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AP Psych > Chapter 2 - Neuroscience and Behavior > Flashcards

Chapter 2 - Neuroscience and Behavior Flashcards

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1
Q

neuron

A

a nerve cell, basic building block of nervous system

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2
Q

dendrite

A

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

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3
Q

axon

A

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

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4
Q

myelin sheath

A

a layer of fatty tissue segment ally encasing the fibers of many neurons, enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hips from one node to the next

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5
Q

action potential

A

a neural impulse, a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. the action potential is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axons membrane

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6
Q

threshold

A

level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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7
Q

synapse

A

junction between axon tip of sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or cleft

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8
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

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9
Q

acetylcholine

A

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

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10
Q

endorphins

A

“morphine within” - natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

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11
Q

nervous system

A

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

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12
Q

central nervous system (CNS)

A

the brain and spinal cord

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13
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

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

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14
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

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15
Q

sensory neurons

A

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

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16
Q

motor neurons

A

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

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17
Q

interneurons

A

central nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

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18
Q

somatic nervous system

A

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

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19
Q

autonomic nervous system

A

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). it’s sympathetic division arouses; it’s parasympathetic division calms.

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20
Q

sympathetic nervous system

A

division if the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing it’s energy in stressful situations

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21
Q

parasympathetic nervous system

A

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving it’s energy

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22
Q

reflex

A

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

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23
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

24
Q

endocrine system

A

the body’s slow chemical communication system, a set of glands that secret hormones into the bloodstream

25
Q

hormones

A

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

26
Q

biological psychology

A

a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior (behavioral neuroscientists, neuropsychologist, behavior geneticists, physiological psychologists, biopsychologists)

27
Q

adrenal glands

A

A pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. The adrenals secret the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (non-a) which helps to arouse the body in times of stress

28
Q

pituitary gland

A

The endocrine system’s most influential gland. under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

29
Q

lesion

A

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

30
Q

electroencephalogram (eeg)

A

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

31
Q

pet (positron emission tomography) scan

A

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

32
Q

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

A

a technique that uses magnetic field and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain

33
Q

fmri (functional magnetic resonance imaging)

A

A tech nique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. MRI scans show brain anatomy, fMRI scans show brain function

34
Q

brainstem

A

The 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

35
Q

medulla

A

The base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

36
Q

reticular formation

A

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

37
Q

thalamus

A

The brains sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and the Medulla

38
Q

cerebellum

A

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

39
Q

limbic system

A

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 the hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus

40
Q

amygdala

A

two lima bean sized neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion

41
Q

hypothalamus

A

A neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland and is linked to emotion

42
Q

cerebral cortex

A

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

43
Q

glial cells

A

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

44
Q

frontal lobes

A

The portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments

45
Q

parietal lives

A

The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position

46
Q

occipital lobes

A

A portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes the visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field

47
Q

temporal lobes

A

The portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each of which receives auditory information primarily from the opposite ear

48
Q

motor cortex

A

an area at the rear of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movements

49
Q

sensory cortex

A

The area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

50
Q

association areas

A

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

51
Q

aphasia

A

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca’s area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke’s area (impairing understanding).

52
Q

Broca’s area

A

Controls language expression – an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, the directs the muscle movements involved in speech

53
Q

wernicke’s area

A

Controls language reception – a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe

54
Q

plasticity

A

The brains capacity for modification as evident in brain reorganization following damage (especially in children) and in experiments on the effects of experience on brain development

55
Q

corpus callosum

A

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

56
Q

split brain

A

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

AP Psych (18 decks)

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