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Psychology 2

Chapter 2

TermDefinition
Neurons Networks of specialized info-carrying cells.
Glial cells Brain cells that provide support functions for the neurons and may play a role in regulating neural signaling.
Myelin Fatty, waxy substance that insulates portions of some neurons in the nervous system.
Cell body The part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and DNA.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) The chemical found in the nuclei of cells that contain the genetic blueprint that guides development in the organism.
Dendrites Branch-like structures on the cell body of the neuron that receive incoming signals from other neurons in the nervous system.
Axon The long tail-like structure that comes out of the cell body of the neuron and carries action potentials that convey info from the cell body to the synapse.
Neurotransmitters Chemical messengers that carry neural signals across the synapse.
Synapse The connection formed between two neurons when the axon bulb of one neuron comes into proximity with the dendrite of another neuron.
Presynaptic neuron The neuron that is sending the signal at a synapse in the nervous system.
Postsynaptic neuron The neuron that is receiving the signal at a synapse in the nervous system.
Ions Charged particles that play an important role in the firing of action potentials on the nervous system.
Resting potential (-70 mv) Potential difference that exists in the neuron when it is resting.
Threshold of excitation (-55 mv) Potential difference at which a neuron will fire an action potential.
Action potential Neural impulse fired by a neuron when it reaches -55 mv.
All-or-nothing fashion All action potentials are equal in strength; once a neuron begins to fire an action potential, it fires all the way down to the axon.
Refractory period Brief period after a neuron has fired an action potential in which the neuron is inhibited and unlikely to fire another action potential.
Excitation When a neurotransmitter binds with the postsynaptic cell and makes it more likely to fire an action potential.
Inhibition When a neurotransmitter binds with the postsynaptic cell and makes it less likely to fire an action potential.
Reuptake Process by which unused neurotransmitters are recycled back into the vesicles.
ACh (acetylcholine) First neurotransmitter discovered in the early part of the 20th century. Related to muscle movement, learning, and memory.
Dopamine Primarily inhibitory in the brain, but like most neurotransmitters, it is also known to be excitatory. Related to muscle movement, learning, and attention.
Serotonin Neurotransmitter that plays a role in many different behaviors like sleep, arousal, mood, eating, and pain perception.
NOR (norepinephrine) Plays a role in regulating sleep, arousal, and mood.
GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) The body's chief inhibitory neurotransmitter, which plays a role on regulating arousal.
Glutamate Excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, found at more than 50% of the synapses in the brain.
Endorphines Neurotransmitters that act like natural painkillers.
Nervous system An electrochemical system of communication within the body that uses cells called neurons to convey info.
CNS (central nervous system) The brain and spinal cord.
PNS (peripheral nervous system) All of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord.
Sensory neurons (afferent) Neurons that transmit info from the sense organs to the CNS.
Motor neurons (efferent) Neurons that transmit commands from the brain to the muscles of the body.
Somatic nervous system Branch of the peripheral nervous system that governs sensory and voluntary motor action in the body.
Autonomic nervous system Branch of the peripheral nervous system that primarily governs organ functioning action in the body.
Sympathetic nervous system Branch of the autonomic nervous system most active during times of danger and stress.
Parasympathetic nervous system Branch of the autonomic nervous system most active during times of normal functioning.
Hindbrain Primitive art of the brain that contains the medulla, pons, and cerebellum.
Medulla Part of the hindbrain that cotrols basic, life-sustaining functions such as respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Pons Hindbrain structure that plays a role in respiration, consciousness, sleep, dreaming, facial movement, sensory processes, and the transmission of neural signals from one part of the brain to another.
Cerebellum Hindbrain structure that plays a role in balance, muscle tone, and coordination of motor movements.
Midbrain Brain structure that connects the hindbrain with the forebrain.
Reticular formation Part of the midbrain that regulates arousal and plays an important role in attention, sleep, and consciousness.
