GEN PSYCH CHAPTER 2 VOCABULARY Flashcards
FINAL EXAM REVIEW
NEURON DEFINITION
CELLS IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM THAT TRANSMIT INFORMATION
GLIA CELLS ARE ________
BRAIN CELLS THAT PROVIDE IMPORTANT SUPPORT FUNCTIONS FOR NEURONS AND ARE INVOLVED IN THE FORMATION OF MYELIN
MYELIN DEFINITION
A FATTY, WAXY SUBSTANCE THAT INSULATES PORTIONS OF SOME NEURONS IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
DENDRITE DEFINITION
BRANCHLIKE STRUCTURES ON THE HEAD OF THE NEURON THAT RECEIVE INCOMING SIGNALS FROM OTHER NEURONS IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
WHAT IS AN AXON?
A LONG, TAIL-LIKE STRUCTURE GROWING OUT OF THE CELL BODY OF A NEURON THAT CARRIES ACTION POTENTIALS THAT CONVEY INFORMATION FROM THE CELL BODY TO THE SYNAPSE
WHAT IS THE CELL BODY (SOMA)?
THE PART OF THE NEURON THAT CONTAINS THE NUCLEUS AND THE DNA
WHAT IS DNA (DEOXYRIBONUCLEICACID)?
THE CHEMICAL FOUND IN THE NUCLEI OF CELLS THAT CONTAINS THE GENETIC BLUEPRINT THAT GUIDES DEVELOPMENT IN THE ORGANISM
WHAT IS A SYNAPSE?
THE CONNECTION FORMED BETWEEN TWO NEURONS WHEN THE AXON BULB OF ONE NEURON COMES INTO CLOSE PROXIMITY WITH THE DENDRITE OF ANOTHER NEURON
WHAT IS ACTION POTENTIAL?
A NEURAL IMPULSE FIRED BY A NEURON ONCE IT REACHES -55mv
WHAT IS RESTING POTENTIAL?
THE POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE THAT EXISTS IN THE NEURON WHEN IT’S RESTING (about -70 mv in mammals)
ALL OR NONE FASHION
WHEN ALL ACTION POTENTIALS ARE EQUAL IN STRENGTH; WHEN A NEURON BEGINS TO FIRE AN ACTION POTENTIAL, IT FIRES ALL THE WAY DOWN THE AXON
WHAT IS THE REFRACTORY PERIOD?
A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME AFTER A NEURON HAS FIRED AN ACTION POTENTIAL DURING WHICH THE NEURON IS INHIBITED AND UNLIKELY TO FIRE ANOTHER ACTION POTENTIAL
WHAT ARE NEUROTRANSMITTERS?
CHEMICAL MESSENGERS THAT CARRY NEURAL SIGNALS ACROSS THE SYNAPSE
WHAT IS ACETYLCHOLINE?
A NEUROTRANSMITTER RELATED TO MUSCLE MOVEMENT, AND PERHAPS CONSCIOUSNESS, LEARNING, AND MEMORY
DEFINE “GABA.”
GAMMA AMINO BYUTRIC IS THE BODY’S CHIEF INHIBITORY NEUROTRANSMITTER THAT PLAYS A ROLE IN REGULATING AROUSAL AND PAIN
