Chapter 2 Flashcards
plasticity
the brains ability to adapt and change in reaction to the environment
afferent nerves
carry information to the brain and spinal cord
efferent nerves
carry information out of the brain and the spinal cord
neural networks
interconnected groups of nerve cells that integrate sensory and motor output
nervous system
the body’s electrochemical communication circuitry
central nervous system
brain and spinal cord
peripheral nervous system
network of nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body
somatic nervous system
afferent nerves that carry information from the skin to the muscles (pain and temp)
autonomic nervous system
takes messages from the body’s internal organs (monitoring breathing, heart rate, etc)
sympathetic nervous system
mobilize the body for action (involved in stress)
parasympathetic nervous system
calms the body down
stress
body’s response to stressors
stressors
circumstances or events that threaten people and tax their coping abilities
neurons
nerve cells that handle the information processing function
dendrites
receive information and orient it towards the neurons cell body
cell body
contains the nucleus, which directs the manufacture of substances that the neuron needs
axon
the part of the neuron that carries information away from the cell body toward other cells
myelin sheath
layer of cells containing fat, encases most axons (speeds up the transmission of nerve impulses)
resting potential
the stable negative charge of an inactive neuron
action potential
brief wave of positive electrical charge that sweeps down the axon
all or nothing principle
once the electrical impulse reaches a certain level of intensity (threshold), it fires and moves all the way down the axon without losing any of its intensity
synapse
tiny space between neurons
neurotransmitters
chemical substances stored in little tiny sacs in the neuron, transmits information across the synaptic gap
acetylcholine
stimulates the firing of neurons and is involved in the action of muscles, learning, and memory
GABA
neurotransmitter the keeps many neurons from firing
glutamate
excites many neurons to fire (learning and memory)
norepinephrine
inhibits the firing of neurons in the central nervous system
dopamine
helps control voluntary movement
serotonin
involved in the regulation of sleep, mood, attention, and learning
endorphins
natural opiates that mainly stimulate firing of neurons
oxytocin
hormone and neurotransmitter that plays a role in the experience of love and social bonding
agonist
drug that mimics or increases a neurotransmitter’s effects
antagonist
drug that blocks a neurotransmitters effects
medulla
controls vital functions
cerebellum
plays important roles in motor coordination and leg/arm movements
brain stem
determines alertness and regulates basic survival functions
reticular formation
involved in stereotyped patterns of behavior such as walking/sleeping
limbic system
controls emotion, memory, and reward processing (amygdala and hippocampus)
amygdala
discrimination of objects that are necessary for survival
hippocampus
storage of memories
thalamus
serves as a relay station
basal ganglia
control and coordinate voluntary movements
hypothalamus
monitors eating, drinking, and sexual behavior, as well as emotion, stress and reward (homeostasis)
cerebral cortex
responsible for mental functions such as thinking and planning
frontal lobes
personality, intelligence, control of muscles
parietal lobes
spatial location, attention and motor control
temporal lobes
hearing, language processing, motor control
occipital lobes
visual stimuli
somatosensory cortex
processes body sensations
motor cortex
processes information about voluntary movement
corpus callosum
axons that connect the brains two hemispheres
stem cells
blank slate cells