Forebrain Brain structures including the limbic system, thalamus, hypothalamus, and cortex that governs high-order mental processes.
Limbic system System of structures including the amygdala and hippocampus that governs certain aspects of emotion, motivation, and memory.
Cerebral cortex Thin, wrinkled outer covering of the brain in which high-level processes such as thinking, planning, language, interpretation of sensory data, and coordination of sensory and motor info to take place.
Cerebral hemispheres Right and left sides of the brain that to some degree govern different functions of the brain.
Amygdala Part of the limbic system that plays a role in our emotions of fear and aggression.
Hippocampus Part of brain that plays a role in the transfer of information from short to long term memory.
Thalamus Part of the forebrain that functions as a sensory relay station in the brain.
Hypothalamus Part of the forebrain that plays a role in maintaining homeostasis in the body including sleep, body temperature, sexual functions, thirst, and hunger; also the point where the nervous system intersects with the endocrine system.
Homeostasis An internal state of equilibrium in the body.
Frontal lobe Cortical area directly behind the forehead that plays a role in thinking, planning, decision making, language, and motor movement.
Parietal lobe Cortical areas on the top of the brain that play a role in touch and certain cognitive processes.
Occipital lobe Cortical area at the back of the brain that plays a role in visual processing.
Temporal lobe Cortical areas directly below our ears that play a role in auditory processing and language.
Broca’s area A region in the left frontal lobe that plays a role in the production of speech.
Aphasia An impairment of language, most often resulting from brain damage, in which the person may have difficulty producing speech, understand speech, or both.
Wernicke’s area A region in the left temporal lobe that plays a role in the comprehension of speech.
Corpus callosum A thick band of neurons that connects the right and left hemisperes of the brain.
Split brain A brain with its corpus callosum severed; sometimes done to control the effects of epilepsy in patients who don’t respond to other therapies.
Association cortex Areas of the cortex involved in the association or integration of info from the motor-sensory areas of the cortex.
Motor cortex A strip of cortex at the back of the frontal lobe that governs the execution of motor movement in the body.
Somatosensory cortex A strip of cortex at the front of the parietal lobe that governs our sense of touch.
Visual cortex A region of cortex found at the back of the occipital lobe that processes visual info in the brain.
Auditory cortex A region of cortex found in the temporal lobe that governs our processing of auditory info in the brain.
Endocrine glands Organs of the endocrine system that produce hormones and release them into the blood stream.
Hormones Chemical messengers of the endocrine system.
Pituitary gland Master gland of the endocrine system that controls the action of all other glands in the body.
Estrogens A class of female sex hormones that regulate many aspects of sexuality and are found in both males and females.
Androgens A class of male hormones found in both males and females.
Adrenal medulla Central part of the adrenal gland that plays a crucial role in the functioning of the sympathetic nervous system.
Adrenal cortex Outside part of the adrenal gland that plays a role in the manufacture and release of androgens and therefore influences sexual characteristics.
Nature-nurture debate The degree to which biology (nature) or the environment (nurture) contributes to one's development.
Genes Strands of DNA found in the nuclei of all living cells.
Interactionism Perspective that our genes and environmental influences work together to determine our characteristics.
Epigenetics The principle that environmental factors can alter the expression of genes in our bodies without altering the DNA sequence of the gene.
Genotype Inherited genetic pattern for a given trait.
Phenotype Actual characteristic that results from the interaction of the genotype and environmental influences.
Natural selection Darwin's theory states that genes for traits allow an organism to be reproductively successful, will be selected/retained in a species and genes for traits that hinder reproductive success will not be selected and therefore will die out in a species.
Motor cortex A strip of cortex at the back of the frontal lobe that governs the execution of motor movement in the body.
Somatosensory cortex A strip of cortex at the front of the parietal lobe that governs our sense of touch.
Visual cortex A region of cortex found at the back of the occipital lobe that processes visual info in the brain.
Created by: cpruett8
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