Biological Bases of Behavior Flashcards
Neurotransmitter
Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by sending the neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron
Nervous System
The body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system
Motor neurons
Carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
Central nervous system
The complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body. In vertebrates it comprises the brain and spinal cord.
What are interneurons?
Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues.
What is a synapse?
It is 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.
Pituitary Gland
The endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
What is a PET (Positron Emissions Tomography) scan?
A visual display of brain activity that dectects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.
What is neurogenesis?
The formation of new neurons.
Pituitary Gland
The endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus,, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
Sensory neurons
Neurons at carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
What are nerves?
A whitish fiber or bundle of fibers that transmits impulses of sensation to the brain or spinal cord, and impulses from these to the muscles and organs.
Myelin Sheath
A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.
Neuron
A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
Synapse
Junction between 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
Lesion
Tissue destruction. A brain lesion is naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.
Broca’s area
Controls language expression–an area, usually in the left frontal lobe, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.
Thalamus
Brains sensory switchboard, located on brainstem, directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
Behavioral Genetics
Study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior.
Computed tomography (CT) scan
X-ray photographs taken from different angles and put together as a slice of the body
Action Potential
An impulse that travels from the dendrite to the axon. “the firing” period
Medulla
Base of the brain stem that controls heart beat and breathing.
Cognitive Neuroscience
The branch of neuroscience that deals with how the neurological mechanisms are involved in thinking and behavior.
Plasticity
The brain’s ability to change after damage by reorganization or new pathways from experience
Hypothalamus
Brain region that contains pituitary gland and controls maintenance functions such as eating; helps govern endocrine system and is linked to emotion and reward.
Genes
Biochemical units of heredity that make up chromosomes.
Split brain
When the connection between the right and left hemispheres of the brain is severed to some degree
What is the area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movement?
Motor cortex
What is evolutionary psychology?
The study of the roots of behavior and mental processes using the principles of natural selection.
Brainstem
The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions.
Consciousness
Our awareness of ourselves and our environment.
Peripheral nervous system
The portion of the nervous system that is outside the brain and spinal cord
Cerebral Cortex
he furrowed outer layer of gray matter in the cerebrum of the brain, associated with the higher brain functions, as voluntary movement, coordination of sensory information, learning and memory, and the expression of individuality
Genome
a full set of chromosomes; all the inheritable traits of an organism.
Pituitary Gland
the major endocrine gland. A pea-sized body attached to the base of the brain, the pituitary is important in controlling growth and development and the functioning of the other endocrine glands.
Association Areas
sections of the cerebral cortex that are connected to the function of a primary part of the cerebral cortex. These areas are responsible for thought, memory, and learning, in combination with the primary parts they surround.
Mutation
the changing of the structure of a gene, resulting in a variant form that may be transmitted to subsequent generations, caused by the alteration of single base units in DNA, or the deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of larger sections of genes or chromosomes.
