PSYC& 100: Biological Psychology (Lilienfeld Chap 3)
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What is a neuron?
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Name and describe the functions of the three main parts of the neuron.
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What do glial cells do?
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Describe the three basic steps of nerve activation.
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Distinguish between resting potential and action potential. (What chemical actions create the
neuron’s resting potential? What chemical changes cause the action potential?)
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What does the author mean by the term “graded potential”?
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To what does the “all-or-none law” refer?
PSYC& 100: Biological Psychology (Lilienfeld Chap 3)
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a. What is the nature and importance of the myelin sheath?
b. Which disorder results from damage to it?
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What is the difference between an inhibitory and an excitatory neuron?
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Indicate what happens when there is too much or too little of each of the neurotransmitters listed in
the table on p. 127.
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List the three different major types of neurons. What does each do?
PSYC& 100: Biological Psychology (Lilienfeld Chap 3)
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Draw two neurons, such that they could communicate. Labeling the following parts of both
neurons: cell membrane, cell body, dendrites, axon, myelin sheath, synaptic vesicle, axon terminals,
synapse. Also label the presynaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron.
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Explain how neurons communicate. Feel free to refer to your diagram above.
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How do the functions of the central and peripheral divisions of the nervous systems differ?
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What are the main structures of the central nervous system?
PSYC& 100: Biological Psychology (Lilienfeld Chap 3)
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Imagine you just touched a piping hot stove with your finger. Explain why you pull your finger off
the stove before you feel pain? How would the answer be different if the stove was warm rather
than piping hot?
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Describe four methods used to study brain-behavior relations.
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List the parts and describe the functions of each part of the brain comprising the hindbrain. Make a
quick sketch to identify the locations of each.
PSYC& 100: Biological Psychology (Lilienfeld Chap 3)
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Describe the roles played by the ascending and descending reticular formation. What occurs with
damage to this structure?
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Describe the structural characteristics and functions of the thalamus and the hypothalamus.
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What roles do the hippocampus and amygdala play in psychological functions?
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Sketch the locations of the four lobes of the brain, the motor, sensory and association cortices
(plural of cortex).
PSYC& 100: Biological Psychology (Lilienfeld Chap 3)
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What are the two speech areas? Where are they located? How is each involved in speech?
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What do the motor and sensory cortices allow us to do?
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Describe the role of the frontal cortex in higher mental functions, including executive functions.
Include reference to the prefrontal cortex in your answer.
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What is hemispheric lateralization? What functions are localized in the left and right hemispheres?
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Be sure you can identify the locations of the different parts of the brain on a model or on a brain
itself. (You’ll get some practice in lab.)
PSYC& 100: Biological Psychology (Lilienfeld Chap 3)
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What is neural plasticity? How do age, environment, and behavior affect plasticity?
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Describe the ways in which neural function can be restored following damage.
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You are walking down the street and someone approaches you with a gun. You panic, turn around
and run the other way. Describe the parts of the brain that are involved, beginning with “walking
down the street”. (You’ll need to continue on another sheet of paper.)
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Your elderly father is beginning to show signs of memory loss. Discuss the parts of the brain that
might be involved in his symptoms.
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A patient who has had a severe stroke is diagnosed as having damage to Broca's area. The other
side of the brain is not damaged. The patient shows signs of partial paralysis in the arm, leg, and
face muscles on one side. Which side? Explain why.
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Discuss the parts of Helen Keller's brain that might have been damaged that would explain her
disabilities.
PSYC& 100: Biological Psychology (Lilienfeld Chap 3)
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In which lobe is the part of the brain that receives the input that enables you to feel someone
scratching your back?
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If, as a result of a serious automobile accident, your ability to think, reason, and problem solve was
seriously impaired, what part of your brain was most likely damaged?
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Karen Ann Quinlan was a woman who, as a result of mixing tranquilizers and alcohol, became what
is called "brain dead". Describe the parts of her brain that were most likely damaged. Be specific.
Provide a plausible explanation of why she continued to live even after life supports were
withdrawn.
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Describe the basic logic of twin and adoption studies.
Be sure you are familiar with the following terminology:
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midbrain
reticular activating system (RAS)
hindbrain
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blood-brain barrier
myelin sheath
resting potential
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neurons
central nervous system (CNS)
peripheral nervous system
(PNS)
forebrain
cerebral cortex
cerebral hemispheres
corpus callosum
frontal lobe
motor cortex
prefrontal cortex
Broca’s area
aphasia
parietal lobe
temporal lobe
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cerebellum
pons
medulla
cerebral ventricles
interneurons
reflex
synapse
somatic nervous system
limbic system
hypothalamus
amygdala
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Wernicke’s area
occipital lobe
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hippocampus
autonomic nervous system
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sensory cortex
association cortex
basal ganglia
dopamine
basal forebrain
acetylcholine
thalamus
brain stem
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sympathetic division
parasympathetic division
dendrites
synaptic cleft
axons
synaptic vesicles
neurotransmitters
glial cells
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threshold
action potential
absolute refractory period
receptor sites
reuptake
endorphins
lesion
electroencephalography
computed tomography
magnetic resonance imaging
positron emission
tomography
functional MRI (fMRI)
transcranial magnetic
stimulation
split-brain surgery
lateralization
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Additional terms
sulcus
gyrus
motor tracts