Chapter 2 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
0
Q

Biological Psychology

A

Branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
1
Q

Phrenology

A

Theory that claimed bumps on he skull could reveal our mental abilities and our character traits; Franz Gall introduced theory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

neuron

A

nerve cell; basic building block of the nervous system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

dendrite

A

bushy branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Axon

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
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.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Action Potential

A

neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. The axon potential is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon’s membrane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Threshold

A

level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

synapse

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

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. thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Acetylcholine, ACh

A

neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Dopamine

A

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Serotonin

A

affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Endorphins

A

“Morphine within” nautral, opiate like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Nervous System

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Central Nervous System

A

the brain and spinal chord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

nerves

A

neural “cables” containing many axons these bundled axons, which are part of the peripheral nervous system, connect the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Sensory Neurons

A

neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Motor Neurons

A

neurons that carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Interneurons

A

Central nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor ouputs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Autonomic Nervous System

A

part of peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs. It’s sympathetic division arouses; it’s parasympathetic division calms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

Division of autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system

A

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

25
Q

Reflex

A

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

26
Q

Lesions

A

tissue destruction. Brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

27
Q

Neural Networks

A

interconnected neural cells. With experience networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results. computer simulations of neural networks show analogous learning

28
Q

Endocrine System

A

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

29
Q

Hormones

A

chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another

30
Q

Adrenal Glands

A

pair of endocrine glands just above kidneys. adrenals secrete hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) which help to arouse the body in times of stress

31
Q

Pituitary Glands

A

Endocrine systems most influential gland. under the influence of the hypoalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

32
Q

EEG

A

amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brains surface. these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

33
Q

PET scan

A

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

34
Q

MRI

A

show brain anatomy; 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

35
Q

fMRI

A

technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans; show brain function.

36
Q

Brainstem

A

oldest part and central core of the brain beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions

37
Q

Medulla

A

controls heartbeat and breathing; base of brainstem

38
Q

Reticular Formation

A

nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

39
Q

Thalamus

A

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

40
Q

pons

A

help coordinate movements

41
Q

Cerebellum

A

“Little brain” attached to the rear of the brainstem; its functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance

42
Q

Limbic System

A

Donut shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex. Includes hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus

43
Q

Amygdala

A

Influence aggression and fear

44
Q

Hypothalamus

A

Neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature) helps govern the endocrine system rid the pituitary gland, linked to emotion

45
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

Intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information processing center

46
Q

Glial cells

A

Cells in nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

47
Q

Frontal lobes

A

Just behind forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements

48
Q

Occipital lobes

A

Back of head; visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field

49
Q

Parietal lobes

A

Lying at the top of the head and toward rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position

50
Q

Temporal lobes

A

Above ears; includes auditory areas; each receives auditory info primarily from opposite ear

51
Q

Motor cortex

A

Rear of frontal loves that controls voluntary movements

52
Q

Sensory cortex

A

Receives information from skin surface and sense organs registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

53
Q

Association areas

A

Learning, memory, and problem solving; not involved in primary motor and sensory functions

54
Q

Phineus Gage

A

Railroad worker; ruptured frontal lobes; skull kept for research, realized frontal lobes carry personality and character traits

55
Q

Aphasia

A

Impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca’s area or wernicks area

56
Q

Wernickes area

A

Controls language reception, brain area involved in language comprehension and expression, usually in the left temporal lobe

57
Q

Plasticity

A

Refers to the brains ability to modify itself after some type of injury or illness

58
Q

Corpus callosum

A

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

59
Q

Split brain

A

Condition in which the two hemispheres if the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them