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Psychology > AP Psychology Chapter 2 Biological Psychology > Flashcards

AP Psychology Chapter 2 Biological Psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

cells that process incoming signals and respond by sending out signals of their own

A

Neurons

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2
Q

cells that aid in the transferring of a signal, help keep the basic structure of the nervous system intact, and provide nourishment to neurons

A

Glial Cells

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3
Q

branch-like structures that receive information from adjacent neurons

A

dendrites

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4
Q

the centerpiece of a neuron that contains information (DNA) that determine how a neuron will function.

A

Nucleus

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5
Q

The cell body of the nucleus that produces neurotransmitter substances and helps protect the vital information contained in the nucleus.

A

Soma

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6
Q

a gatekeeper-like structure that determines whether information will proceed down the neuron.

A

Axon Hillock

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7
Q

The neural fiber that transmits or send information from the soma to the other end of the neuron.

A

Axon

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8
Q

a fatty tissue substance that protects information stored inside the axon

A

Myelin

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9
Q

gaps between sections of myelin that speed up the process of transmission

A

Nodes of Ranvier

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10
Q

the ending part of the neuron that releases information

A

Axon terminal/buttons

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11
Q

the space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrites of an adjacent neuron

A

synapse/synaptic cleft

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12
Q

chemicals that transfer information from one neuron to another.

A

Neurotransmitters

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13
Q

an area on the dendrite that accepts neurotransmitters.

A

Receptor Site

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14
Q

an area on the dendrite that returns unused neurotransmitters, where they wait until another signal allows them to reenter the synapse.

A

Reuptake Centers

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15
Q

neurons that transmit information from the spinal cord to the brain.

A

Afferent (sensory) neurons

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16
Q

neurons that transmit information from the brain to muscles and glands

A

Efferent (motor) neurons

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17
Q

Negatively charged chloride ions exist with the axon, resulting in a negative charge

A

Polarization

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18
Q

Negatively charged ions wait for stimulation within the axon. The neuron is said to be inactive and is waiting for another increase in electrical charge.

A

Resting Potential

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19
Q

When stimulated, the channels along the axon allow positively charged sodium, which is on the outside of a resting neuron, and potassium ions to enter. This causes subsequent sodium and potassium channels to open, thus propelling the electrochemical process down the axon.

A

Depolarization

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20
Q

A change in the balance of the overall charge of the neuron causes the electrochemical signal to travel (it is fired) along the axon.

A

Action Potential

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21
Q

A point of excitation on the neuron that must be reached for an action potential to occur.

A

Threshold

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22
Q

Once the threshold is reached the neuron will fire at full strength. If the threshold is not reached, the neuron will not fire.

A

All-or-none Principle

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23
Q

The period after a neuron fires, at which time it is less susceptible to stimulation from other neurons. The neuron must recharge itself electrically until it reaches polarization. Once this occurs, the neuron is ready to fire again. This only takes a fraction of a second in the nervous system, as opposed to the endocrine system which is much slower.

A

Refractory Period

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24
Q

Function: Memory, mood, voluntary muscle movement
Excess: Convulsions or excess shaking
Deficiency: Alzheimer’s disease, paralysis

A

Acetylcholine

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25
Q

Function: Feelings of euphoria (reward), movement
Excess: Schizophrenia
Deficiency: Parkinson’s disease

A

Dopamine

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26
Q

Function: Mood, appetite, impulsiveness
Excess: Tremors, headaches
Deficiency: Depression, eating disorders, alcoholism, aggression.

A

Serotonin

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27
Q

Function: Mood, sleep, movement
Excess: Lethargy
Deficiency: Anxiety disorders, Huntington’s disease

A

GABA

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28
Q

Function: Alertness, sleep, learning
Excess: Fear, anxiety
Deficiency: Depression

A

Norepinephrine

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29
Q

Function: Memory
Excess: Brain damage due to overstimulation
Deficiency: Neurological disorders

A

Glutamate

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30
Q

System responsible for processing and distributing information throughout the body.

A

Central Nervous System (CNS)

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31
Q

Responsible for cognitive functioning

A

Brain

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32
Q

Responsible for transmitting information throughout the body.

A

Spinal Cord

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33
Q

System responsible for voluntary movement and regulation of vital processes.

A

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

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34
Q

System responsible for voluntary movement and contains afferent and efferent nerve fibers.

A

Somatic Nervous System

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35
Q

Automatic regulation of vital human functioning (breathing, digestion, heartbeat, etc.)

A

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

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36
Q

Spends reserved energy

A

Sympathetic Nervous System

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37
Q

Restores and repairs spent energy

A

Parasympathetic Nervous System

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38
Q

the tendency for one hemisphere to excel in the performance of certain tasks.

A

Laterization

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39
Q

the neural tissue/fiber that connects the two halves of the brain.

A

Corpus Callosum

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40
Q

areas of the brain that receive and combine information from multiple sources allowing for the performance of complicated tasks.

