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unit 2: biological basis of behavior Flashcards

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1
Q

neuron

A

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

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2
Q

cell body

A

the part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell’s life-support center

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3
Q

dendrites

A

a neuron’s often bushy, branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

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4
Q

axon

A

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

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5
Q

myelin sheath

A

a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next

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6
Q

glial cells

A

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory

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7
Q

action potential

A

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

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8
Q

threshold

A

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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9
Q

refractory period

A

in neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state

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10
Q

all-or-none response

A

a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing

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11
Q

synapse

A

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

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12
Q

neurotransmitters

A

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

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13
Q

reuptake

A

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

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14
Q

endorphins

A

“morphine within”—natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

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15
Q

agonist

A

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action

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16
Q

antagonist

A

a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action

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17
Q

nervous system

A

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

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18
Q

central nervous system (CNS)

A

brain and spinal cord

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19
Q

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

A

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body

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20
Q

nerves

A

bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

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21
Q

sensory (afferent) neurons

A

neurons that carry incoming information from the body’s tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

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22
Q

motor (efferent) neurons

A

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

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23
Q

interneurons

A

neurons within the brain and spinal cord; they communicate internally and process info between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

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24
Q

somatic nervous system

A

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles

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25
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs
26
sympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy
27
parasympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
28
reflex
a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
29
endocrine system
the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
30
hormones
chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues
31
adrenal glands
a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress
32
pituatary glands
the endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, it regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
33
lesion
tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue
34
EEG (electroencephalogram)
an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp
35
MEG (magnetoencephalography)
a brain imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from the brain's natural electrical activity
36
CT (computed tomography) scan
a series of X-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body
37
PET (positron emission tomography) scan
a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
38
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue
39
fMRI (functional MRI)
a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. These scans show brain function as well as structure
40
brainstem
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions
41
medulla
the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
42
thalamus
the brain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
43
reticular formation
a nerve network that travels through the brain stem into the thalamus and plays an important role in controlling arousal
44
cerebellum
the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory
45
limbic system
neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives
46
amygdala
two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion
47
hypothalamus
A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward
48
hippocampus
A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage
49
cerebral cortex
the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center
50
frontal lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
51
parietal lobe
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position
52
occipital lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields
53
temporal lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear
54
motor cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movements
55
somatosensory cortex
area at the front of the parietal lobe that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
56
association areas
areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
57
plasticity
the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
58
neurogenesis
the formation of new neurons
59
corpus callosum
the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
60
split brain
a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them
61
consciousness
our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment
62
cognitive neuroscience
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition
63
dual processing
the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks
64
blindsight
a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it
65
parallel processing
the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; generally used to process well-learned information or to solve easy problems
66
sequential processing
processing one aspect of a problem at a time; generally used to process new information or to solve difficult problems
67
behavior genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
68
heredity
the genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring
69
environment
every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us
70
chromosomes
threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
71
DNA (deoxyribonuceleic acid)
A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.
72
genes
the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; a segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein
73
genome
the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's chromosomes
74
identical (monozygotic) twins
develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms
75
fraternal (dizygotic) twins
develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than ordinary brothers and sisters, but they share a prenatal environment
76
heritability
the proportion of variation among individuals in a group that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied
77
interaction
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor depends on another factor
78
molecular genetics
the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
79
molecular behavior genetics
the study of how the structure and function of genes interact with our environment to influence behavior
80
epigentics
"above" or "in addition to" genetics; the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occurs without a DNA change
81
evolutionary psychology
the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
82
natural selection
the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
83
mutation
a random error in gene replication that leads to a change
84
social script
a culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations

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