Module 9: Biological Psychology and Neurotransmission

Question 1

Neurons

Answer 1

basic building block of the nervous system

Question 2

Dendrites

Answer 2

receives messages from other cells

Question 3

Axon

Answer 3

passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands

Question 4

cell body

Answer 4

“life-support” center

Question 5

neural impulse/action potential

Answer 5

electrical signal traveling down the axon

Question 6

myelin sheath

Answer 6

covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses, deterioration can lead to ms

Question 7

Terminal Branches

Answer 7

forms junctions with other cells

Question 8

glial cells

Answer 8

support system of neurons, assists in mylenation

Question 9

Neural Communication

Answer 9

neurons communicate through electrical impules that then turn chemical

Question 10

Threshold

Answer 10

level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Question 11

all or none response

Answer 11

happens at full response or not at all

Question 12

neural impulse

Answer 12

some neurons will send excitatory signals that encourage action potential, other send inhibitory signals that depress actions. when excitatory outnumbers inhibitory, the threshold has been reached and an action potential occurs

Question 13

Resting state of axons

Answer 13

the outside Na+ and the interior contains negatively charged proteins with K+ ions, and then creates a slightly negative charge

Question 14

select permeability

Answer 14

membrane contains volted gated ion channels that either open to allow ion exchange or close to prevent

Question 15

Neurotransmitter

Answer 15

chemical messenger that travels across a synapse and binds to the receptor sites on the receiving neuron

Question 16

synapse

Answer 16

junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

Question 17

reuptate

Answer 17

reabsorption by the sending neuron

Question 18

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Answer 18

learning and memory, messenger between motor and skeletal muscles, receptors in the hippocampus, suggest strong role in memory

Question 19

dopamine

Answer 19

key role in movement, learning attention, and emotion, associated with rewarding feelings

Question 20

serotonin

Answer 20

affects mood, hunger, and arousal. helps promote prosocial behaviour and good sleep

Question 21

norepinephrine

Answer 21

controls alertness and arousal

Question 22

GABA

Answer 22

inhibitory transmitter that helps regulate the nervous system

Question 23

glutamate

Answer 23

major excitatory transmitter, involved in memory

Question 24

Endorphins

Answer 24

“morphine within” natural, opiate like neurotransmitter linked to pain control and pleasure

Question 25

agonists

Answer 25

exciting neuron firing

Question 26

anatgonists

Answer 26

inhibiting neuron firing