Ch 2 - Brain and Behaviour Flashcards
The brain and spinal cord.
What is the central nervous system (CNS)?
A column of nerves that transmits information between the brain and the peripheral nervous system.
What is the spinal cord?
Major nerves that carry sensory and motor messages in and out of the spinal cord.
What are the spinal nerves?
The parts of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord.
What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?
A cell in the nervous system that transmits information.
What is a neuron?
A bundle of neuron axons.
What is a nerve?
Major nerves that leave the brain without passing through the spinal cord.
What are cranial nerves?
A network linking the spinal cord with the body and sense organs.
What is the somatic nervous system (SNS)?
The collection of axons that carry information to and from internal organs and glands.
What is the autonomic nervous system (ANS)?
The division of the autonomic nervous system that coordinates arousal.
What is the sympathetic nervous system (sympathetic branch)?
The division of the autonomic nervous system that quiets the body and conserves energy.
What is the parasympathetic nervous system (parasympathetic branch)?
Neuron fibers that receive incoming messages.
What are dendrites?
The part of the neuron or other cell that contains the nucleus of the cell.
What is the cell body?
A fiber that carries information away from the cell body of a neuron.
What is an axon?
Bulb-shaped structures at the ends of axons that form synapses with the dendrites and cell bodies of other neurons.
What are axon terminals?
The electrical charge of an inactive neuron.
What is the resting potential?
In neurons, the point at which a nerve impulse is triggered.
What is a threshold?
A brief change in a neuron’s electrical charge.
What is an action potential?
Insulating material that covers some axons.
What is a myelin sheath?
Tiny openings through the axon membrane.
What are ion channels?
A drop in electrical charge below the resting potential.
What is a negative after-potential?
A microscopic space over which messages pass between two neurons.
What is a synapse?
The chemical process that carries information from one neuron to another.
What is a synaptic transmission?
A chemical that moves information from one nervous-system cell to another.
What is a neurotransmitter?
An area on the surface of neurons and other cells that is sensitive to neurotransmitters or hormones.
What is a receptor site?
Brain chemicals, such as enkephalins and endorphins, that regulate the activity of neurons.
What are neuropeptides?
The capacity of the brain to change in response to experience.
What is neuroplasticity?
The production of new brain cells.
What is neurogenesis?
A computer-enhanced X-ray image of the brain or body.
What is a computed tomographic (CT) scan?
An imaging technique that results in a 3-D image of the brain or body, based on its response to a magnetic field.
What is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)?
The research strategy of linking specific structures in the brain to specific psychological or behavioural functions.
What is localization of function?
Direct electrical stimulation and activation of brain tissue.
What is electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB)?
Any device (such as a wire, need, or metal plate) used to stimulate or destroy nerve tissue electrically or to record its activity.
What is an electrode?
In biopsychology, the surgical removal of tissue from the surface of the brain.
What is an ablation?
Removal of tissue within the brain by the use of an electrode.
What is deep lesioning?
A device that records electrical activity in the brain.
What is an electroencephalograph (EEG)?
A high-resolution imaging technique that captures brain activity by attaching radioactive particles to glucose molecules.
What is a positron emission tomography (PET)?
An MRI technique that records activity levels in various areas of the brain.
What is a functional MRI (fMRI)?
The thin, wrinkled outer covering of the brain in which high-level processes take place.
What is the cerebral cortex?
An increase in the relative size of the cerebral cortex.
What is corticalization?
The left and right sides of the cerebral cortex; interconnected by the corpus callosum.
What are the cerebral hemispheres?
Differences between the two sides of the body, especially differences in the abilities of the brain hemispheres.
What is lateralization?
A surgical procedure that involves cutting the corpus callosum.
What is a split-brain operation?
A preference for the right or left hand in most activities.
What is handedness?
A term usually applied to the side of a person’s brain that produces language.
What is the dominant hemisphere?
Areas on the left and right cortex bordered by major fissures or defined by their functions.
What are lobes of the cerebral cortex?
Areas of the cortex associated with movement, the sense of self, and higher mental functions.
