psy chapter 3 Flashcards
nervous system
communication network that conveys messages throughout the body, using electrical and chemical process
neuroscience
involves the study of the brain and nervous system
biological psychology
focuses on how the brain and other biological systems influence human behavior
franz joseph gall
early “brain” scientists and neuroanatomist
pierre flourens
explained areas of the brain might have particular functions
neuron
the basic cell that makes the nervous system and receives and sends messages within that system
dendrites
branch like structure that receives messages from other neurons
soma
the cell body of the neuron responsible for maintaining the life of the cell
axon
long, tube like structure that carries the neutral message to other cells
myelin
fatty substance produced by certain glial cells that coat the axons of neurons to insulate, protect, and speed up the neutral impulse
ions
charged particles
inside neuron
negatively charged
outside neuron
positively charged
resting potential
the state of the neuron when not firing a neural impulse
action potential
the release of the neural impulse consisting of a reversal of the electrical charge within the axon
