Basic Intro Concepts/Terms

Question 1

What is the mechanism of biofeedback?

Answer 1

It trains a person to behave differently by reflecting an operation back to itself; this way, the person can learn to have control over the operation.

Question 2

What does the EEG do?

Answer 2

It amplifies, records, and analyzes electrical potentials. It measures action potentials on the scalp.

Question 3

What is the resting membrane potential of a cell?

Answer 3

-70 millivolts

Question 4

What happens when a cell gets ready to fire?

Answer 4

The signal starts at the presypnatic cleft. Neurons are packaged in a vesicle here. Neurons are excited by an action potential. When they fire, they fuse with the synaptic membrane, release NT’s into the synaptic cleft, then join the new cell at the post-synaptic membrane.

Question 5

How does neurofeedback create change in the brain?

Answer 5

Through operant conditioning

Question 6

How is EEG transformed into QEEG?

Answer 6

By fast fourier transformation, which helps us understand waves as frequencies.

Question 7

Which intervention that involves improving blood flow and decreasing inflammation can work faster than neurofeedback?

Answer 7

PEMF

Question 8

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 8

It associates a VOLUNTARY behavior with a consequence. Operants (punishments, reinforcements) influence outcomes and the probability a behavior will recur.

Question 9

What does reinforcement of a behavior do?

Answer 9

INCREASE the probability of a behavior recurring

Question 10

What does punishment do?

Answer 10

DECREASE the probability of a behavior recurring, which can eventually extinguish the behavior.

Question 11

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 11

It associates an INVOLUNTARY response with a stimulus. The stimulus is neutral until the response becomes associated with it.

Question 12

A dog salivates when it sees food. What type of response is the salivation considered?

Answer 12

Unconditioned response

Question 13

A dog hears a bell at the same time it is fed. What type of response is the bell if the dog salivates when it hears the bell?

Answer 13

Conditioned response

Question 14

With continuous reinforcement, the response rate is ______, and extinction is _______.

Answer 14

Slow, fast

Question 15

Does punishment make a behavior go away in the long-term ?

Answer 15

No, it suppresses the behavior, which can come back when the punishment stops.

Question 16

With a fixed ratio schedule (when reinforcement is provided after a fixed number of intervals), the response rate is ________, and extinction is ______.

Answer 16

Fast, medium

Question 17

With a fixed interval schedule (when reinforcement is provided when a quota is filled), the response rate is ________, and extinction is ______.

Answer 17

Medium, medium

Question 18

With a variable ratio schedule (when reinforcement is provided after an unpredictable number of repetitions), the response rate is ________, and extinction is ______.

Answer 18

Fast, slow
An example of this is gambling.

Question 19

With a variable interval schedule (when reinforcement is provided when a quota is filled in an unpredictable amount of time), the response rate is ________, and extinction is ______.

Answer 19

Fast, slow

Question 20

What is a feedback loop?

Answer 20

When a change to a biological system triggers a certain result, like an alarm. This can change the system for better or worse. They can allow the system to maintain or lose homeostasis.

Question 21

A positive feedback loop occurs when the product of a reaction _______ the reaction.

Answer 21

Increases.

Question 22

Is a positive or negative feedback loop inherently unstable?

Answer 22

Positive, because it amplifies change, and the effects. It takes us out of homeostasis and can lead to runaway conditions. Positive feedback loops are usually harmful.
Example: fruit ripening too fast.

Question 23

A negative feedback loop occurs when the product of a reaction _______ the reaction.

Answer 23

Decreases. This brings a system closer to equilibrium and homeostasis. It helps the system move towards a steadier state. It gives you less of something.
Example: taking insulin to lower blood sugar.

Question 24

Which neurotransmitter does the parasympathetic NS release when your body goes into rest/restore mode?

Answer 24

Acetylcholine

Question 25

What are some physiological effects of being in a parasympathetic nervous system state?

Answer 25

Decreased heart rate and blood pressure, decreased respiration and glucose to the liver, constricted pupils, and increased GI activity.

Question 26

Which neurotransmitter does the sympathetic NS release when your body goes into fight/flight mode?

Answer 26

Norepinephrine/epinephrine; this directs blood to your muscles so they can use glucose to stay on alert.

Question 27

What are some physiological effects of being in a sympathetic nervous system state?

Answer 27

Increased heart rate and blood pressure, increased respiration and glucose to the liver, decreased GI activity, and enlarged pupils.

Question 28

What happens when your body perceives stress?

Answer 28

The hypothalamus sends hormones to your adrenal glands, which release more hormones in preparation for danger. This activates your sympathetic NS. Frequent surges can cause high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, headaches, anxiety, insomnia, and weight gain. Cortisol alters immune responses.

Question 29

The type of attention that is driven by external factors that are salient in the background (often sensory in nature) is ____________.

Answer 29

Bottom-up attention

Question 30

The type of attention that is guided internally based on your attention, prior knowledge or experience, or willful goals or plans is ________.

Answer 30

Top-down attention

Question 31

How many neurons are in the brain?

Answer 31

100 billion, with 200 trillion connections -Interneurons are the most common neurons.

Question 32

Dendrites _________ information and axons ________ information.

Answer 32

receive; send out/fire

Question 33

What is the firing threshold of a neuron?

Answer 33

-55 mv

Question 34

When an ion channel opens and leads to a net positive change across the membrane, bringing it closer to zero, this is called __________________, and leads to an ______________ post-synaptic potential.

Answer 34

Depolarization, excitatory

Question 35

When an ion channel opens and increases the negative charge, this is called __________________ and leads to an ______________ post-synaptic potential.

Answer 35

Hyperpolarization, inhibitory

Question 36

"Neurons that fire together, wire together" is an example of ________________.

Answer 36

Long-term potentiation (Hobbs Law)