What are the frontal lobes?
The very front of the frontal lobes; involved in the sense of self, executive functions, and planning.
What is the prefrontal area (prefrontal cortex)?
The higher-level mental processes that allow us to regulate and coordinate our own thought processes.
What are executive functions?
All areas of the cerebral cortex that are not primarily sensory or motor in function.
What are association areas (association cortex)?
A speech disturbance resulting from brain damage.
What is aphasia?
A language area related to grammar and pronunciation.
What is the Broca’s area?
A brain area associated with the control of movement.
What is the primary motor area (primary motor cortex)?
Neurons that become active when a motor action is carried out and when another organism is observed performing the same action.
What are mirror neurons?
A cell in the nervous system that transmits commands from the brain to the muscles.
What is a motor neuron?
A lifetime disorder whose primary features are impaired communication and socail interaction.
What is autism spectrum disorder?
Areas of the cortex in which body sensations register.
What are the parietal lobes?
A receiving area for body sensations.
What is the primary somatosensory area (primary somatosensory cortex)?
Areas of the cortex that include the sites where hearing registers.
What are the temporal lobes?
The part of the temporal lobe that first receives input from the ears.
What is the primary auditory area (primary auditory cortex)?
A temporal lobe brain area related to language comprehension.
What is the Wernicke’s area?
Cortical areas at the back of the brain that play a role in visual processing.
What are the occipital lobes?
The part of the occipital lobe that first receives input from the eyes.
What is the primary visual area (primary visual cortex)?
An inability to identify seen objects.
What is visual agnosia?
An inability to perceive familiar faces.
What is facial agnosia?
A term referring to all brain structures below the cerebral cortex.
What is the subcortext?
A primitive part of the brain that comprises the medulla, pons, and cerebellum.
What is the hindbrain?
The structure that connects the brain with the spinal cord and controls vital life functions.
What is the medulla?
An area of the hindbrain that acts as a bridge between the medulla and other structures.
What is the pons?
A collection of cells and fibers in the medulla and pons involved in arousal and attention.
What is reticular formation (RF)?
The structure in the hindbrain involved in controlling coordination and balance.
What is the cerebellum?
A structure that connects the hindbrain with the forebrain.
What is the midbrain?
A brain structure, including the limbic system, thalamus, hypothalamus, and cortex, that governs higher-order mental processes.
What is the forebrain?
A brain structure that relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex.
What is the thalamus?
A small area of the brain that regulates emotional behaviours and basic biological needs.
What is the hypothalamus?
A set of brain structures that play important roles in regulating emotion and memory.
What is the limbic system?
A part of the limbic system associated with the rapid processing of emotions; especially fear.
What is the amygdala?
Part of the limbic system associated with storing memories.
What is the hippocampus?
A network of glands that release hormones into the bloodstream.
What is the endocrine system?
A chemical released by the endocrine glands.
What are hormones?
The master gland of the endocrine system that controls the action of all other glands.
What is the pituitary gland?
A hormone, secreted by the pituitary gland, that promotes body growth.
What is a growth hormone?
A hormone, released by the pituitary gland, that plays a broad role in regulating pregnancy, parenthood, sexual activity, social bonding, trust, and even reducing stress reactions.
What is oxytocin?
A gland in the brain that helps regulate body rhythms and sleep cycles.
What is the pineal gland?
A hormone released by the pineal gland in response to daily cycles of light and dark.
What is melatonin?
An endocrine gland that helps regulate the rate of metabolism.
What is the thyroid gland?
Endocrine glands that arouse the body, regulate salt balance, adjust the body to stress, and affect sexual functioning.
What are adrenal glands?
An adrenal hormone that tends to arouse the body; epinephrine is associated with fear. (also known as adrenaline.)
What is epinephrine?
Both a brain neurotransmitter and an adrenal hormone that tends to arouse the body; norepinephrine is associated with anger. (Also known as noradrenaline.)
What is norepinephrine?
The ability to consciously exert self-control.
What is self-regulation?
