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unit 3*
ap psychology
Term | Definition |
---|---|
myelin sheath | a fatty convering around the axon of some neurons that speeds the nerual impulse |
axon | wire like sructure ending in the terminal that extends from the cell body |
neurons | the basic building block of the nervous system |
sensory neurons | neruons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system |
interneuron | central nervous system neruons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs |
motor neurons | neurons that carry incoming information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands |
neurotransmitters | chemical contained in terminal buttons that enable neurons to communicate |
agonist | excite, by causing neurotransmitters to hit site multiple times |
antagonist | inhibits, by blocking neurotransmitters |
central nervous system | the brain and spinal cord |
peripheral nervous system | sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body |
somatic nervous system | the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the bodys skeletal muscles |
autonomic nervous system | the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs |
sympatetic nervous system | arouses the body |
parasympathetic nervous system | calms the body |
pituitary gland | regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands |
EEG | an amplified recording of waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brains surface |
PET | a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes which the brain performs a certain task |
MRI | a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce a computer generated image that distinguishes between the types of soft tissue in the brian |
medulla | connected to the base of the brain stem, controls our blood pressure, heart rate and breathing |
reticular formation | screens incoming info and filters out irrelevant info |
thalamus | the brains sensory swithboard |
pons | makes chemicals involved with sleep and facial expressions |
cerebellum | controls coordination, fire muscle movements and balance |
limbic system | associated with emotions like aggression and fear and drives such as hunger and thirst and sex |
amygdala | part of the limbic system that is involved in emotions, aggression, and fear |
hypothalamus | controls the metabolic functions of body temp, sex arousal, hunger, thirst, motivation/emotions, and the endocrine system |
hippocampus | part of the limbic system involved in learning and memory |
temporal lobe | at side of brain above ears involved in memory, perception, and hearing |
occipital lobe | lower back part of brain involved with processing visual info |
peripheral lobe | top of brain discriminates between textures and shapes |
frontal lobe | located under forehead involved with complex cognitive functions |
William Penfield | studied the effects of stimulation on the motor cortex |
broca's area | directs muscle movements involved with speech |
wernicke's area | involved in language comprehension |
phasticity | brain's ability to modify itself after some kind of injury/illness |
split brain | corpus callosum cut, not allowing info to travel to other side of brain |
corpus callosum | responsible for highter thinking function, connects two sides of brain |
left hemisphere | logical side |
right hemisphere | creative side |
sensory cortex | recieves info from skin surface and sense organs |
motor cortex | controls voluntary movements on opposite side of body |
hindbrain | lower brain, responsible for reflexive or automatic behaviors |
forebrain | largest part of the brain that controls what we think of as thoughts and reasons |
midbrain | located above the pons, integrates and relay senory info to main part of brain |
depolarization | this occurs when postive ions enter the neuron |
refractory period | after a neuron has fired an action potential, it pauses for a short period to recharge until it will fire again |
threshold | the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse |
action potential | a neural impulse that travels down the axon |
all or none | when the depolarized current exceeds the thershold of a neuron it will fire unless its below causing it not to fire |
reuptake | neurotransmitters that can't find an area across the synapse to attach will be reabsorbed by the sending neuron |
acetylcholine | activates motor neurons and skeletel muscles |
dopamine | contributes to voluntary movements and pleasurable emotions |
endorphins | natural pain killers created by brain |
serotonin | involved in mood, regulation of sleep, appetite, and body temperature |
norepinephrine | affects memory, learning, and contributes to changes in mood |