Modules 4-6 (lecture 2) Flashcards
Biological Psychology
The scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes. Some biological psychologists call themselves “behavioral neuroscientists”, “neuropsychologists”, “behavior geneticists”, “physiological psychologists”, or “biopsychologists.”
Neuroplasticity
The brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.
Neuron
A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
Cell Body
The part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell’s life-support center.
Dendrites
A neuron’s 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 segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next.
Glial Cells
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
In neural processing, 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-Nothing Response
A neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) 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” (or synaptic cleft)
Neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons. When released by sending neuron, neurotransmitters 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 neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Enables muscle action, learning, and memory. This relates to Alzheimer’s disease.
Dopamine
Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion. Oversupply of this is linked to schizophrenia, while undersupply is linked to Parkinson’s.
Serotonin
Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
A major inhibitory neurotransmitter
Endorphins
Neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure.
Agonist
A molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action
Antagonist
A molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action
Nervous System
The body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system.
Central Nervous System (CNS)
The brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body.
Nerves
Bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the CNS with muscles, glands, and sensory organs.
Sensory (afferent) Neurons
Neurons that carry incoming information from the body’s tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.
Motor (efferent) Neurons
Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.
Interneurons
Neurons within the brain and spinal cord; they communicate internally and process information between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.
Somatic Nervous System
The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles. Also called the “Skeletal nervous system”
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart).
Sympathetic Nervous System
The division of the ANS that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy. (fight or flight division)
Parasympathetic Nervous System
The division of the ANS that calms the body, conserving its energy. (homeostasis division)
Reflex
A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus such as the knee-jerk reflex
Endocrine System
The body’s “slow” chemical communication system; glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.
Hormones
Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and effect other tissues.
Adrenal Glands
A pair of endocrine glands that sits just above the kidneys and secretes hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.
Pituitary Gland
The endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
Lesion
Tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.
EEG (electroencephalogram)
An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.
MEG (magnetoencephalography)
A brain-imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from the brain’s natural electrical activity.
PET (position emission tomography)
A technique for detecting brain activity that displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. These scans show brain anatomy.
fMRI (Functional MRI)
A technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. These scans show brain function as well as structure.
Brainstem
The oldest part of the central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions.
Medulla
The base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.
Thalamus
The brain’s sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
Reticular formation
A nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; filters information and plays an important role in controlling arousal
Cerebellum
The “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory.
limbic system
Neural system (including the Amygdala, Hypothalamus, and Hippocampus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.
Amygdala
Two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to (strong) emotions
Hypothalamus
A neural structure in the limbic system lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
Hippocampus
A neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit (conscious) memories– of facts and events– for storage.
Cerebral Cortex
The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.
Frontal lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements.
Parietal lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position.
Occipital lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.
Temporal lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear.
Motor cortex
A cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.
Somatosensory cortex
A cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and process body touch and movement sensations.
Association areas
Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
Neuroplasticity
The brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.
Neurogenesis
The formation of new neurons
Corpus callosum
The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.
Split brain
A condition resulting from surgery that separates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly from the corpus callosum) between them
Blood Brain Barrier
Keeps a log of bad things out of the brain; however, it also keeps out a lot of medications
Phineas Gage
He suffered brain damage and survived. Was one of the reasons why study of the brain became so popular.
Aphasia
Language disturbance due to brain damage
Wernicke’s Aphasia
Language comprehension problems; left temporal lobe damage.
Broca’s Aphasia
Speech production problems, can’t find the words or sounds needed; left frontal lobe damage.
Lateral Hypothalamus
Stimulates hunger; the need to eat
Ventromedial Hypothalamus
Satiates hunger; the feeling of being full.
