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AP Psych Textbook Notes > ch.2- The Biology of the mind > Flashcards

ch.2- The Biology of the mind Flashcards

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1
Q

neuron

A

a nerve cell; the basic building blocks of the nervous system

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2
Q

sensory neurons

A

neurons that carry incoming info from sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

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3
Q

interneurons

A

within brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

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4
Q

motor neurons

A

carry outgoing info from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

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5
Q

dendrites

A

bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receives messages and conduct impulses toward the cel body

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6
Q

axon

A

the tension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or muscles or glands

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7
Q

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

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8
Q

action potential

A

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon

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9
Q

biological psychology

A

a branch of psychology that is concerned with links between biology and behavior.

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10
Q

reuptake

A

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

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11
Q

threshold

A

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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12
Q

synapse

A

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

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13
Q

neurotransmitters

A

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, it travels across the synapse and binds to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, influencing whether the neuron will generate a neural impulse

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14
Q

endorphins

A

“morphine within”-natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

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15
Q

acetylcholine (ACh)

A
  • enables muscle action, learning, and memory

- alzheimer’s disease

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16
Q

dopamine

A
  • influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

- excess amount is linked to schizophrenia , parkinson’s disease

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17
Q

serotonin

A
  • affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

- depression

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18
Q

norepinephrine

A
  • helps control alertness and arousal

- depress mood

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19
Q

GABA

A
  • major inhibitory neurotransmitter

- seizures, tremors, and insomnia

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20
Q

glutamate

A
  • major excitatory neurotransmitter;involved in memory

- migraines, seizures

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21
Q

reflex

A

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

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22
Q

parasympathetic nervous system

A

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

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23
Q

nervous system

A

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

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24
Q

central nervous system

A

the brain and spinal cord

25
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

26
Q

nerves

A

bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

27
Q

somatic nervous system

A

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles.

28
Q

autonomic nervous system

A

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of internal organs (heart, digestion) . Its sympathetic division arouses; parasympathetic calms

29
Q

sympathetic nervous system

A

division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situation s

30
Q

endocrine system

A

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

31
Q

hormones

A

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through bloodstream, and affect other tissue

32
Q

adrenal glands

A

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones(epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.

33
Q

pituitary gland

A

the endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, it regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

34
Q

lesion

A

tissue destruction.

35
Q

EEG

A

recording of waves of electrical activity in brain measured by electrodes on the scalp

36
Q

reticular formation

A

nerve network in brainstem that plays an important part in controlling arousal

37
Q

medulla

A

base of brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

38
Q

brainstem

A

oldest and central core of the brain, starts where spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival functions

39
Q

fMRI

A

reveals bloodflow and brain activity, shows function

40
Q

MRI

A

uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue, shows structure

41
Q

PET

A

display of brain activity that detects where radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

42
Q

thalamus

A

brain’s sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem, directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

43
Q

cerebellum

A

“little brain” at rear of the brainstem; processes sensory input and coordinates movement output and balance

44
Q

amygdala

A

2 small neural clusters in limbic system linked to emotion

45
Q

limbic system

A

neural system (includes hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

46
Q

hypothalamus

A

neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs maintenance activities(eating, body temp, drinking), helps govern endocrine system via pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

47
Q

motor cortex

A

area at the far of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

48
Q

cerebral cortex

A

interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; body’s ultimate control and info-processing center

49
Q

glial cells

A

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

50
Q

frontal lobes

A

portion of the cerebral cortes lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements

51
Q

parietal lobes

A

portion of cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position

52
Q

occipital lobes

A

portion of cerebral cortes lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive info from the visual fields

53
Q

temporal lobes

A

portion of the cerebral cortes lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas , each receiving info primarily from the opposite ear

54
Q

sensory cortex

A

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and process body and touch movement sensations

55
Q

association areas

A

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

56
Q

plasticity

A

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

57
Q

corpus callosum

A

large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

58
Q

split brain

A

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers(mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

AP Psych Textbook Notes (17 decks)

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