Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

PSYCHOLOGY 100 > PSYCH CHAPTER 3 > Flashcards

PSYCH CHAPTER 3 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Psychology 101 flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards AP® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

action potential

A

A brief change in the electrical charge of a neuronal membrane; the physical basis of the signal that travels the length of the neuron.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

afferent neurons

A

Nerves that carry messages inward toward the central nervous system.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

agonists

A

Drugs that enhance a neurotransmitter’s activity.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

all-or-none law

A

The law that all action potentials have the same strength and speed regardless of the triggering stimulus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

amygdala

A

An almond-shaped, temporal lobe structure that plays a central role in emotion and evaluating stimuli.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

antagonists

A

Drugs that impede the activity of a neurotransmitter.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

aphasia

A

Any of a number of linguistic disorders caused by injury to or malformation of the brain. See also fluent aphasia, nonfluent aphasia.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

apraxia

A

A serious disturbance in beginning or carrying out voluntary movements.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

A

The division of the peripheral nervous system that receives information from and controls the internal organs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

axon

A

The part of a neuron that transmits impulses to glands, muscles, or other neurons.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

blood-brain barrier

A

Specialized membranes that surround the blood vessels within the brain and filter harmful chemicals out of the brain’s blood supply.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

brain plasticity

A

The capacity for the brain to alter its structure and function.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

brain stem

A

The brain region at the top of the spinal cord that includes the medulla and the pons.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

cell body

A

The portion of the neuron containing the metabolic machinery that keeps the cell alive and functional.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

central nervous system (CNS)

A

The brain and spinal cord.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

cerebellum

A

The part of the brain that controls muscular coordination and equilibrium.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

cerebral cortex

A

The outermost layer of the forebrain.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

cerebral hemisphere

A

One-half (left or right) of the cerebrum, the topmost part of the brain.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

contralateral control

A

The typical pattern in vertebrates in which movements of the right side of the body are controlled by the left hemisphere, while movements of the left side are controlled by the right hemisphere.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

corpus callosum

A

The thick bundle of fibers connecting the cerebral hemispheres.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

CT (computerized tomography) scan

A

A technique for examining brain structure by constructing a composite of X-ray images taken from many different angles.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

dendrites

A

The branched part of a neuron that receives impulses and conducts them toward the cell body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

depolarize

A

In the nervous system, to lose the charge that normally exists across the neuronal membrane.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

efferent neurons

A

Nerves that carry messages outward from the central nervous system.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

electroencephalogram (EEG)

A

A record of the brain’s electrical activity recorded by placing electrodes on the scalp.

26
Q

endocrine system

A

The system of glands that release secretions directly into the bloodstream and affect organs elsewhere in the body.

27
Q

event-related potential (ERP)

A

Electrical changes in the brain that correspond to the brain’s response to a specific event; measured with EEG.

28
Q

excitation threshold

A

The voltage difference between a neuron’s interior and exterior that, if exceeded, causes the neuron to fire.

29
Q

executive control

A

Processes such as making plans or overriding habitual responses that let the brain direct its own cognitive activities.

30
Q

frontal lobe

A

The area at the front of each cerebral hemisphere; includes tissue crucial for many aspects of planning and controlling thoughts and behavior.

31
Q

functional MRI (fMRI) scan

A

A technique for examining brain function by measuring blood flow and oxygen use within the brain.

32
Q

glia

A

A type of cell in the nervous system long believed to provide a “support” function for neurons; recent research indicates that glia provide many other functions as well.

33
Q

hippocampus

A

A temporal lobe structure that plays a pivotal role in learning and forming new memories.

34
Q

hormone

A

A chemical released by a gland. Hormones travel through the bloodstream and influence functions such as metabolic rate, arousal level, and the liver’s sugar output.

35
Q

hypothalamus

A

A subcortical structure that plays a vital role in controlling many motivated behaviors, like eating, drinking, and sexual activity.

36
Q

interneurons

A

Neurons that are neither afferent nor efferent, but instead carry information from one neuron to another.

37
Q

lateralization

A

Functional differences between the two cerebral hemispheres. E.g., in most right-handers, the left hemisphere is specialized for language, while the right hemisphere is better at some visual and spatial tasks.

38
Q

limbic system

A

A group of interconnected structures (including the hypothalamus, the amygdala, and others) that are crucial for emotion, motivation, and many aspects of learning and memory.

39
Q

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

A

A neuroimaging technique that documents the effects of strong magnetic pulses on the molecules that make up brain tissue. A computer then assembles this information into a picture of brain structure.

40
Q

myelin

A

A fatty substance that makes up some types of glial cells; these cells wrap around the axon of some neurons, providing an insulating myelin sheath around these neurons. See also myelin sheath, nodes of Ranvier.

41
Q

neglect syndrome

A

The result of certain right parietal lobe lesions that leave a patient completely inattentive to stimuli to her left, including the left side of her own body.

42
Q

neuron

A

A specialized cell in the nervous system that accumulates and transmits information.

43
Q

neurotransmitters

A

Chemicals released by one neuron (usually the presynaptic neuron), which trigger a response in another neuron (usually the postsynaptic neuron); the chief means of communication among neurons.

44
Q

occipital lobe

A

The rearmost area of each cerebral hemisphere; includes tissue crucial for processing visual information.

45
Q

parasympathetic branch

A

The division of the autonomic nervous system that restores the body’s normal resting state and conserves energy.

46
Q

parietal lobe

A

The area in each cerebral hemisphere that lies between the frontal and occipital lobes; includes tissue crucial for receiving information from the skin senses.

47
Q

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

A

The afferent and efferent nerves that extend from the brain and spinal cord to connect them with the organs and muscles.

48
Q

perseveration

A

The tendency to repeat a response inappropriately; often a result of deficits in executive control caused by prefrontal lesions.

49
Q

PET (positron emission tomography) scan

A

A technique for examining brain function by observing the amount of metabolic activity in different brain regions.

50
Q

prefrontal area

A

The frontmost portion of the frontal lobes, involved in working memory, strategy formation, and response inhibition.

51
Q

projection areas

A

Areas in which the brain tissue seems to form a “map” of sensory information.

52
Q

propagation

A

The spread of the action potential down an axon, caused by successive changes in electrical charge along the length of the axon’s membrane.

53
Q

refractory period

A

The time after an action potential during which a neuron’s cell membrane is unprepared for the next action potential.

54
Q

resting potential

A

The voltage difference between the inside and the outside of a neuronal membrane when the neuron is not firing.

55
Q

somatic nervous system (SNS)

A

The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the skeletal muscles and transmits sensory information.

56
Q

sympathetic branch

A

The division of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the organism for physical exertion

57
Q

synapse

A

The small gap between two adjacent neurons, consisting of the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons’ membranes and the space between them.

58
Q

synaptic reuptake

A

The presynaptic neuron’s process of reabsorbing its own neurotransmitters after signaling so that they can be released again the next time the neuron fires.

59
Q

temporal lobe

A

The areas in each cerebral hemisphere lying below the temples; includes tissue crucial for hearing and many aspects of language use.

60
Q

transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

A

The technique of applying repeated magnetic stimulation at the surface of the skull to temporarily stimulate or disable a target brain region.

61
Q

visual agnosia

A

The inability to recognize a visual stimulus despite the ability to see and describe it.

PSYCHOLOGY 100 (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions