Chapter 2 1st Half Flashcards
Phrenolgoy
A popular by ill-fated theory that claimed bumps on the skull could reveal our mental abilities and our character traits
Biological Psychology
A branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior
Neuron
A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
Dendrite
(listen) - the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
Axon
(speaks) - The extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
Myelin Sheath
A layer of fatty tissue encasing the fibers of many neurons, enables greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next
Action Potential
A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
Threshold
The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
Synapse
The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
Neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse
Acetylcholine, Ach
A neurotransmitter that enables learning, memory and also triggers muscle contraction
Dopamine
Influences movement, learning, attention and emotion
Serotonin
Affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal
Endorphins
“Morphine within” - natural, opiate like neurotransmitters liked to pain control and to pleasure
Nervous System
The body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
Central Nervous System
The brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System
The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
Nerves
Neural “cables” containing many axons. Those bundled axons, which are part of the peripheral nervous system, connect the central nervous system with muscles, glands and sense organs
Sensory Neurons
Carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the CNS
Motor Neurons
Carry outgoing information from the CNS to the muscles and glands
Interneurons
Connect the two neurons
Somatic Nervous System
The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles
Autonomic Nervous System
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as heart)
Sympathetic Nervous System
The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
Parasympathetic Nervous System
The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body conserving its energy
Reflex
A simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
Lesions
Tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue
Neural Networks
Interconnected neural cells. With experience, networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results.
Endocrine System
The body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
Hormones
Chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another
Adrenal Glands
A pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. They secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (nonadrenaline), which helps to arouse the body in times of stress
Pituitary Glands
The endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
EEG
An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.
PET Scan
A visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
MRI
A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain
-show brain anatomy!!
fMRI
A technique for revealing blood flow and therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans
-show brain function!!
