Help
Options
Question
action potential
click to flip
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't know
Question
adrenal glands
Remaining cards (61)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
exam1-ch2
cardenas psy
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| action potential | The brief wave of positive electrical charge that sweeps down the axon |
| adrenal glands | Glands at the top of each kidney that are responsible for regulating moods, energy level, and the ability to cope with stress |
| afferent nerves | Also called sensory nerves; nerves that carry information about the external environment to the brain and spinal cord via sensory receptors |
| agonist | A drug that mimics or increases a neurotransmitter's effects |
| all or nothing principle | The principle that once the electrical impulse reaches a certain level of intensity (its threshold), it fires and moves all the way down the axon without losing intensity |
| amygdala | An almond shaped structure within the base of the temporal lobe that is involved in the discrimination of objects that are necessary for the organism's survival, such as appropriate food, mates, and social rivals |
| antagonist | A drug that blocks a neurotransmitter's effects |
| association cortex | Sometimes called association areas, the region of the cerebral cortex that is the site of the highest intellectual functions, such as thinking and problem solving |
| autonomic nervous system | The body system that takes messages to and from the body's internal organs, monitoring such processes as breathing, heart rate, and digestion |
| axon | The part of the neuron that carries information away from the cell body toward other cells |
| basal ganglia | Large neuron clusters located above the thalamus and under the cerebral cortex that work with the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex to control and coordinate voluntary movements |
| brain stem | The stemlike brain area that includes much of the hindbrain (excluding the cerebellum) and the midbrain; connects with the spinal cord at its lower end and then extends upward to encase the reticular formation in the midbrain |
| cell body | The part of the neuron that contains the nucleus, which directs the manufacture of substances that the neuron needs for growth and maintenance |
| central nervous system | The brain and spinal cord |
| cerebral cortex | Part of the forebrain, the outer layer of the brain, responsible for the most complex mental functions, such as thinking and plannin |
| chromosomes | In the human cell, threadlike structures that come in 23 pairs, one member of each pair originating from each parent, and that contain DNA |
| corpus callosum | The large bundle of axons that connects the brain's two hemispheres, responsible for relaying information between the two sides |
| dendrites | Treelike fibers projecting from a neuron, which receive information and orient it toward the neuron's cell body |
| dna | A complex molecule in the cell's chromosomes that carries genetic information |
| dominant recessive genes principle | The principle that if one gene of a pair is dominant and one is recessive, the dominant gene overrides the recessive gene, A recessive gene exerts its influence only if both genes of a pair are recessive |
| efferent nerves | Also called motor nerves; nerves that carry information out of the brain and spinal cord to other areas of the body |
| endocrine system | The body system consisting of a set of glands that regulate the activities of certain organs by releasing their chemical products into the bloodstream |
| forebrain | The brain's largest division and its most forward part |
| frontal lobes | The portion of the cerebral cortex behind the forehead, involved in personality, intelligence, and the control of voluntary muscles |
| genes | The units of hereditary information, consisting of short segments of chromosomes composed of DNA |
| genotype | A person's genetic heritage; his or her actual genetic material |
| glands | Organs or tissues in the body that create chemicals that control many of our bodily functions |
| glial cells | Cells in the nervous system that provide support, nutritional benefits, and other functions and keep neurons running smoothly |
| hindbrain | Located at the skull's rear, the lowest portion of the brain, consisting of the medulla, cerebellum, and pons |
| hippocampus | The structure in the limbic system that has a special role in the storage of memories |
| hormones | Chemical messengers that are produced by the endocrine glands and carried by the bloodstream to all parts of the body |
| hypothalamus | A small forebrain structure, located just below the thalamus, that monitors three pleasurable activities eating, drinking, and sex as well as emotion, stress, and reward |
| limbic system | A loosely connected network of structures under the cerebral cortex, important in both memory and emotion. Its two principal structures are the amygdala and the hippocampus |
| midbrain | Located between the hindbrain and forebrain, an area in which many nerve fiber systems ascend and descend to connect the higher and lower portions of the brain; in particular, the midbrain relays information between the brain and the eyes and ears |
| motor cortex | A region in the cerebral cortex that processes information about voluntary movement, located just behind the frontal lobes |
| myelin sheath | A layer of fat cells that encases and insulates most axons |
| neocortex | The outermost part of the cerebral cortex, making up 80 percent of the human brain's cortex |
| nervous system | The body's electrochemical communication circuitry |
| neural networks | Networks of nerve cells that integrate sensory input and motor output |
| neurons | One of two types of cells in the nervous system; neurons are the nerve cells that handle the information |
| neurotransmitters | Chemical substances that are stored in very tiny sacs within the terminal buttons and involved in transmitting information across a synaptic gap to the next neuron |
| occipital lobes | Structures located at the back of the head that respond to visual stimuli |
| ovaries | Sex related endocrine glands in the uterus that produce hormones related to women's sexual development and reproduction |
| pancreas | A dual purpose gland under the stomach that performs both digestive and endocrine functions |
| parasympathetic nervous system | The part of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body |
| parietal lobes | Structures at the top and toward the rear of the head that are involved in registering spatial location, attention, and motor control |
| peripheral nervous system | The network of nerves that connects the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body |
| phenotype | An individual's observable characteristics |
| pituitary gland | A pea sized gland just beneath the hypothalamus that controls growth and regulates other gland |
| plasticity | The brain's special capacity for change |
| resting potential | The stable, negative charge of an inactive neuron |
| reticular formation | A system in the midbrain comprising a diffuse collection of neurons involved in stereotyped patterns of behavior such as walking, sleeping, and turning to attend to a sudden noise |
| somatic nervous system | The body system consisting of the sensory nerves, whose function is to convey information from the skin and muscles to the CNS about conditions such as pain and temperature, and the motor nerves, whose function is to tell muscles what to do |
| somatosensory cortex | A region in the cerebral cortex that processes information about body sensations, located at the front of the parietal lobes |
| stem cells | Unique primitive cells that have the capacity to develop into most types of human cells |
| stress | The response of individuals to stressors circumstances and events that threaten them and tax their coping abilities |
| stressors | Circumstances and events that threaten individuals and tax their coping abilities and that cause physiological changes to ready the body to handle the assault of stress |
| sympathetic nervous system | The part of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body |
| synapses | Tiny spaces between neurons; the gaps between neurons are referred to as symatic waves |
| temporal lobes | Structures in the cerebral cortex that are located just above the ears and are involved in hearing, language processing, and memory |
| testes | Sex related endocrine glands in the scrotum that produce hormones related to men's sexual development and reproduction |
| thalamus | The forebrain structure that sits at the top of the brain stem in the brain's central core and serves as an important relay station |
Created by:
psy2011
Popular Psychology sets