Chapter 3

Question 1

The nervous System

Answer 1

Involved in all psychological processes

Question 2

Neurons

Answer 2

Transmit neural impulses throughput the nervous system and back to the body. Process Memories, thoughts, and emotions. Also regulates life: Heartbeat, Breathing, and body temp.

Question 3

Major parts of Neuron (3)

Answer 3

Cell body: contains nucleus of neuron

Dendrites: Short, busy structures connected to the cell body

Axon: receives messages from the cell body, then transmits the signal to axon Terminals
(Insulated with fatty myelin, Myelinated axons are 10x faster)

Question 4

Resting Potential

Answer 4

When neurons aren’t transmitting info. They’re at rest and polarized. Not stimulated with an electrical charge of -70 millivolts (mV)

Question 5

Action Potential

Answer 5

When the electrical charge of a neuron reverses to become more positive on the inside than the outside (+50 mV), an action Potential occurs.

Question 6

Neurotransmitters

Answer 6

Brain chemicals from vesicles housed in the axon terminals. Chemicals are released in small gap between the axon and dendrite receiving called the synaptic cleft.

Question 7

The nervous system of the human body

Answer 7

Central nervous system (CNS)- Brain and Spinal cord, Aka command center

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)- The system of neurons outside the brain and spinal cord, arms, legs, internal organs etc

Question 8

Peripheral Nervous system (PNS)

Further broken down into 2 components

Answer 8

Somatic Nervous system (SNS)- Involves neurons in the remaining periphery of the body.

Autonomic Nervous system (ANS)- Involves parts of the body that are considered automatic ex. Heartbeat, Lungs breathing

Question 9

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Further broken down into 2 components

Answer 9

Sympathetic Division- Activates when our autonomic system needs to be excited. Flight or Flight reactions

Parasympathetic Division- Keeps the body calm and allows resting state.

Question 10

Brain Structures (5)

Answer 10

Medulla- controls vital autonomic functions such as heartbeat

Pons- controls survival functions such as sleep, arousal, and cardiac reflexes

Reticular formation- a bundle of nerves responsively for arousal and regulating sleep

Cerebellum- regulates the body’s movement and balance. Involved in learning processes

Thalamus- relays sensory info between cortex and brainstem

Question 11

Limbic System (3)

Answer 11

Responsible for emotions, memory, and motivated behaviors.

1) Hippocampus- responsible for Memories, spatial memories and navigation
2) Amygdala- Almond shaped mass that controls emotional responses such as fear
3) Hypothalamus- regulates body temperature, circadian rhythm, hormones, hunger thirst

Question 12

Cereal (NEO) Cortex (7)

Answer 12

Contains Several divisions

• Sensory Cortex
• Motor Cortex
• Association
• Frontal lobe
• Parietal lobe
• Occipital lobe
• Temporal lobe

Question 13

Sensory Cortex

Answer 13

Responsible for processing information in the brain related to the 5 senses

Question 14

Motor cortex

Answer 14

With signals from neurons Produces the body’s voluntary movements

Question 15

Association areas

Answer 15

Responsible for higher mental processes like thinking, language, learning, and info

Question 16

Frontal Lobe

Answer 16

Bigger bulkier lobe responsible for planning, movement, and speech. The motor cortex is located in the frontal cortical region.

Damage results in inability to produce speech (Broca’s Aphasia)

Question 17

Parietal lobe

Answer 17

Located at the top of the brain near the middle. Process tactile sensory information.

Question 18

Occipital lobe

Answer 18

Located at the back of the skull below parietal lobes. Receives and processes basic visual information.

Question 19

Temporal lobe

Answer 19

Plays role in producing and processing of language.

Damage results in inability to understand speech (Wernicke’s aphasia)

Question 20

Endocrine system

Answer 20

Slow communication system. Allows gradual developmental processes. Regulates release of hormones from glands.

Question 21

Endocrine system components (6)

Answer 21

Hypothalamus- influences pituitary gland

Pituitary gland- regulates growth and secretes hormones that regulate other glands (master gland)

Adrenal gland- located above kidneys, release epinephrine and nonepinephrine to help body respond to stress or emergencies.

Thyroid gland- A large gland in the neck that secretes hormones that regulate the rate of metabolism.

Parathyroid- Small glands located in the neck that release hormones to regulate calcium levels in the blood and bones

Pancreas- located below the stomach near the small intestines, regulates blood glucose levels

Question 22

Studying the brain (3)

Answer 22

Phrenology- felt on bumps on an individuals head to determine the persons traits and characteristics

Lesion studies- animal brains cut to determine which fuctions affected

Split-brain research- cut the corpus callosum to treat epileptic seizures in those individuals who had severe epilepsy

Question 23

Modern Technology (5)

Answer 23

Electroencephalograms (EEGs)- used to measure electrical activity generated by parts of the brain

Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT)- scan of brain

Positron emission tomography (PET)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Question 24

Advantages of the MRI and fMRI vs. EEG, CAT, and PET

Answer 24

• Far more detailed info is obtained
• No radiation
• Noninvasive (don’t require cutting)