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Biology of the Mind

Chapter 2 vocab and statements

QuestionAnswer
What is the role of a biological psychologist? Biological psychologists study the links between our biology and our behavior.
What is a neuron? A neuron is a nerve cell.
What is the basic building block of the nervous system? The basic building block of the nervous system is the neuron.
What is a dendrite? A dendrite is the neuron's bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.
What is an axon? An axon is the neuron's extension that passes messages through its branching terminal fibers that form junctions with other neurons, muscles or glands.
What is action potential? Action potential is a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.
What is a threshold? A threshold is the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.
What is a synapse? A synapse is the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.
What are neurotransmitters? Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.
What happens when a neurotransmitter is released? When a neurotransmitter is released by the sending neuron, it travels across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse.
What does acetylcholine do? Acetylcholine (ACh) enables muscle action, learning, and memory.
What is a common illness caused by the malfunction of acetylcholine? A common illness due to the malfunction of ACh is Alzheimer's disease.
What are endorphins? Endorphins, "morphine within," are natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.
What is the role of dopamine? Dopamine influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion.
What are common illnesses resulting from the malfunctions of dopamine? Excess dopamine receptor activity is linked to schizophrenia. Starved of dopamine, the brain produces the tremors and decreased mobility of Parkinson's disease.
What is the role of serotonin? Serotonin affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal.
What can result from a malfunction of serotonin? Under supply of serotonin is linked to depression. Prozac and some other antidepressant drugs raise serotonin levels.
What are the roles of endorphins? Endorphins lessen pain and boost mood.
What can result from a malfunction of endorphins? If flooded with fake opiates, the brain may stop producing endorphins, causing intense discomfort.
What is the nervous system? The nervous system is the body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems.
What is the central nervous system? The central nervous system is the brain and spinal cord.
What is the peripheral nervous system? The peripheral nervous system is the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body.
What are nerves? Nerves are bundles axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscle glands and sense organs.
What are sensory neurons? Sensory neurons are neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.
What are motor neurons? Motor neurons are neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.
What are interneurons? Interneurons are neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.
What is the somatic nervous system? The somatic nervous system is the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles, aka the skeletal nervous system.
What is the autonomic nervous system? The autonomic nervous system is the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs.
What is the sympathetic nervous system? The sympathetic nervous system is the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.
What is the parasympathetic nervous system? The parasympathetic nervous system is the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy.
What is a reflex? A reflex is a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus.
What is the endocrine system? The endocrine system is the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood stream.
What are hormones? Hormones are chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands.
What do hormones do? Hormones travel through the blood stream and affect other tissues.
What are adrenal glands? Adrenal glands are a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress.
What are pituitary glands? Pituitary glands are the endocrine system's most influential gland.
What do pituitary glands do? Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
What is a lesion? A lesion is tissue destruction.
What its the brainstem? The brainstem is the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull.
What is an electroencephalogram? An electroencephalogram is an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface.
What is a positron emission tomography scan? A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.
What is magnetic resonance imaging? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images od soft tissue.
What do MRI scans show? MRI scans show brain anatomy.
What is functional MRI? Functional MRI (fMRI) is a technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans.
What does a functional MRI scan show? An fMRI scan shows brain function.
What is a medulla? A medulla is the base of the brainstem.
What does the medulla do? The medulla controls heartbeat and breathing.
What is a thalamus? A thalamus is the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem.
What is the role of the thalamus? The thalamus directs messages to the sensory receiving ares in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
What is reticular formation? Reticular formation is a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.
What is the cerebellum? The cerebellum is the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem.
What are some functions of the cerebellum? Some functions of the cerebellum include some nonverbal learning, processing sensory input, ad coordinating movement output and balance.
What is the limbic system? The limbic system is the neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.
What is the amygdala? The amygdala is two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system.
What does amygdala influence? Amygdala influences aggression and fear.
What is the hypothalamus? The hypothalamus is a neural structure lying below the thalamus.
What does the hypothalamus do? The hypothalamus directs several maintenance activities , helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
What does the hypothalamus influence? Some neural clusters in the hypothalamus influence hunger; others regulate thirst, body temp, and sexual behavior.
What is the cerebral cortex? The cerebral cortex is the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and info-processing center.
What are the frontal lobes? The frontal lobes are the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead.
What are the frontal lobes involved with? The frontal lobes are involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments.
What are parietal lobes? Parietal lobes are a portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear.
What does the parietal lobes do? Parietal lobes receive sensory input for touch and body position.
What are occipital lobes? Occipital lobes are the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head.
What are temporal lobes? Temporal lobes are a portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas.
What is the role of the temporal lobes? The temporal lobes receive information primarily from the opposite ear.
What is the motor cortex? The motor cortex is the area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.
What is the sensory cortex? The sensory cortex is the area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.
What are association areas? Association areas are areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions.
What are association areas involved in? Association areas are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, speaking, and integrating information.
What is aphasia? Aphasia is an impairment of language.
What is aphasia caused by? Aphasia is usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or Wernicke's area (impairing understanding).
What is Broca's area? Broca's area is an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.
What does Broca's area control? language expression
What is Wernicke's area? Wernicke's area is a brain area, usually in the left temporal lobe, that is involved in language comprehension and expression.
What does Wernicke's area control? language reception
What is plasticity? Plasticity is the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by recognizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.
What is neurogenesis? Neurogenesis is the formation of new neurons.
What is corpus callosum? Corpus callosum is the large band of neural fivers that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers connecting them.
Created by: moore.daneisha
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