what is the specific area called?
The frontal lobe, and the motor cortex
Name the stages of sleep and identify which stage is associated with most dreaming.
NREM Stages 1-3 and REM sleep; most dreaming occurs during REM
Define the absolute threshold.
The minimum stimulus strength that can be detected; at this level, a person detects it about half the time and misses it the other half
Name the two branches of the autonomic nervous system and describe what each does.
Sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous systems
Explain the all-or-none principle and why it's important for neural communication.
A neuron either fires completely or not at all; this ensures reliable, consistent signals
Name the structures within the limbic system and describe one function of each.
Hippocampus (memory), amygdala (emotion/fear), hypothalamus (hunger/temperature), thalamus (sensory relay), pituitary gland (hormone regulation)
Explain the difference between the activation-synthesis theory and the consolidation theory of dreams.
Activation-synthesis proposes the brain creates stories from random neural activity, while consolidation theory suggests dreams help organize and store memories
Explain Weber's law.
The larger a stimulus, the larger the change needed to notice a difference; you have to change the strength by a uniform percentage for it to be noticed
Explain the difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems, and give an example of each.
The somatic nervous system controls voluntary movements (raising your hand), while the autonomic nervous system controls involuntary processes (digestion).
Describe what happens during the refractory period and explain why neurons need this rest phase.
The neuron temporarily cannot fire again; this allows the chemical balance to reset and prevents overstimulation
Explain what Broca's area and Wernicke's area do, and describe what happens if each is damaged.
Broca's area controls speech production (damage = difficulty speaking);
Wernicke's area controls speech comprehension (damage = difficulty understanding)
Describe two theories about why we sleep and explain what happens if someone is severely sleep deprived.
Memory consolidation (organizing memories) and restoration (replenishing resources); sleep deprivation impairs cognitive performance, mood, and immune function
Describe the difference between trichromatic theory and opponent-process theory of color vision.
Trichromatic theory proposes three types of cones (red, green, blue), while opponent-process theory suggests ganglion cells respond in opposing pairs (red/green, blue/yellow, black/white)
How do the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system work together to allow you to pull your hand away from a hot stove?
The CNS processes the signal from sensory receptors; the PNS relays that information and sends motor commands back to muscles.
How do agonists and antagonists differ in their effects on neurotransmitter function, and give an example of each?
Agonists encourage neural firing (like cocaine increasing dopamine), while antagonists discourage it (like antipsychotics blocking dopamine)
Describe split-brain research and explain what it revealed about hemispheric specialization.
The corpus callosum is severed, the brain's two hemispheres can't communicate, revealing that the left hemisphere specializes in language and the right in visual-spatial tasks
Name three sleep disorders, describe their symptoms, and explain how they affect waking behavior and health
Insomnia (difficulty falling/staying asleep → fatigue), narcolepsy (sudden sleep attacks → safety risks), sleep apnea (breathing stops → oxygen loss, daytime sleepiness)
Explain synesthesia.
Experiencing one sense through another