Chapter 2 Neuroscience and Behavior Flashcards
dendrites
receive messages
soma
(cell body) maintains health of the neuron
terminal branches
form junctions with other cells
axon
carries message
myelin sheath
covers the axon and helps speed impulse
action potential
a neural impulse
depolarization
positive ions enter the neuron, making it more prone to fire action potential
hyperpolarization
when negative ions enter the neuron, making it less likely to fire an action potential
threshold
minimum intensity
refractory period
recharging time after an action potential
sodium-potassium pump
pumps positive ions out from the inside of the neuron, making them ready for an action potential
resting potential
neuron is at rest and ready to fire
all-or-none principle
if a neuron fires it will always fire at the same intensity
synapse
junction between the axon tip and a dendrite
synaptic gap (cleft)
tiny, fluid filled gap
neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that travel across the synapse
can influence whether the next neuron will generate an action potential or not
reuptake
when neurotransmitters in the synapse are reabsorbed into sending neuron
excitatory effect
a neurotransmitter effect that makes it more likely that the receiving neuron will generate an action potential
inhibitory effect
a neurotransmitter effect that makes it less likely that the receiving neuron will generate an action potential
acetylcholine
enables muscle action, learning, and memory
dopamine
influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
serotonin
affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
norepinephrine
helps control alertness and arousal
GABA
a major inhibitory neurotransmitter
glutamate
a major excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in memory
agonists
acts like a neurotransmitter, mimics
antagonist
blocks neurotransmitter
receptor cells
specialized cells that can turn other kinds of energy into action potentials that the nervous system can process
neurons
basic building block of the nervous system
receive, carry, and pass information on to the next neuron
sensory neuron
nerves that carry info to the CNS
interneurons
nerves cells in the CNS that process info related to sensory input and motor output
motor neurons
nerves that carry info FROM the CNS
glial cells
non-neural cells that support neurons by providing nutrition
neural chain
skin receptors - sensory info - interneurons - motor neurons - skin receptors
peripheral nervous system
sensory and motor nerves that connect the CNS to the rest of the body divided into somatic and autonomic
somatic nervous system
control’s the body’s skeletal muscle
autonomic system
controls the glands and muscle of internal organs; controls breathing, blood, and digestive processes (sympathetic/parasympathetic)
sympathetic system
arouses the body to deal with perceived threats (inhibits digestion, secrete epinephrine)
parasympathetic system
calms the body (stimulates digestion)
endocrine system
“slow” communication system carried out by hormones synthesized by a set of glands
hypothalamus
controls pituitary gland (controls growth) that secretes endorphins (regulates pain response)
thyroid gland
regulates growth and metabolism and secretes thyroxine
parathyroid
regulates level of calcium in blood
adrenal glands
increase blood pressure and heart rate during times of stress releases adrenaline
pancreas
controls how the body uses sugar (releases insulin)
hormones
chemicals secretes in the bloodstream
phrenology
incorrect (Franz Gall) suggested that bumps on the skull represented mental abilities
brain lesion
destroys brain tissue to study animal behaviors
electroencephalogram (EEG)
recording the electrical waves sweeping across the brain’s surface
PET Scan
a visual scan of brain activity that detects a radioactive form of glucose
MRI Scan
uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images that distinguish brain tissue
brain’s plasticity
brain’s ability to modify itself after some type of injury or illness
left hemisphere
logic, learning, language
right hemisphere
expressive and creative tasks
brain stem
connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord, where messages switch sides (pons, medulla, mid brain)
hindbrain
pons, medulla oblongata, cerebellum
pons
major pathway for motor and sensory info, coordinates voluntary movement
medulla oblongata
regulates involuntary movement in the body
cerebellum
processes sensory input, movement and balance, fine motor (little brain behind stem)
midbrain
connects sensory input to simple motor output, contains Reticular Formation that regulates levels of alertness
thalamus
relay station for all senses except smell and routes it to the proper brain regions
limbic system
EMOTIONAL CONTROL CENTER
hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus
hypothalamus
governs the endocrine system via the pituitary gland (thirst hunger)
amygdala
emotional response and aggression
hippocampus
process memory and decides if short term memory should become long term
frontal lobe
HIGHER LEVEL OF THINKING
motor cortex, Broca’s area, prefrontal cortex
motor cortex
controls voluntary movement
Broca’s area
LEFT hemisphere only, speech production
prefrontal cortex
mediate conflicting thoughts, make choices, govern social control
parietal lobe
receives sensory input for touch and body position
somatosensory cortex, angular gyrus
somatosensory cortex
registers and processes TOUCH and movement sensations
angular gyrus
transforms visual representation into auditory code
occipital lobe
receives visual information from the opposite field
temporal lobe
HEARING
auditory cortex, wernicke’s area
auditory cortex
receives information from the ear
wernicke’s area
interprets BOTH written and verbal speech in the LEFT hemisphere
corpus callosum
band of nerve fibers between two hemispheres of the brain that carries messages
