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PSY 201: Chapter 3
Neuroscience and Behavior
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Neurons | Cells in the nervous system that communicate with one another to perform information-processing tasks |
| Cell body | The part of a neuron that coordinates information-processing tasks and keeps the cell alive |
| Dendrite | The part of a neuron that receives info from other neurons and relays it to the cell body |
| Axon | The part of a neuron that transmits info to other neurons, muscles, or glands |
| Myelin sheath | An insulating layer of fatty material |
| Glial cells | Support cells found in the nervous system |
| Synapse | The junction or region between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another |
| Sensory neurons | Neurons that receive info from the external world and convey this info to the brain via the spinal cord |
| Motor neurons | Neurons that carry signals from the spinal cord to the muscles to produce movement |
| Interneurons | Neurons that connect sensory neurons, motor neurons, or other interneurons |
| Resting potential | The difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a neuron's cell membrane |
| Action potential | An electric signal that's conducted along a neuron's axon to a synapse |
| Refractory period | The time following an action potential during which a new action potential cannot be initiated |
| Terminal buttons | Knoblike structures that branch out from an axon |
| Neurotransmitters | Chemicals that transmit info across the synapse to a receiving neuron's dendrites |
| Receptors | Parts of the cell membrane that receive the neurotransmitter and initiate or prevent a new electric signal |
| Acetylcholine (ACh) | A neurotransmitter involved in a number of functions, including voluntary motor control |
| Dopamine | A neurotransmitter that regulates motor behavior, motivation, pleasure, and emotional arousal |
| Glutamote | A major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in information transmission throughout the brain |
| GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) | The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain |
| Norepinephrine | A neurotransmitter that influences mood and arousal |
| Serotonin | A neurotransmitter that's involved in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness, eating, and aggressive behavior |
| Endorphins | Chemicals that act within the pain pathways and emotion centers of the brain |
| Agonists | Drugs that increase the action of a neurotransmitter |
| Antagonists | Drugs that block the function of a neurotransmitter |
| Nervous system | An interacting network of neurons that conveys electrochemical info throughout the body |
| Central nervous system (CNS) | The part of the nervous system that's composed of the brain and spinal cord |
| Peripheral nervous system (PNS) | The part of the nervous system that connects the CNS to the body's organs and muscles |
| Somatic nervous system | A set of nerves that conveys info into and out of the central nervous system |
| Autonomic nervous system (ANS) | A set of nerves that carries involuntary and automatic commands that control blood vessels, body organs, and glands |
| Sympathetic nervous system | A set of nerves that prepares the body for action in threatening situations |
| Parasympathetic nervous system | A set of nerves that helps the body return to a normal resting state |
| Spinal reflexes | Simple pathways in the nervous system that rapidly generate muscle contractions |
| Hindbrain | An area of the brain that coordinates info coming into and out of the spinal cord |
| Medulla | An extension of the spinal cord into the skull that coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration |
| Reticular formation | A brain structure that regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal |
| Cerebellum | A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills |
| Pons | A brain structure that relays info from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain |
| Tectum | A part of the midbrain that orients an organism in the environment |
| Tegmentum | A part of the midbrain that's involved in movement and arousal |
| Cerebral cortex | The outermost layer of the brain, visible to the naked eye and divided into two hemispheres |
| Subcortical structures | Areas of the forebrain housed under the cerebral cortex near the very center of the brain |
| Limbic system | A group of forebrain structures including the hypothalamus, the amygdala, and the hippocampus, which are involved in motivation, emotion, learning, and memory |
| Thalamus | A subcortical structure that relays and filters info from the senses and transmits the info to the cerebral cortex |
| Hypothalamus | A subcortical structure that regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior |
| Pituitary gland | The "master gland" of the body's hormone-producing system, which releases hormones that direct the functions of many other glands in the body |
| Hippocampus | A structure critical for creating new memories and integrating them into a network of knowledge so that they can be stored indefinitely in other parts of the cerebral cortex |
| Amygdala | A part of the limbic system that plays a central role in many emotional processes, particularly in the formation of emotional memories |
| Basal ganglia | A set of subcortical structures that directs intentional movements |
| Corpus callosum | A thick band of nerve fibers that connects large areas of the cerebral cortex on each side of the brain and supports communication of information across the hemispheres |
| Occipital lobe | A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information |
| Parietal lobe | A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch |
| Temporal lobe | A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for language and hearing |
| Frontal lobe | A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgment |
| Association areas | Areas of the cerebral cortex that are composed of neurons that help provide sense and meaning to information registered in the cortex |
| Gene | The unit of hereditary transmission |
| Chromosomes | Strands of DNA wound around each other in a double-helix configuration |
| Heritability | A measure of the variability of behavioral traits among individuals that can be accounted for by genetic factors |
| Electroencephalograph (EEG) | A device used to record electrical activity in the brain |
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