A

Association Areas

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41
Q

Areas of the brain that are specialized in the production of certain tasks.

A

Functional Areas

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42
Q

Located just behind the forehead and the largest of the four lobes.
Responsible for controlling inhibitions, short-term memory, reasoning, and planning for the future.
Damage to this are of the brain may result in the person being impulsive or profane, experiencing difficulty making decisions, and having trouble planning for future events.

A

Frontal Lobe

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43
Q

Responsible for receiving and combining tactile stimuli from all over the body to allow the formation of a single concept
Damage to this area may result in an inability to integrate sensations normally.

A

Parietal Lobe

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44
Q

Responsible for processing visual stimuli, as well as maintaining balance
Damage to this area of the brain may result in an inability to perceive movement, identify colors, and read or write words.

A

Occipital Lobe

45
Q

Responsible for processing auditory stimuli.
Damage to this area of the brain may result in an inability to under spoken words and possible difficulty in the formation of memories.

A

Temporal Lobe

46
Q

Responsible for transforming spoken words into thoughts.
Damage can cause aphasia, inability to understand speech.
Those who suffer may have trouble understanding the words they say, making their speech long and incoherent.

A

Wernicke’s Area

47
Q

Responsible for transferring thoughts into audible spoken words.
Damage can result in Broca’s aphasia, an inability to speak coherently.
Those who suffer with this have difficulty expressing their thoughts into actual words.

A

Broca’s Area

48
Q

Responsible for voluntary movements of the body; located in the back of the frontal lobe.
Damage to this area of the brain can result in an inability to voluntarily move the body.

A

Motor Cortex

49
Q

Responsible for receiving sensory information; located at the front of the parietal lobe and adjacent to the motor cortex.
Damage to this area of the brain can result in the loss of sensation from stimuli.

A

Somatosensory Cortex

50
Q

Considered the most primitive part of the brain, and is responsible for our basic life functioning (heartbeat, digestion, arousal, and balance/coordination)

A

Hindbrain

51
Q

Transmits signals from the hindbrain to the forebrain and helps process information relating to our sense.

A

Midbrain

52
Q

The last part of the brain to form, is the most complex part. It includes the brain structures that help regulate emotions, hunger levels, formation of long-term memories, growth hormones, and sense of smell.

A

Forebrain

53
Q

In the hindbrain
Automatically controls basic life support functions (respiration, digestion, heartbeat, and blood pressure)

A

Medulla Oblongata

54
Q

In the Hindbrain
Relays information between the cerebellum and the cerebrum (brain); helps control autonomic functions such as sleeping and dreaming

A

Pons

55
Q

In the Hindbrain
Regulates alertness and arousal levels; damaging this area results in a coma

A

Reticular Formation

56
Q

Aids in balance and coordination of movement

A

Cerebellum

57
Q

Lower part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord to send and receive information.

A

Brain Stem

58
Q

In the Midbrain
Controls smooth body movements

A

Striatum

59
Q

In the Forebrain
Serves as a switchboard that relates information to the appropriate area of the brain for procession; doesn’t not process the sense of smell.

A

Thalamus

60
Q

In the Forebrain
Regulates hunger, thirst, the fight or flight response, sex drive, and body temperature; maintains homeostasis.

A

Hypothalamus

61
Q

Associated with fear and aggression; if removed, the subject will not experience fear or aggression.

A

Amygdala

62
Q

Controls the formation of new explicit memories; has the largest concentration of acetylcholine.

A

Hippocampus

63
Q

Structure that transmits smell from the nose to the brain bypassing the thalamus.

A

Olfactory Bulb

64
Q

Known as the “master gland” responsible for the production and distribution of hormones throughout the body.

A

Pituitary Gland

65
Q

Uses electrodes that are placed on the scalp to measure the brain’s electrical activity.
Can quickly measure changes in brain activity.
Poor spatial resolution and has no ability to measure activity deep within the brain.

A

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

66
Q

produces two-dimensional image based on X-rays taken around a single axis. Gives in side view of the structures within the brain.
It allows psychologists to view possible abnormalities that may exist but were undetectable by EEG.
Does not allow the researcher to view the mental processes of the brain–essential to cognitive and experimental psychologists.

A

Computed Tomography (CT or CAT) Scan

67
Q

Provides a more detailed vies of the soft tissue found in the brain by using a large magnetic field to reconstruct the image within the body/brain.
it does not use X-rays to produce an image and it provides a greater contrast within an image.
It exposes the body to a strong magnetic field and it is unable to show what ares of the brain are active during a particular task.

A

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

68
Q

Measures the structure and function of neural activity within the brain. Shows the area of the brain associated with cognitive functioning, as measured by blood flow.
Does not accurately show the working of neural networks, which are the basis of thinking.

