Chapter 3 Terms

Question 1

electrical signal that moves down the neurone’s axon

Answer 1

action potential

Question 2

drug that mimics or strengthens the effects of a neurotransmitter

Answer 2

agonist

Question 3

phenomenon that incoming signal from another neurone is either sufficient or insufficient to reach the threshold of excitation

Answer 3

all-or-none

Question 4

structure in the limbic system involved in our experience of emotion and tying emotional meaning to our memories

Answer 4

amygdala

Question 5

drug that blocks or impedes the normal activity of a given neurotransmitter

Answer 5

antagonist

Question 6

strip of cortex in the temporal lobe that is responsible for processing auditory information

Answer 6

auditory cortex

Question 7

controls our internal organs and glands

Answer 7

autonomic nervous system

Question 8

major extension of the soma

Answer 8

axon

Question 9

view that psychological disorders like depression and schizophrenia are associated with imbalances in one or more neurotransmitter systems

Answer 9

biological perspective

Question 10

region in the left hemisphere that is essential for language production

Answer 10

Broca’s area

Question 11

brain and spinal cord

Answer 11

central nervous system (CNS)

Question 12

hindbrain structure that controls our balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills, and it is thought to be important in processing some types of memory

Answer 12

cerebellum

Question 13

surface of the brain that is associated with our highest mental capabilities

Answer 13

cerebral cortex

Question 14

imaging technique in which a computer coordinates and integrates multiple x-rays of a given area

Answer 14

computerized tomography (CT) scan

Question 15

thick band of neural fibres connecting the brain’s two hemispheres

Answer 15

corpus callosum

Question 16

the process by which an enzyme breaks neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft down into their components so that they can no longer interact with the receptors on the post synaptic neurone.

Answer 16

degradation

Question 17

branch-like extension of the soma that receives incoming signals from other neurones

Answer 17

dendrite

Question 18

recording the electrical activity of the brain via electrodes on the scalp

Answer 18

electroencephalography (EEG)

Question 19

activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, allowing access to energy reserves and heightened sensory capacity so that we might fight off a given threat or run away to safety

Answer 19

fight or flight response

Question 20

largest part of the brain, containing the cerebral cortex, the thalamus, and the limbic system, among other structures

Answer 20

forebrain

Question 21

part of the cerebral cortex involved in reasoning, motor control, emotion, and language; contains motor cortex

Answer 21

frontal lobe

Question 22

MRI that shows changes in metabolic activity over time

Answer 22

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Question 23

nervous system cell that provides physical and metabolic support to neurones, including neuronal insulation and communication, and nutrient and waste transport

Answer 23

glial cell

Question 24

bump or ridge on the cerebral cortex

Answer 24

gyrus (plural: gyri)

Question 25

left or right half of the brain

Answer 25

hemisphere

Question 26

division of the brain containing the medulla, pons, and cerebellum

Answer 26

hindbrain

Question 27

structure in the temporal lobe associated with learning and memory

Answer 27

hippocampus

Question 28

state of equilibrium—biological conditions, such as body temperature, are maintained at optimal levels

Answer 28

homeostasis

Question 29

forebrain structure that regulates sexual motivation and behaviour and a number of homeostatic processes; serves as an interface between the nervous system and the endocrine system

Answer 29

hypothalamus

Question 30

concept that each hemisphere of the brain is associated with specialized functions

Answer 30

lateralization

Question 31

collection of structures involved in processing emotion and memory

Answer 31

limbic system

Question 32

deep groove in the brain’s cortex

Answer 32

longitudinal fissure

Question 33

magnetic fields used to produce a picture of the tissue being imaged

Answer 33

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Question 34

hindbrain structure that controls automated processes like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate

Answer 34

medulla

Question 35

difference in charge across the neuronal membrane

Answer 35

membrane potential

Question 36

division of the brain located between the forebrain and the hindbrain; contains the reticular formation

Answer 36

midbrain

Question 37

strip of cortex involved in planning and coordinating movement

Answer 37

motor cortex

Question 38

fatty substance that insulates axons

Answer 38

myelin sheath

Question 39

cells in the nervous system that act as interconnected information processors, which are essential for all of the tasks of the nervous system

Answer 39

neuron

Question 40

nervous system’s ability to change

Answer 40

neuroplasticity

Question 41

chemical messenger of the nervous system

Answer 41

neurotransmitter

Question 42

open spaces that are found in the myelin sheath that encases the axon

Answer 42

Nodes of Ranvier

Question 43

part of the cerebral cortex associated with visual processing; contains the primary visual cortex

Answer 43

occipital lobe

Question 44

associated with routine, day-to-day operations of the body

Answer 44

parasympathetic nervous system

Question 45

part of the cerebral cortex involved in processing various sensory and perceptual information; contains the primary somatosensory cortex

Answer 45

parietal lobe

Question 46

connects the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, organs and senses in the periphery of the body

Answer 46

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Question 47

secretes a number of key hormones, which regulate fluid levels in the body, and a number of messenger hormones, which direct the activity of other glands in the endocrine system

Answer 47

pituitary gland

Question 48

hindbrain structure that connects the brain and spinal cord; involved in regulating brain activity during sleep

Answer 48

pons

Question 49

involves injecting individuals with a mildly radioactive substance and monitoring changes in blood flow to different regions of the brain

Answer 49

positron emission tomography (PET) scan

Question 50

area in the frontal lobe responsible for higher-level cognitive functioning

Answer 50

prefrontal cortex

Question 51

drugs that treat psychiatric symptoms by restoring neurotransmitter balance

Answer 51

psychotropic medication

Question 52

protein on the cell surface where neurotransmitters attach

Answer 52

receptor

Question 53

the state of readiness of a neurone membrane’s potential between signals

Answer 53

resting potential

Question 54

midbrain structure important in regulating the sleep/wake cycle, arousal, alertness, and motor activity

Answer 54

reticular formation

Question 55

neurotransmitter is pumped back into the neurone that released it

Answer 55

reuptake

Question 56

cell membrane that allows smaller molecules or molecules without an electrical charge to pass through it, while stopping larger or highly charged molecules

Answer 56

semipermeable membrane

Question 57

cell body

Answer 57

soma

Question 58

relays sensory and motor information to and from the CNS

Answer 58

somatic nervous system

Question 59

essential for processing sensory information from across the body, such as touch, temperature, and pain

Answer 59

somatosensory cortex

Question 60

midbrain structure where dopamine is produced; involved in control of movement

Answer 60

substantia nigra

Question 61

depressions or grooves in the cerebral cortex

Answer 61

sulcus (plural: sulci)

Question 62

involved in stress-related activities and functions

Answer 62

sympathetic nervous system

Question 63

small gap between two neurones where communication occurs

Answer 63

synaptic cleft

Question 64

storage site for neurotransmitters

Answer 64

synaptic vesicle

Question 65

part of cerebral cortex associated with hearing, memory, emotion, and some aspects of language; contains primary auditory cortex

Answer 65

temporal lobe

Question 66

axon terminal containing synaptic vesicles

Answer 66

terminal button

Question 67

sensory relay for the brain

Answer 67

thalamus

Question 68

level of charge in the membrane that causes the neurone to become active

Answer 68

threshold of excitation

Question 69

midbrain structure where dopamine is produced: associated with mood, reward, and addiction

Answer 69

ventral tegmental area (VTA)

Question 70

important for speech comprehension

Answer 70

Wernicke’s area