Modules 9, 10, 14 & 15 Quiz Flashcards
adoptive studies
assess hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological and their adoptive parents
family studies
Scientific studies in which researchers assess hereditary influence by examining blood relatives to see how much they resemble each other on a specific trait
oxytocin
A hormone released by the posterior pituitary that stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth and milk ejection during breastfeeding.
leptin
hormone that signals the hypothalamus and brain stem to reduce appetite and increase the amount of energy used
ghrelin
A hunger-arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach
adrenaline
A hormone released into the bloodstream in response to physical or mental stress
hormones
chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues
pituitary gland
The endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.
antagonist
a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action
adrenal glands
a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.
agonist
a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action
reuptake
a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron
substance p
a neurotransmitter involved in pain perception and immune response
GABA
a major inhibitory neurotransmitter
inhibitory neurotransmitters
chemicals released from the terminal buttons of a neuron that inhibit the next neuron from firing
serotonin
A neurotransmitter that affects hunger,sleep, arousal, and mood.
excitatory neurotransmitters
chemicals released from the terminal buttons of a neuron that excite the next neuron into firing
threshold
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons
synapse
the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
depolarization
The process during the action potential when sodium is rushing into the cell causing the interior to become more positive.
all-or-none response
a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing.
action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
glial cells
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
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