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Psychology Unit 2
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Biopsychology | the scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes. |
| Neuron | a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system. |
| Dendrite | a neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body. |
| Axon | the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands. |
| Myelin sheath | a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons, enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next. |
| Action potential | a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. |
| Refractory period | a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired |
| Threshold | the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse |
| All-or-none response | a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full strength response) or not firing |
| Synapse | the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. |
| Neurotransmitters | chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, they travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse |
| Reuptake | a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron. |
| Acetylcholine | the neurotransmitter that tells your muscles to go, helps with memory and muscle control |
| Dopamine | feel good neurotransmitter |
| Serotonin | regulates human behaviors such as behavior, mood, memory, and homeostasis. |
| Norepinephrine | part of the stress response, relates to arousal, involved in sympathetic nervous system, can also relate to depression or if too much could be manic. |
| GABA | inhibitory, telling cells not to fire. |
| Glutamate | an excitatory neurotransmitter with several types of receptors found throughout the CNS |
| Endorphins | "morphine within"- natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure. |
| Agonist | molecule that when bound to a receptor activates a response. |
| Antagonists | a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or blocks a response. |
| Nervous system | the body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems. |
| Central nervous system (CNS) | the brain and spinal cord |
| Peripheral nervous system (PNS) | the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the boy. |
| Nerves | bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs. |
| Sensory neurons | neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord. |
| Motor neurons | neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands. |
| Interneurons | neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs. (the neurons in between the sensory and motor neurons) (CNS) |
| Somatic Nervous System | the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles |
| Autonomic nervous system | the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses, its parasympathetic division calms. |
| Sympathetic nervous system | |
| Parasympathetic nervous system | the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy. |
| Reflexes | doesn't go to the brain; only goes to spinal cord |
| Endocrine system | the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream |
| Hormones | chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues. |
| Adrenal glands | a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress. |
| Pituitary gland | the endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the gland regulates |
| Lesion | tissue destruction. This is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue. |
| Electroencephalogram (EEG) | an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brains surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp. |
| Computed tomography (CT) | a series of X-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice of the brain's structure. |
| Positron emission tomography (PET) | a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task |
| Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) | a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images of soft tissue, show brain anatomy. |
| Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) | a technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. These scans show brain function as well as its structure. |
| Brainstem | the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival functions. |
| Medulla | the base of the brain stem; controls heartbeat and breathing. |
| Pons | part of the brain that links the medulla to the thalamus |
| Reticular formation | a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and thalamus and plays an important role in controlling arousal. (brings sensory information from spinal cord to thalamus) |
| Thalamus | the brain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla. |
| Limbic system | neural system (including hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives. |
| Amygdala | two lima-bean sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion |
| Hypothalamus | a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward |
| Hippocampus | a neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage. |
| Cerebral cortex | the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center. |
| Glial cells | cells that support neuron growth and function (Schwann cells are an example), may also play a role in learning and thinking. |
| Frontal lobes | portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements |
| Parietal lobes | portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position. |
| ยท Temporal lobes | |
| Occipital lobes | portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields. |
| Motor cortex | an area at the rear of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movements. |
| Somatosensory cortex | area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations. |
| Association areas | areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking. |
Created by:
cbradley24
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