Key Words

Question 1

Central nervous system

Answer 1

Sub-system of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord

Question 2

Peripheral nervous system

Answer 2

All parts of the nervous system that are outside the brain and spinal cord

Question 3

Autonomic NS

Answer 3

Sub-division of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary responses like breathing and heart rate

Question 4

Somatric NS

Answer 4

Part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for carrying sensory and motor info to and from the CNS

Question 5

Sympathetic NS

Answer 5

Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that activates nerves, glands and visceral muscles in times of stress or threat (fight or flight)

Question 6

Parasympathetic NS

Answer 6

A subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body after action and also retains the body functioning at its normal state (homeostasis)

Question 7

Reflex

Answer 7

Action that is performed without conscious thought as a response to a stimulus (e.g. knee jerk)

Question 8

Sensory neuron

Answer 8

Carry nerve impulses from sensory receptors to the spinal cord and the brain

Question 9

Relay neuron

Answer 9

Neurona that allow sensory and motor neurone to communicate with each other

Question 10

Motor neuron

Answer 10

Form synapses with muscles and control heir contractions

Question 11

Synapse

Answer 11

The small gap between two neurons

Question 12

Neurotransmitter

Answer 12

Chemical substances that play an important part in the workings of the nervous system by transmitting nerve impulses across a synapse

Question 13

Axon

Answer 13

A single long slender fibre that carries the nerve impulse away from the cell body

Question 14

Excitatory neurotransmitter

Answer 14

Neurotransmitter that increase the likelihood that a nerve cell will produce an action potential

Question 15

Inhibitory neurotransmitter

Answer 15

Neurotransmitters that decrease the likelihood that a nerve cell will produce an action potential

Question 16

Summation

Answer 16

Combination of effects from the activity of 2 or more synapses onto a single neuron

Question 17

Receptor

Answer 17

A cell able to respond to light, heat, or other external stimulus and transmit a signal to a sensory nerve

Question 18

Endocrine system

Answer 18

A collection of organs that secrete hormones into the blood stream

Question 19

Gland

Answer 19

A gland is a group of cells in the body that synthesises substances (e.g.hormones ) fo release into the bloodstream

Question 20

Hormone

Answer 20

The body’s chemical messengers, they travel through the bloodstream, influencing many different processes (e.g. mood)

Question 21

Hypothalamus

Answer 21

Part of the brain that has a vital role in controlling many bodily functions including the release of hormones from the pituitary gland

Question 22

Fight or flight response

Answer 22

The way an animal (including humans) responds to stress as it becomes physiologically aroused to fight an aggressor or to run away

Question 23

Adrenaline

Answer 23

Helps the body respond to a stressful situation by increasing heart rate and blood flow

Question 24

Noradrenaline

Answer 24

Construction of the blood vessels, causing blood pressure to increase

Question 25

Cortisol

Answer 25

“Stress hormone”- hormone responsible for blood glucose regulation, immune functions, and anti-stress responses -production is increased by stress

Question 26

Adrenal cortex

Answer 26

Produces cortisol as a response to stress

Question 27

Adrenal medulla

Answer 27

Releases adrenaline and noradrenaline in preparation for fight or flight response

Question 28

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Answer 28

A technique for studying the brain. It works by detecting changes in blood oxygenation and flow that indicates increased neural activity

Question 29

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 29

A method of studying the brain by recording changes in electrical activity of the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp

Question 30

Event-related potential (ERP)

Answer 30

A technique that takes EEG data and uses it to investigate cognitive processing of a specific event. It achieves this by taking multiple readings and averaging them in order to filter out brain activity that is not related to the stimulus appearance

Question 31

Post mortem examination

Answer 31

Way of studying the brains of people who have shown particular psychological abnormalities prior to their death in an attempt to establish the possible neurobiological cause for this behaviour

Question 32

Localisation

Answer 32

Refers to the belief that specific areas of the brain are associated with specific cognitive processes

Question 33

Broca’s area

Answer 33

An area in the frontal lobe of the brain usually in the left hemisphere related to speech production

Question 34

Wernickes area

Answer 34

An area in the temporal lobe of the brain important in the comprehension of language

Question 35

Visual cortex

Answer 35

The part of the cerebral cortex that received and processes sensory nerve impulses from the eyes

Question 36

Auditory cortex

Answer 36

The part of the cerebral cortex that processes info received through hearing - it receives signals from the ears regarding pitch and volume of sound

Question 37

Motor cortex

Answer 37

A region of the brain responsible for the generation of voluntary motor movements

Question 38

Somatosensory cortex

Answer 38

A region of the brain that processes input from sensory receptors in the body that are sensitive to touch

Question 39

Hemispheric lateralisation

Answer 39

Refers to the fact that some mental processes in the brain are mainly specialised to either the left or the right hemisphere

Question 40

Corpus callosum

Answer 40

Nerve divers that divides the cerebral cortex lobes into left and right hemispheres

Question 41

Brain plasticity

Answer 41

Refers to the brains ability to modify its own structure and function as a result of experience

Question 42

Functional recovery of the brain

Answer 42

Refers to the recovery of abilities and mental processes that have been compromised as a result of brain injury or disease