Brain/Neural Firing Flashcards
Biological Psychology
study on how or make up influences behavior, thoughts and emotion
Neuron
processes information in body (three types)
Sensory Neurons
carry messages IN from the body’s tissues and sensory receptor to CNS for processing
Motor Neurons
carry OUT instructions from the CNS to body’s tissue
Interneurons
processes information between sensory input and motor output
Dendrite
receive messages from other cells
Axon
passes messages away from cell body to other neuron, muscles, and glands
Myelin Sheath
cover axon of some Neurons and helps speed neural impulses
Multiple Sclerosis
disease that affects central nervous system, specifically the myelin sheath, it slows down neural impulses
Myasthenia Gravis
can cause weakness in muscles because of Acetylcholine deficiency
Glial Cells
help insulate, restore, and protect body
Action Potential/Firing potential
neural impulse traveling down axon like a wave
Resting Potential
no neural impulse is traveling down the axon
Refractory Period
does not allow any more action potential to be created
Threshold
a certain amount the action potential has to gain before it starts moving
Synapse
gap between the cells
Excitatory Synapse
synapse that increases the action potential
Inhibitory Synapse
Synapse that decreases the action potential
All-or-None Response
either the the neuron fires or it does not (no in between)
Polarization
action potential in a cell
Depolarization
neurons charge is becoming positive
Repolarization
neurons charge going back to negative state
Neurotransmitters
chemicals used to send signals across synapse
Acetylcholine
enables muscle action, learning, memory, and sleep
Dopamine
influences movement, learning, attention, emotion, and reward pathway
Serotonin
Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
Norepinephrine
helps control alertness and arousal
GABA
major inhibitory neurotransmitter, reduces excitability
Glutamate
major excitatory neurotransmitter, involves memory
Endorphins
body’s natural pain reliever and mood enhancers
Substance P
helps transmit pain signals to brain and spinal cord
Agonists
molecule fill receptor site, and impersonates neurotransmitter
Antagonists
fills the lock so neurotransmitter cannot active the receptor cite
Reuptake inhibitors
do not allow the excess neurotransmitters to go back up into the neuron causing the cell to over stimulate
Nervous System
makes your body’s decisions and send signals to your body
Central Nervous System (CNS)
consists of brain and spinal cord and makes decisions for body
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
consists of the nerves and gathers and sends information to and from the rest of the body
Somatic Nervous System
controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles
Autonomic Nervous System
controls self-regulated internal organs and glands
Sympathetic Nervous System
arouses (fight or flight)
Parasympathetic Nervous System
calms (rest and digest)
Reflex Arc
it allows you to react to something before your brain even processes it
Endocrine System
set of glands that produce hormones into bloodstream
Pituitary Gland
secrete different hormones
Hormones
chemical messengers
Adrenaline
“fight or flight”, increases heart rate, boosts energy
Leptin
tells you when your full
Grehlin
stimulates appetite (“hunger hormone”)
Melatonin
regulates sleep-wake cycle
Oxytocin
“love hormone”, sexual arousal
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
recording of electrical waves sweeping across brain’s surface (helpful in studying seizures and sleep)
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI)
reveals brain activity and function
Brainstem
pathway for neural fibers traveling to and from the brain; controls simple reflexes
Medulla
controls heartbeat and breathing
Reticular activating system
helps control arousal
Reward center
place of the brain with the feeling of desirable outcome happens
Thalamus
where all sensory information goes (except smell)
Cerebellum
coordinates voluntary movement and balance and supports memories
Limbic System
group of interconnected brain structures that help regulate emotion and behavior
Amygdala
linked to emotion
Hypothalamus
controls main functions (eating); helps govern endocrine system; linked to emotion and reward
Cerebral Cortex
brain; memory, attention, precipitation, awareness, and thought
Prefrontal Cortex
involves planning, impulse control, personality, emotional regulation, and decision-making
Frontal Lobes
involved in speaking muscle movements, planning, and judgement
Parietal Lobes
include the somatosensory cortex and information
Somatosensory Cortex
processes touch, pain, pressure, and temperature (located in parietal lobe)
Occipital Lobes
includes visual areas
Temporal Lobes
includes auditory processing area
Motor Cortex
axons receive motor signals from brain; controls functions
Sensory Cortex
axons send sensory information to brain
Association Areas
areas in the brain that do not have specific motor or sensory function
Broca’s area
located in left frontal lobe, if damaged leads to difficulty speaking and putting words together
Wernicke’s area
located in left temporal lobe, if damaged difficulty comprehending speech and producing coherent speech
Aphasia
not being able to speak or understand a language
Hippocampus
linked to memory
Plasticity
flexibility of the brain, can make up for some places that do not function correctly
Corpus Callosum
axon fibers that connect the two hemispheres
Split Brain
brain has two parts ( right and left hemisphere) that work in unison together
Left Hemisphere
includes language comprehension, speech, and details
Right Hemisphere
includes feelings, tone, spacial recognition, and perceptual tasks
Contralateral organization
one side of the body is control be the other side of the brain, work together to create efficiency
Cognitive Neuroscience
study of the brain supporting the mind
Case studies
research method of one specific person/case that cannot be recreated
Lesioning procedures
taking out parts of the brain that are causing problems to see how it reacts and changes life
