Biology of Mind and Consciousness Flashcards
Plasticity
The brain’s ability to change by reorganizing after damage or building new pathways based on experience
Biological psychology
Scientific study of the links between biological and psychological processes
Cognitive neuroscience
Interdisciplinary study of the links between brain activity and cognition
Cell body
The cell’s life-support center
Neuron
A nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system
Dendrites
Neuron extensions that receive messages and conduct them toward the cell body
Axons
The neuron extension that sends messages to other neurons or to muscles and glands
Action potential
A nerve impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
Glial cells (glia)
Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; play a vital role in learning, thinking, and memory; provide nutrients and myelin
Synapse
The junction between the axon tip of a sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of a receiving neuron
Synaptic gap (synaptic cleft)
A tiny gap at the synapse
Refractory period
A brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; lasts a fraction of a second
All-or-none response
A neuron’s reaction of either firing or not firing
Neurotransmitters
Neuron-produced chemicals that cross the synaptic gap to carry messages to other neurons or muscles
Reuptake
Neurotransmitters in the synapse are reabsorbed into the sending neurons
Opiates
Chemicals, such as opium, morphine, or heroin, that depress neural activity; temporarily lessen pain and anxiety
Endorphins
Natural opiates produced by the brain; neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure
Acetylcholine
Enables muscle action, learning, and memory
Dopamine
Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
Serotonin
Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
Norepinephrine
Helps control alertness and arousal
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric-acid)
A major inhibitory neurotransmitter
Glutamate
A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory
Nervous system
The body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network
Central nervous system
The brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system
Sensory and motor neurons connecting the CNS to the rest of the body
Sensory neurons
Carry incoming messages from the body’s tissues and sensory receptors to the spinal cord and brain
Motor neurons
Carry outgoing instructions from the CNS to the body’s muscles
Interneurons
Present in the brain and spinal cord; communicate internally and process information between sensory inputs and motor outputs
Somatic nervous system
Controls the body’s skeletal muscles; known as skeletal nervous system
Autonomic nervous system
Controls the glands and muscles of internal organs
Sympathetic nervous system
Arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
Parasympathetic nervous system
Calms the body, conserving its energy
Brain
Enables one’s humanity; contains 86 billion neurons that cluster into work groups to form neural networks that govern reflexes
Spinal cord
Two-way highway connecting the PNS and the brain; injury could cause the loss of sensation and voluntary movement
Endocrine system
Slow, chemical communication system; set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood system
Hormones
Chemical messengers manufactured by the endocrine glands; travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues
Adrenal glands
Pair of endocrine glands that sit above the kidneys; secrete epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) that help arouse the body during stress
Brainstem
The oldest part of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival functions
Pituitary gland
Releases hormones and sends messages to other endocrine glands to release their hormones; controlled by the hypothalamus; secretes: growth hormones that control physical development, oxytocin that enables contractions during birthing and orgasm
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
Uses electrodes placed on the scalp to record waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface
Positron emission tomography (PET)
View of brain activity; depicts where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue; scans depict brain anatomy
Functional MRI (fMRI)
Technique that compares successive MRI scans; reveals blood flow and, therefore, brain activity
Medulla
Base of the brainstem that controls heartbeat and breathing
Pons
Helps coordinate movement and control sleep
Thalamus
The brain’s sensory control center; located at the top of the brainstem; directs sensory messages to the cortex; transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
Reticular formation
The nerve network running through the brain and thalamus; acts as a filter that relays important information to other brain areas; plays an important role in controlling arousal
Cerebellum
“Little brain” situated at the rear of the brainstem; aids in judgement of time, discrimination of sound and texture, and emotional control; coordinates voluntary movement and life-sustaining functions; helps process and store memories of things that cannot be consciously recalled
Limbic system
The neural system that lies between the oldest and newest brain areas; associated with emotions such as fear, aggression and drive for food and sex
Amygdala
Linked to the emotions of fear and anger; also linked to emotion based memories
Hypothalamus
Directs maintenance activities like eating, drinking, body temperature (homeostasis), and control of emotions; linked to emotion and reward; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland
Hippocampus
Helps process conscious, explicit memories of facts and events; damage impacts the ability to form new memories
Cerebral cortex
The body’s ultimate control and information-processing center; contains networks of neurons responsible for perception, thinking, speaking, and more
Frontal lobes
Portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements
Parietal lobes
Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position
Occipital lobes
Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields
Temporal lobes
Portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes areas that receive information from the ears
Motor cortex
At the rear of the frontal lobes, controls voluntary movements by sending information out of the body
Somatosensory cortex
Cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes; registers and processes; registers and processes body touch and movement sensations; sensitivity of a body region is directly related to the size of the somatosensory area that is devoted to it
Visual cortex
Area in the occipital lobes located at the rear of the brain; receives input from the eyes
Auditory cortex
Area in the temporal lobes above the ears; receives information from the ears
