Unit 3 Vocab + Concepts Flashcards by Cecilia Regan

The scientific study of the links between biological and psychological processes.

biological psychology

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A nerve cell; the basic building blocks of the nervous system

Neuron

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A neurons bushy branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

Dendrites

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The neurori extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles and glands

Axon

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Fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the acorns of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one sausage like node to the next

Myelin sheath

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The neural impulses; brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Action potential

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a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

Refractory period

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The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft

Synapse

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Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to the receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

Nuerotransmitters

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A neurotransmitters re absorption by the sending neuron

Reuptake

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F-enables muscle action, learning, and memory
Malfunctions-with Alzheimer’s disease these neurons producing this deteriorate

Acetylcholine (ACh)

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F-influences movement, leaning, attention, and emotion
MF- oversupply linked to schizophrenia. Under supply linked to tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson’s disease

Dopamine

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F-affect es mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
MF- undersupply linked to depression, some antidepressants raise these levels

Serotonin

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F-helps control alertness and arousal
MF- undersupply can depress mood

Norepinephrine

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F- a major inhibitory neurotransmitter
MF- undersupply linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia

GABA (gamma-amino uteri called acid)

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F-a major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory
MF- oversupply can overstimulate the brain, producing migraines and seizures

Glutamate

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“Morphine within” -natural opiate like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

Endorphins

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A molecule that, bu binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response (in drugs)

Agonist

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A molecule that binds to a receptor site and inhibits or blocks a response

Antagonist

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The brain and spinal chord make up

The central nervous system

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The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

Peripheral nervous system

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

Nerves

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Neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal chord

Sensory neurons

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Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal chord to muscles and glands

Motor neurons

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Neurons within the Brian and spinal chord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

Interneurons

The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system

Somatic nervous system

The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs. It’s sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

Autonomic nervous system

The division of the automatic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations (fight or flight)

Sympathetic nervous system

The two nervous systems

Central and peripheral

The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

Parasympathetic nervous system

The two parts of the peripheral nervous system

Autonomic system and somatic system

the two parts of the autonomic nervous system

Sympathetic and parasympathetic

The body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

endocrine system

Part of endocrine glands that sit above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress

Adrenal glands

The endocrine system’s most influential gland under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

Pituitary gland

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brains surface. These waves are measured by the electrodes placed on the scalp

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A series of x-ray photographs taken from different angels and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice of the brains structure

CT (computer tomography) scan

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes when the Brian performs a given task

PET (position emission tomography) scan

A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. These scans show brain anatomy

MRI Scan (magnetic resonance imaging)

A technique for revealing blood flow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. These scans show brain function as well as structure

fMRI (Functional MRI)

The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; this part is responsible for automatic survival functions

Brain stem

The base of the brainstem-controls heartbeat and breathing

Medulla

The brains sensory control center, located on top of the brain stem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas int he cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla- also helps with smell

Thalamus

Sits above medulla and helps correlate movement and regulate sleep

Pons

A nerve network that travels through the brainstem and thalamus and plays an important role in controlling arousal

Reticular formation

The “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement, balance and posture output and balance, and enabling leaning and memory

Cerebellum

Neural system that included the hippocampus amygdala and hypothalamus - located below the cerebral hemispheres and associated with emotions and drives

Limbic systems

Two lima-bean-sized neuron clusters in the limbic system-linked to emotion- has a role in rage and fear

Amygdala

A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via pituitary glands and is linked to emotion and reward

Hypothalamus

Consciousness lies here, decision making and reasoning

Frontal lobe

Vision and visual association areas

Occipital lobe

Movement and stimulus perception-speech taste reading somatosensory areas

Parietal lobe

Speech recognition, hearing, auditory association areas

Temporal lobe

Located in the left frontal lobe and is responsible for speech

Broca’s Area

Located in the right frontal lobe and is responsible for language

Wernicke’s area

Located in the frontal lobe and responsible for voluntary movement

Motor cortex

Located in the occipital lobe, responsible for visual signals and process

Visual cortex

Located in the parietal lobe, responsible for visual and auditory interpretation and language

Angular Gyrus

Located in the parietal lobe, responsible for sensation

Sensory cortex

Linked to memory

Hippocampus

Axon fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres

Corpus callosum

Pathway for neural fibers traveling to and from brain; controls simple reflexes

Spinal cord

The intricacies fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and informations processing center

Cerebral cortex

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

Glial cells

Area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

Somatosensory cortex

Ares of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions but rather in higher mental functions such as learning, thinking, remembering, and speaking

Association areas