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PSYC-3 Vocab
Psyc 101 Chapter 3 Vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| neuroscience | An interdisciplinary field of study directed at understanding the brain and its relation to behavior |
| neurons | The cells in the nervous system that receive and transmit information |
| sensory neurons | Cells that carry environmental messages toward the spinal cord and brain |
| interneurons | Cells that transfer information from one neuron to another; ________ make no direct contact with the outside world. |
| motor neurons | Cells that carry information away from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands that directly produce behavior. |
| glial cells | Cells that fill in space between neurons, remove waste, or help neurons to communicate efficiently |
| myelin sheath | An insulating material that protects the axon and helps to speed up neural transmisson |
| reflexes | Largely automatic body reactions--such as the knee jerk--that are controlled primarily by spinal cord pathways |
| dendrities | The fibers that extend outward from a neuron and receive information from other neurons. |
| soma | The cell body of a neuron |
| axon | The long tail-like part of a neuron that serves as the cell's transmitter |
| terminal buttons | The tiny swellings at the end of the axon that contain chemicals important to neural transmission |
| scynapse | The small gap between the terminal buttons of a neuron and the dendrite or cell body of another neuron |
| resting potential | The tiny electrical charge in place between the inside and the outside of the resting neuron |
| action potential | The all-or-none electrical signal that travels down a neuron's axon |
| neurotransmitters | Chemical messengers that relay information from one neuron to the next. |
| glutamate | The most common neurotransmitter in the brain |
| acetylcholine | A neurotransmitter that plays multiple roles in the central and peripheral nervous systems, including the excitation of muscle contractions |
| dopamine | A neurotransmitter that has been linked to reward and pleasure systems in the brain; decreased levels have been linked to Parkinson disease, and increased levels have been linked to schizophrenia. |
| serotonin | A neurotransmitter that has been linked to sleep, dreaming, and general arousal and may be involved in some psychological disorders such as depression and schizophrenia |
| gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) | A neurotransmitter that may play a role in the regulation of anxiety; it generally produces inhibitory effects. |
| refractory period | The period of time following an action potential when more action potentials cannot be generated |
| central nervous system | The brain and the spinal cord |
| peripheral nervous system | The network of nerves that links the central nervous system with the rest of the body |
| nerves | Bundles of axons that make up neural "transmission cables." |
| somatic system | The collection of nerves that transmits information toward the brain and connects to the skeletal muscles to initiate movement; part of the peripheral nervous system. |
| autonomic system | The collection of nerves that controls the more automatic needs of the body (such as heart rate, digestion, blood pressure); part of the peripheral nervous system |
| electroencephalograph (EEG) | A device used to monitor the gross electrical activity of the brain. |
| computerized tomography scan (CT scan) | The use of highly focused beams of X-rays to construct detailed anatomical maps of the living brain. |
| positron emission tomography (PET) | A method for measuring how radioactive substances are absorbed in the brain; it can be used to detect how specific tasks activate different areas of the living brain. |
| magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) | A device that uses magnetic fields and radio-wave pulses to construct detailed, three-dimensional images of the brain |
| hindbrain | A primitive part of the brain that sits at the juncture point where the brain and spinal cord merge |
| cerebellum | A hindbrain structure at the base of the brain that is involved in the coordination of complex motor skills |
| midbrain | The middle portion of the brain, containing such structures as the tectum, superior colliculus, and inferior colliculus |
| forebrain | The outer portion of the brain, including the cerebral cortex and the structures of the limbic system |
| cerebral cortex | The outer layer of the brain, considered to be the seat of higher mental processes |
| thalamus | A relay station in the forebrain thought to be an important gathering point for input from the senses |
| hypothalamus | A forebrain structure though to play a role in the regulation of various motivational activities , including eating, drinking, and sexual behavior |
| limbic system | A system of structures thought to be involved in motivational and emotional behaviors (the amygdala) and memory (the hippocampus) |
| frontal lobe | One of four anatomical regions of each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex located on the top front of the brain |
| parietal lobe | One of four anatomical regions of each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex, located roughly on the top middle portion of the brain |
| temporal lobe | One of four anatomical regions of each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex, located roughly on the sides of the brain |
| occipital lobe | One of four anatomical regions of each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex, located at the back of the brain |
| corpus callosum | The collection of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres and allows information to pass from one side to the other |
| endocrine system | A network of glands that uses the bloodstream, rather than neurons, to send chemical messages that regulate growth and other internal functions |
| hormones | Chemicals released into the blood by the various endocrine glands to help control a variety of internal regulatory functions |
| pituitary gland | A kind of master gland in the body that controls the release of hormones in response to signals from the hypothalamus |
| adaptation | A trait that has been selected for by nature because it increases the reproductive "fitness" of the organism |
| genes | Segments of chromosomes that contain instructions for influencing and creating particular hereditary characteristics. |
| genotype | The actual genetic information inherited from one's parents |
| phenotype | A person's observable characteristics, such as red hair. |
| mutation | A spontaneous change in the genetic material that occurs during the gene replication process. |
| family studies | The similarities and differences among biological relatives are studied to help discover the role heredity plays in physical or psychological traits. |
| twin studies | Identical twins, who share genetic material, are compared to fraternal twins in an effort to determine the roles heredity and environment play in psychological traits. |
Created by:
katielucas16
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