A

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

69
Q

The connection and functioning of neurons

A

Neural Networks

70
Q

Use radioactive liquid to measure metabolic and glucose processing. Produces a three-dimensional view of the human body’s or brain’s metabolic processing of glucose. Shows the areas that are active during cognitive functioning.
Does not show how neural networks process information, includes possible risks associated with injecting radioactive material into the bloodstream, do not provide the level of detail of MRIs, and do not show real-time brain activity, as an EEG does.

A

Positive Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

71
Q

Briefly excites neural activity, possibly causing neurons to become inactive temporarily due to overstimulation. Used to find which area of the brain is responsible for cognitive functioning. The overstimulation will cause the area of the brain to become inactive, if the subject is unable to complete a certain task, one can assume the inactive area is responsible for the task.
Brief pain of discomfort at the region of the scalp exposed, possible onset of a seizure, especially for subjects with epilepsy.

A

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Scan

72
Q

Chemical signals carried through the bloodstream

A

Hormones

73
Q

Produces melatonin
As melatonin levels rise, a person becomes more tired. Hormone levels should increase as darkness (nighttime) sets in.

A

Pineal Gland

74
Q

In the Neck; u-shaped, wraps around Adam’s apple.
Produces Thyroxin
Metabolizes food to produce energy.

A

Thyroid Gland

75
Q

Above Kidneys
Produces adrenalin, cortisol, and dopamine
Used for alertness levels, regulating stress, and preparing body for fight or flight response

A

Adrenal Gland

76
Q

Located in lower torso
Produces testosterone, estrogen
Found in males in the testes. Responsible for production of sperm and male sex hormones. Found in females in the uterus and ovaries. Responsible for female sex characteristics.

A

Reproductive Glands

77
Q

Hormone
Regulates a person’s height

A

Growth Hormones

78
Q

Hormone
Natural pain killer produced by body

A

Endorphins

79
Q

Hormone
Stimulates production of breast milk

A

Prolactin

80
Q

Hormone
Regulates sleep

A

Melatonin

81
Q

Hormone
Controls basal metabolic rate of BMR

A

Thyroxin

82
Q

Hormone
Boosts supply of oxygen to brain and muscles.

A

Adrenalin

83
Q

Hormone
Released in response to stress, acts as a stress fighter

A

Cortisol

84
Q

Hormone
Acts as both a neurotransmitter and a hormone, depending on where it is released; increases blood pressure.

A

Dopamine

85
Q

Hormone
Increases size of muscles, growth of secondary sex characteristics, increased bone density.

A

Testosterone

86
Q

Hormone
Growth of secondary sex characteristics, reduces muscle mass, increases height.

A

Estrogen

87
Q

The removal of tissue

A

Ablation

88
Q

Tissue damage resulting from disease

A

Lesion

89
Q

Changes that occur in the brain due to environmental factors

A

Plasticity

90
Q

Identified area in LEFT frontal lobe responsible for speech production

A

Paul Broca

91
Q

Furthered Broca’s work, and demonstrated a separate area for language comprehension in left temporal lobe.

A

Carl Wernicke

92
Q

Identified the corpus callosum as an important structure connecting the brain’s two hemisphere.

A

Konstantin Bykov

93
Q

Identified unique functions of each hemisphere by “splitting” brains of lab animals and later studying humans

A

Roger Sperry

94
Q

Worked with Sperry to learn about the special function of each hemishpere

A

Mike Gazzaniga

95
Q

motor movement and implicit memories including procedural memories

A

Basal Ganglia

96
Q

Voluntary movement, balance, implicit memories including classically conditioned responses.

A

Cerebellum

97
Q

In Spinal Cord: swift reflexes
In Brain: cognitive functions

A

Interneurons

98
Q

Immune system attacks myelin of neurons in central nervous system; impacts thinking, mood, mobility.

A

Multiple Sclerosis

99
Q

Neuron transmitting an impulse

A

Presynaptic Neuron

100
Q

The receiving neuron after one transmits an impulse

A

Postsynaptic Neuron

101
Q

Increases the chance that the next neuron in the chain will “fire”

A

Excitatory Neuron

102
Q

Decrease the chance that the neuron in the chain will “fire”, “brakes” of the nervous system.

A

Inhibitory Neurons

103
Q

Substances that mimic a neurotransmitter or block its reuptake. It can mimic the neurotransmitters at the receptor site and bind to the receptor sites, or it can blithe the reuptake channels so it keeps neurotransmitters in the synapse for a little longer.

A

Agonists

104
Q

Substances that block the actions of a neurotransmitter.

A

Antagonists

105
Q

Slows neural activity

A

Depressants

106
Q

Increase neural activity

A

Stimulants

107
Q

Increase activity on dopamine receptors

A

Hallucigens

108
Q

The birth of new neurons

A

Neurogenesis

109
Q

Our lifelong ability to recognize our neural pathways in response to learning or to brain damage.

A

Neuroplasticity

Psychology (4 decks)

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