Chapter 3 Neuroscience and Behavior Flashcards
Neurons
Nerve cells, the basic components of the nervous system.
What distinctive feature do neurons have?
they can communicate with each other across long distances
Dendrites
A cluster of fibers at one end of a neuron that receive messages from other neurons.
Axon
The part of the neuron that carries messages to other neurons.
Terminal buttons
The part of the axon that sends messages to other neurons. They look like a small bulge at the end of the axon.
Myelin sheath
A protective coat of fat and protein that wraps around the axon to prevent messages from short-circuiting one another.
The myelin sheath also serves to….
increase the velocity with which electrical impulses travel through axons. (Ex: hand touches very hot stove, the pain signal is passed through axons in the hand to the brain so that you can react quickly.)
all or none law
neurons either fire or don’t. on or off.
action potential
An electric nerve impulse that travels through a neuron’s axon when it is set off by a “trigger,” changing the neuron’s charge from negative to positive
resting state
(before a neuron is triggered) The state in which there is a negative electrical charge of about –70 millivolts within a neuron.
mirror neurons
Specialized neurons that fire not only when a person enacts a particular behavior but also when a person simply observes another individual carrying out the same behavior.
synapse
The space between two neurons where the axon of a sending neuron communicates with the dendrites of a receiving neuron by using chemical messages.
neurotransmitters
Chemicals that communicate messages from one neuron to another neuron across the synapse.
excitatory message
A chemical message that makes it more likely that a receiving neuron will fire and an action potential will travel down its axon.
inhibitory message
A chemical message that prevents or decreases the likelihood that a receiving neuron will fire.
reuptake
The reabsorption of neurotransmitters by a terminal button.
why do psychologists study the brain and nervous system?
Because all behavior is controlled by the central nervous system, biological psychologists seek to understand how the brain functions in order to understand behavior.
what are the basic elements of the nervous system?
neurons, the most basic elements of the nervous system carry nerve impulses from one part of the body to another. information in the neuron follows a route that begins with dendrites, continues into the cell body, and leads ultimately down the tube like extension, the axon.
endorphins
chemical signals in the brain that block the perception of pain and increase feelings of wellbeing.
behavioral neuroscientists
Psychologists who specialize in considering the ways in which the biological structures and functions of the body affect behavior.
central nervous system
The part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord.
spinal cord
A bundle of neurons that leaves the brain and runs down the length of the back and is the main means for transmitting messages between the brain and the body.
reflex
An automatic, involuntary response to an incoming stimulus.
sensory (afferent) neurons
Neurons that transmit information from the perimeter of the body to the nervous system and brain.
motor (efferent) neurons
Neurons that communicate information from the brain and nervous system to muscles and glands.
peripheral nervous system
The part of the nervous system that includes the autonomic and somatic subdivisions; made up of neurons with long axons and dendrites, it branches out from the spinal cord and brain and reaches the extremities of the body.
somatic division
The part of the peripheral nervous system that specializes in the control of voluntary movements and the communication of information to and from the sense organs.
autonomic division
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary movement of the heart, glands, lungs, and other organs
sympathetic division
The part of the autonomic division of the nervous system that acts to prepare the body for action in stressful situations, engaging all the organism’s resources to respond to a threat
parasympathetic division
The part of the autonomic division of the nervous system that acts to calm the body after an emergency has ended.
evolutionary psychology
The branch of psychology that seeks to identify behavior patterns that are a result of our genetic inheritance from our ancestors.
behavioral genetics
The study of the effects of heredity on behavior.
endocrine system
A chemical communication network that sends messages throughout the body via the bloodstream. (Module 8)
horomones
Chemicals that circulate through the blood and regulate the functioning or growth of the body.
pituitary gland
The major component of the endocrine system, or “master gland,” that secretes hormones that control growth and other parts of the endocrine system.
the central nervous system is composed of the…
brain and spinal cord
In the peripheral nervous system the _______ controls voluntary movements
somatic division
The _________ controls organs that keeps us alive and function without our awareness
autonomic divison
The ______ is the fundamental element of the nervous system
neuron
Neurons receive information through their______
dendrites
Neurons send messages through their______
axons
axons are insulated by a coating called______
myelin sheath
the gap between two neurons is bridged by a chemical connection called_____
synapse
endorphins are one kind of _____ , the chemical “messenger” between neurons.
neurotransmitter
central core
The “old brain,” which controls basic functions such as eating and sleeping and is common to all vertebrates.
cerebellum
The part of the brain that controls bodily balance.
reticular formation
The part of the brain extending from the medulla through the pons; it is related to changes in the level of arousal of the body.
thalamus
The part of the brain located in the middle of the central core that acts primarily to relay information about the senses.
hypothalamus
A tiny part of the brain, located below the thalamus, that maintains homeostasis and produces and regulates vital behavior, such as eating, drinking, and sexual behavior.
limbic system
The part of the brain that controls eating, aggression, and reproduction.
cerebral cortex
The “new brain,” responsible for the most sophisticated information processing in the brain; contains four lobes
lobes
The four major sections of the cerebral cortex: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital.
motor area
The part of the cortex that is largely responsible for the body’s voluntary movement.
sensory area
The site in the brain of the tissue that corresponds to each of the senses, with the degree of sensitivity related to the amount of tissue.
association areas
One of the major regions of the cerebral cortex; the site of the higher mental processes, such as thought, language, memory, and speech.
neuroplasticity
The brain’s ability to change throughout the life span through the addition of new neurons, new interconnections between neurons, and the reorganization of information-processing areas.
hemispheres
Symmetrical left and right halves of the brain that control the side of the body opposite to their location.
lateralization
The dominance of one hemisphere of the brain in specific functions, such as language.
biofeedback
A procedure in which a person learns to control through conscious thought internal physiological processes such as blood pressure, heart and respiration rate, skin temperature, sweating, and the constriction of particular muscles.
each hemisphere controls the ______ side of the body
opposite
nonverbal realms, such as emotions and music, are controlled by the ______ hemisphere of the brain
right
the ____ hemisphere of the brain is more responsible for speaking and reading.
Left
