Key Words Flashcards
Central nervous system
Sub-system of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system
All parts of the nervous system that are outside the brain and spinal cord
Autonomic NS
Sub-division of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary responses like breathing and heart rate
Somatric NS
Part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for carrying sensory and motor info to and from the CNS
Sympathetic NS
Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that activates nerves, glands and visceral muscles in times of stress or threat (fight or flight)
Parasympathetic NS
A subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body after action and also retains the body functioning at its normal state (homeostasis)
Reflex
Action that is performed without conscious thought as a response to a stimulus (e.g. knee jerk)
Sensory neuron
Carry nerve impulses from sensory receptors to the spinal cord and the brain
Relay neuron
Neurona that allow sensory and motor neurone to communicate with each other
Motor neuron
Form synapses with muscles and control heir contractions
Synapse
The small gap between two neurons
Neurotransmitter
Chemical substances that play an important part in the workings of the nervous system by transmitting nerve impulses across a synapse
Axon
A single long slender fibre that carries the nerve impulse away from the cell body
Excitatory neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitter that increase the likelihood that a nerve cell will produce an action potential
Inhibitory neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitters that decrease the likelihood that a nerve cell will produce an action potential
Summation
Combination of effects from the activity of 2 or more synapses onto a single neuron
Receptor
A cell able to respond to light, heat, or other external stimulus and transmit a signal to a sensory nerve
Endocrine system
A collection of organs that secrete hormones into the blood stream
Gland
A gland is a group of cells in the body that synthesises substances (e.g.hormones ) fo release into the bloodstream
Hormone
The body’s chemical messengers, they travel through the bloodstream, influencing many different processes (e.g. mood)
Hypothalamus
Part of the brain that has a vital role in controlling many bodily functions including the release of hormones from the pituitary gland
Fight or flight response
The way an animal (including humans) responds to stress as it becomes physiologically aroused to fight an aggressor or to run away
Adrenaline
Helps the body respond to a stressful situation by increasing heart rate and blood flow
Noradrenaline
Construction of the blood vessels, causing blood pressure to increase
Cortisol
“Stress hormone”- hormone responsible for blood glucose regulation, immune functions, and anti-stress responses -production is increased by stress
Adrenal cortex
Produces cortisol as a response to stress
Adrenal medulla
Releases adrenaline and noradrenaline in preparation for fight or flight response
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
A technique for studying the brain. It works by detecting changes in blood oxygenation and flow that indicates increased neural activity
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
A method of studying the brain by recording changes in electrical activity of the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp
Event-related potential (ERP)
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
Post mortem examination
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
Localisation
Refers to the belief that specific areas of the brain are associated with specific cognitive processes
Broca’s area
An area in the frontal lobe of the brain usually in the left hemisphere related to speech production
Wernickes area
An area in the temporal lobe of the brain important in the comprehension of language
Visual cortex
The part of the cerebral cortex that received and processes sensory nerve impulses from the eyes
Auditory cortex
The part of the cerebral cortex that processes info received through hearing - it receives signals from the ears regarding pitch and volume of sound
Motor cortex
A region of the brain responsible for the generation of voluntary motor movements
Somatosensory cortex
A region of the brain that processes input from sensory receptors in the body that are sensitive to touch
Hemispheric lateralisation
Refers to the fact that some mental processes in the brain are mainly specialised to either the left or the right hemisphere
Corpus callosum
Nerve divers that divides the cerebral cortex lobes into left and right hemispheres
Brain plasticity
Refers to the brains ability to modify its own structure and function as a result of experience
Functional recovery of the brain
Refers to the recovery of abilities and mental processes that have been compromised as a result of brain injury or disease
