Psych Final - Brain Flashcards

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1
Q

neuron

A

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

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2
Q

dendrite

A

the neuron’s bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

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3
Q

axon

A

the neuron’s extension that passes messages through its branching terminal fibers that form junctions with other neurons, muscles, or glands

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4
Q

myelin sheath

A

covers axon of some neurons, helps speed neural impulses

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5
Q

action potential

A

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

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6
Q

excitatory

A

positive (action) signals

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7
Q

inhibitory

A

negative (stop action) signals

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8
Q

threshold

A

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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9
Q

synapse

A

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

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10
Q

neurotransmitters

A

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the 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

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11
Q

reuptake

A

when sending neuron reabsorbs excess neurotransmitters

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12
Q

axon terminal

A

end of neuron, forms junctions with other cells

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13
Q

receptors

A

where neurotransmitters bind to on the receiving neuron

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14
Q

synaptic gap

A

The tiny gap at the synapse; separation space between neurons

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15
Q

nervous system

A

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

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16
Q

nerves

A

bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

17
Q

sensory neurons

A

neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

18
Q

motor neurons

A

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

19
Q

interneurons

A

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

20
Q

neural network

A

a group of synapses formed through repetition

21
Q

sympathetic nervous system

A

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

22
Q

parasympathetic nervous system

A

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy