Ap Psych Unit 3 biology + sleep stuff; matching quiz Flashcards
dendrites
neurons branching extensions that receive and integrate messages
myelin sheath
enables greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next
Protect+move faster
action potential
a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
refractory period
a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired
reuptake
the reabsorption by a neuron of a neurotransmitter
agonist
molecule that increases a neurotransmitters action
axon
neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons
all-or-none response
neurons reaction to either firing (at full strength) or not firing
endorphins
natural opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure
central nervous system (CNS)
brain and spinal cord
sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
division of the autonomic system that arouses the body
hormones
chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues
pituitary gland
regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
peripheral nervous system part, controls the glands and muscles of internal organs
sensory (afferent) neurons
carry info from the body’s tissues & sensory receptors to brain and spinal cord
adrenal glands
secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress
motor (efferent) neurons
carry outgoing info from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
endocrine system
set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
EEG (Electroencephalogram)
amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity across the brain’s surface
PET scan
detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain does a task
cerebellum
the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem
hypothalamus
helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, linked to emotion and reward
hippocampus
helps process for storage of explicit (conscious) memories of facts and events
limbic system
neural system (including amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus)
lesion
naturally or experimentally causes destruction of brain tissue
brainstem
responsible for automatic survival functions
medulla
base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
frontal lobes
portion of cerebral cortex involved in making plans and judgements
plasticity
brains ability to change especially during childhood
occipital lobes
includes areas that receive info from the visual fields
parietal lobes
receives sensory input for touch and body position
cerebral cortex
brain’s outer surface of interconnected neural cells
neurogenesis
the formation of new neurons
motor cortex
area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
association areas
involves higher mental functions like learning, thinking, & speaking
corpus callosum
large band of neural fibers connecting the 2 brain hemispheres
dual processing
info often simultaneously processed on conscious and unconscious tracks
parallel processing
processing many aspect of a problem simultaneously
blindsight
a person can respond to visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it
heritability
proportion of variation among individuals in a group that we can attribute to genes
heredity
the genetic transfer of characteristics from parent to offspring
DNA
complex molecule containing the genetic info; makes up chromosomes
identical (monozygotic) twins
develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two
epigenetics
environmental influences in gene expression that occur without a DNA change
fraternal (dizygotic) twins
develop from separate fertilized eggs
molecular behavior genetics
studies the molecular structure and function of genes
environment
every non-genetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us
genes
biochemical units of heredity that make up chromosomes
mutation
a random error in gene replication that leads to a change
social script
a culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations
