Module 4 Flashcards
biological psychology
the scientific study of the links between biological and psychological processes.
plasticity
the brains malleability or ability to change
neurons
nerve cells that send messages all over your body to allow you to do everything from breathing to talking, eating, thinking, and walking
cell body
the part of a neuron that contains the nucleus
dendrites
a neurons often bushy, branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body
axon
the segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands
myelin sheath
a fatty tissue layer sentimentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next
glial cells (glia)
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory
action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
threshold
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
refractory period
a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state
all-or-none- response
a neuron’s reaction of either firing or not firing
synapse
the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap
neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons. when released by the sending neuron, they travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse
reuptake
a neurotransmitters reabsorption by the sending neuron
endorphins
natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure
agonist
a molecule that increases a neurotransmitters action
antagonist
a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitters action
nervous system
the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
central nervous system
the brain and spinal cord
