Chapter 4 Flashcards
Neurons
the functional building blocks of the nervous system; cells that transmit the electrical activity that underlies psychological processes.
Glial Cell
from the Greek for ´glue´, glial cells surround the neurons, holding them in place,
providing the nutrients they need and isolating toxins that would harm them.
Synapse
a connection between neurons
Sensory neurons
carry input messages from the sense organs to the spinal cord and brain
Motor neurons
transmit output impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the body´s muscles and organs.
Interneurons
perform connective or associative functions within the nervous system
Peripheral Nervous System
contains all the neural structures that lie outside the brain and spinal cord.
Somatic Nervous System
consists of sensory neurons that are specialized to transmit messages from the eyes, ears and other sensory receptors, and motor neurons that send messages from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles that control our voluntary movements.
Autonomic nervous system
senses the body´s internal functions and controls the glands and the smooth (involuntary) muscles that form the heart, the blood vessels, and the lining of the stomach and intestines.
Sympathetic Nervous System
has an activation or arousal function, and tends to act as a total unit.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
for more specific than the sympathetic nervous system in its opposing actions, it affects one or a few organs at a time; in general, it slows down body processes and maintains a state of tranquillity.
Homeostasis
a delicately balanced or constant internal state
Central Nervous System
contains the brain and the spinal cord, which connects most parts of the peripheral nervous system with the brain.
Dendrites
specialized receiving units like antennae that collect messages from neighbouring neurons and send them on to the cell body.
Axon
conducts electrical impulses away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles or glands.
Resting Potential
internal difference of around 70 millivolts (mV)
Action Potential
electrical shift across the neural membrane, which lasts about a millisecond (1/1000 of a second) and propagates electrical signals down an axon.
Absolute Refractory Period
period during which the membrane is not excitable and cannot discharge another impulse
Graded Potential
Changes in the negative resting potential that do not reach the –50 millivolt action potential threshold.
Myelin sheath
a whitish, fatty insulation layer derived from glial cells during development.
Synaptic cleft
a tiny gap between the axon terminal and the next neuron.
Neurotransmitters
chemicals released by nerve cells that allow them to communicate with one another.
Synaptic vesicles
chambers within the axon terminals
Receptor sites
large protein molecules embedded in the receiving neuron´s cell membrane.
Re-uptake
the transmitter molecules are taken back into the presynaptic axon terminals
Acetylcholine (ACh)
a neurotransmitter involved in muscle activity
Botulinum bacteria
toxin-forming bacteria, a mild form of which is known commonly as Botox.
Neuromodulators
chemicals that modulate the activity of diverse populations of neurons in the nervous system.
Psychoactive drugs
chemicals that produce alternations in consciousness emotion and behaviour
Agonist
a drug that increases the activity of neurotransmitters
Antagonist
a drug that inhibits or decreases the action of a neurotransmitter.
Neuropsychology
the study of the function of the brain by investigating the effects of brain damage on mental functions.
Wernicke´s aphasia
results from damage in the temporal lobe, and is primarily manifested as difficulties with speech comprehension.
Broca`s aphasia
results from damage in the frontal lobe and is primarily manifested as difficulties with the production of speech.
The Hierarchical Brain: Structures and behavioural Functions …!!!!1
