Chapter 2 Key Terms Flashcards
Ill fated theory created by Franz Gall that claimed bumps on skull could reveal mental abilities and character traits
phrenology
a branch of psychology concerned with the links b/w biology and behavior
biological psychology
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system. consists of a cell body and its branching fibers
neuron
bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages & conduct impulses toward the cell body
dendrite
the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
axon
__ speak, __ listen
axondendrites
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
myelin sheath
disorder where myelin sheath degenerates
multiple sclerosis
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon’s membrane
action potential
electrically charged atoms
ions
positive-outside/negative-inside
resting potential
selective about what it allows in
selectively permeable
positive ions flood through membrane to negative inside of axon
depolarizes
resting pause where neuron pumps positively charge ions back outside
refractory period
pushing a neuron’s accelerator
excitatory signal
pushing a neuron’s brake
inhibitory signal
level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
threshold
neurons fire or they don’t
all-or-none response
the junction b/w the axon tip of the sending neuron & the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
synapse
tiny gap at the synapse junction
synaptic gap (cleft)
chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps b/w neurons. when released by sending neuron, they travel across the synapse & bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse
neurotransmitters
sending neuron normally reabsorbs excess neurotransmitter molecules
reuptake
neurotransmitter that enables learning & memory and also triggers muscle contraction
Acetylcholine (ACh)
disease where ACh producing neurons deteriorate
Alzheimer’s disease
neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
dopamine
neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
serotonin
neurotransmitter that helps control alertness and arousal
norepinephrine
major inhibitory neurotransmitter
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory
glutamate
excess dopamine linked to __, starved of dopamine linked to ___ ___
schizophreniaParkinson’s disease
“morphine-within” natural opiate like neurotransmitter linked to pain control and to pleasure
endorphins
excite; can mimic neurotransmitter’s effects or block its reuptake
agonists
inhibit neurotransmitter’s release, or occupy its receptor site & block its effect, but not similar enough to stimulate the receptor
antagonists
enables brain to fence out unwanted chemicals circulating in the blood
blood-brain barrier
poison that occupies & blocks ACh receptor sites involved in muscle movement
curare
the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral & central nervous systems
nervous system
the brain and spinal cord
central nervous system (CNS)
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)