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AP Psychology > Chapter 2 > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Flashcards

(75 cards)

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1
Q

Phrenology

A

studying bumps on the skull, would reveal person’s mental ablities and character traits

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2
Q

Neuron

A

nerve cell

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3
Q

dendrite

A

neurons bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impuleses toward the cell body

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4
Q

axon

A

neuron extension that passes messages through it branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

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5
Q

myelin sheath

A

fatty coating covering axon. Insulates neuron so speed of electrical impulse is faster

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6
Q

action potential

A

brief electrical charge that travels down its axon

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7
Q

resting potential

A

+ and - ions are not exchanging

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8
Q

refractory period

A

resting pause where the neuron pumps the Na+ ions back outside. Then the axon can fire again

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9
Q

excitatory signal

A

pushing a neuron’s accelerator

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10
Q

inhibitory signal

A

pushing the neuron’s brake

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11
Q

threshold

A

level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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12
Q

synapse

A

the meeting point between neurons

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13
Q

synaptic gap

A

separates axon terminal of one neuron from the receiving neuron

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14
Q

neurotransmitters

A

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

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15
Q

How does a neurotransmitter work

A

they travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse. they unlock tiny channels at the receiving site, and electrically charged atoms flow in, exciting/inhibiting a neurons readiness to fire.

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16
Q

reuptake

A

process in which the sending neuron reabsorbs the excess neurotransmitters

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17
Q

dopamine

A

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

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18
Q

serotonin

A

affects mood: happiness, sadness, hunger, sleep, and arousal

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19
Q

norepinephrine

A

controls alertness, arousal and dreaming. acts as a stimulant and/or a hormone

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20
Q

GABA

A

serves inhibitory functions and linked to eating disorders and sleep disorders

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21
Q

ACh

A

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

messenger at all junctions between motor neurons and skeletal muscles

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22
Q

Glutamate

A

major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory

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23
Q

endorphins

A

natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure (our body’s natural painkiller)

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24
Q

agonist

A

molecules that may be similar enough to neurotransmitters to bind to their receptor and mimic its effects

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25
antagonists
bind to receptors but their effect is instead to block a neurotransmitter's function
26
nervous system
body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
27
Central Nervous System
the brain and spinal cord (the body's decision maker)
28
spinal cord
2-way info highway connecting between the peripheral nervous system and the brain
29
single spinal reflex pathway
single sensory neuron and a single motor neuron, often communicate through an interneuronautomatic responses to stimuli
30
pain reflex
neural activity travels via sensory neurons to interneurons in your spinal cord. The interneurons activate motor neurons.
31
Peripheral Nervous System
responsible for gathering information and for transmitting CNS's decisions to other parts of the body
32
somatic nervous system
part of PNS | enables the control of our skeletal muscles
33
autonomic nervous system
part of PNS | conserves energy as it calms you
34
sensory neuron
carry messages from the body's tissues and sensory receptors inward to the brain and spinal cord for processing
35
motor neurons
carry instructions from the central nervous system out to the body's muscles
36
interneurons
neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
37
Endocrine system
the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
38
hormones
chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues
39
adrenal glands
in a moment of danger they release epinephrine and norepinephrine which increase heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar providing a surge of energy. FIGHT OR FLIGHT.
40
which last longer endocrine messages or neural messages?
ENDOCRINE MESSAGES
41
pituitary gland
controlled by the hypothalamus regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands. in the core of the brain
42
Thyroid gland
controls metabolism and alertness controls maturing levels of K and Ca in the blood
43
Pancreas
regulates levels of sugar in the blood with insulin
44
ovaries and testicles
release estrogen/testoterone
45
Brain feedback system
brain-pituitary-other gland-hormones-body and brain
46
lesion
destroy
47
EEG
an amplified readout of such waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. the waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.
48
PET
visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
49
MRI
technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy.
50
fMRI
technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function.
51
Brainstem
oldest and innermost region of brain. | responsible for automatic survival functions
52
medulla
slight swelling at the base of the brainstem | controls heartbeat and breathing
53
Pans
just above the medulla | help coordinate movements
54
Thalamus
brain's sensory switchboard located on top of the brain stem | directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
55
Reticular Formation
a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and plays and important role in controlling arousal.
56
cerebellum
little brain at the rear of the brainstems function: processing sensory input and coordination movement output and balance enables nonverbal learning and memory helps judge time, moderate emotions, and discriminate sounds and textures coordinates voluntary movement
57
limbic system
neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associates emotions and drives includes: hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus
58
amygdala
2 lima-bean sized neural clusters that are linked to aggression and fear.
59
hypothalamus
directs eating, drinking, and body temperature helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland linked to emotion and reward
60
cerebral cortex
- thin surface layer of interconnected neural cells | - body's ultimate control and info-processing center
61
glial cells
cells in nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning and thinking.
62
frontal lobes
speaking and muscle movements (contains motor strip) and in making plans and judgments -also linked to moral compass
63
occipital lobes
visual fields
64
temporal lobes
speech perception, hearing, and auditory info right temp=recognize faces left temp= language
65
parietal lobes
receives sensory input for touch and body position | enables math and spatial reasoning
66
motor cortex
area at the near of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
67
sensory cortex
area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
68
association areas
not involved in primary motor or sensory functions. Instead, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking. -Found in all 4 lobes
69
plasticity
the ability of the brain to modify itself after damage.
70
neurogenesis
the formation of new neurons
71
Broca's area
found in left frontal lobe | directs muscles involved in speech
72
Wernickes area
left temporal lobe | involved in language comprehension and expression
73
angular gyrus
in parietal lobe allows to read and speak converts words to speech
74
Corpus Callosum
connects both hemispheres so they can communicate
75
Hippocampus
- located in the center of the temporal lobe - aids in the recall of explicit memories, and the memorization of facts. - It is also related to navigation, learning, and emotion.

AP Psychology (10 decks)

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