click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Biological Behavior
Biological Bases of Behavior
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Endocrine System | Ductless glands that typically secrete hormones directly into the blood, which help regulate body and behavioral processes. |
| Hormone | Chemical messenger that travels through the blood to a receptor site on a target organ. |
| Pituitary Gland ("Master Gland") | Endocrine gland in brain that produces stimulating hormones, which promote secretion by other glands including: TSH, ACTH, FSH, ADH, and HGH |
| TSH | |
| ACTH | |
| FSH | |
| ADH | |
| HGH | |
| Thyroid Gland | Endocrine gland in neck that produces thyroxine, which stimulates and maintains metabolic activities. |
| Parathyroids | Endocrine glands in neck that produce parathyroid hormone, which helps maintain calcium ion level in blood necessary for normal functioning of neurons. |
| Adrenal Glands | Endocrine glands atop kidneys; made up of the adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla |
| Adrenal Cortex | The outer layer produces steroid hormones such as cortisol, which is a stress hormone. |
| Adrenal Medulla | The core secretes adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine), which prepare the body for "fight or flight" like the sympathetic nervous system. |
| Pancreas | Gland near stomach that secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon, which regulate blood sugar that fuels all behavioral processes. Imbalances result in diabetes and hypoglycemia. |
| Ovaries and Testes | Gonads in females and males, respectively, that produce hormones necessary for reproduction and development of secondary sex characteristics. |
| Pineal Gland | Endocrine gland in brain that produces melatonin that helps regulate circadian rhythms and is associated with seasonal affective depressive disorder. |
| Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT or CT) | Creates a computerized image using x-rays passed through the brain to show structure and/or the extent of a lesion. |
| Lesion | Precise destruction of brain tissue, enables more systematic study of the loss of function resulting from surgical removal (also called ablation), cutting of neural connections, or destruction by chemical applications. |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) | Creates more detailed computerized images using a magnetic field and pulses of radio waves that cause emission of signals that depend upon the density of tissue. |
| Electroencephalogram (EEG) | An amplified tracing of brain activity produced when electrodes positioned over the scalp transmit signals about the brain's electrical activity ("brain waves") to an electroencephalograph machine. |
| Positron Emission Tomography (PET) | Shows brain activity when radioactively tagged glucose rushes to active neurons and emits positrons. |
| Functional MRI (fMRI) | Shows brain activity at higher resolution than the PET scan when changes in oxygen |
| Neuron | Neuron the basic unit of structure and function of your nervous system. Neurons perform three major functions: receive information, process it, and transmit it to the rest of your body. Made up of the cell body (soma), axon, and dendrites. |
| Cell Body | Cell's support center that contains genetic information, maintains the neuron's structure, and provides energy to drive activities. Made up of a nucleus and specialized organelles. |
| Dendrites | Branching tubular processes of a neuron that have receptor sites for receiving information (neurotransmitters). |
| Axon | A long, single conducting fiber extending from the cell body of a neuron that transmits an action potential and that branches and ends in tips called terminal buttons (a.k.a. axon terminals, or synaptic knobs), which secrete neurotransmitters. |
| Myelin Sheath | A fatty covering of the axon made by glial cells, which speeds up conduction of the action potential. |