Chapter 3-Biology and behavior Flashcards
Neurons
The basic units of the nervous system. Cells that receive, integrate and transmit information in the nervous system. They operate through electrical impulses and communicate with other neurons through chemical signals, and form neural networks.
Central nervous system
The brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system
All nerve cells that are not in the central nervous system. Contain somatic and autonomic nervous system.
Somatic nervous system
Skin, muscles, and joints send signals to the spinal cord and brain. Brain and spinal cord send signals to the muscles, skin, and joints. Voluntary behavior.
Autonomic nervous system
Glands and internal organs send signals to the brain and spinal cord. Includes sympathetic and para-sympathetic nervous system. Automatic behaviors such as heart rate and other bodily functions.
The basic units of a nervous system
Neurons/nerve cells
Circuits
Neural networks that neurons built
Three basic types of neurons
Sensory neurons, motor neurons and interneurons.
Sensory neurons
Detect information through your senses. Sensory neurons pass on the information to the brain through the spinal cord.
Motor neurons
Direct muscles to contract or relax to produce movement.
Interneurons
Communicate between short-distance circuits.
A neurons structure
The dendrites, cell body, axon, terminal buttons
Amygdala
Processes emotional stimuli
Basal ganglia
Important for planning and conducting movements.
Cerebellum
Regulates movements and motor skills
Frontal lobes
Essential for planning and movement
Hippocampus
Brain area where new memories are stored.
Hypothalamus
T-centralen. Control station of the brain.
Occipital lobes
Important for sight.
Parietal lobes
Mainly important for touch
Pituitary gland
Chemical substances produced by endocrine glands, located in different places in the body.
Prefrontal cortex
Retains and directs attention and planning. It is also the crucial area for understanding the thoughts of others.
Temporal lobes
Primarily responsible for hearing, but also recognizing faces.
Thalamus
All sensory information, except for smell goes through the thalamus.The sensory info is organized and put into context in the thalamus.
