Test 1 Flashcards
What are neurons?
The nerve cells that are the building blocks of the body’s neural information system
What is a dendrite?
The bushy, branching, extentions of a neuron that recieve messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
What is an axon?
The extension of a neuron, ending in terminal fibers through which messages are sent to other neurons or to muscles or glands
What is a myelin sheath?
A layer of fatty cells encasing the axon and speeding up transmission
What is action potential?
A neural impulse: a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon.
What generates action potential?
By the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon’s membrane
What us threshold?
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
What is the difference between agonist and antagonist?
An agonist minics a neurotransmitter, an antagonist block a neuro transmitter
What are interneurons?
Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and the motor outputs
What are motor neurons? What is their other name?
Efferent neurons. Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
What are sensory neurons? What is their other name?
Afferent neurons. Neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
What is resting potential?
The potential of the reaction of the negatively chaged fluid inside an axon and the positively charged fluid outside
What is the refractory period?
A resting pause between for neurons, the neuron pumps positively charge sodiums ions back outside
What is a synapse?
The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the sending neuron.
What is an example of an agonist and an antagonist?
Antagonist-Botox
Agonist-Heroin
What is a neurotransmitter?
Chemical sent across synaptic gaps between between neurons by bonding to receptor sites on the recieving neuron, influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse
What is reuptake?
The process where the sending neuron reabsorbs excess neurotransmitters
What are endorphins?
Natural neurotransmitters linked to pain, control, and pleasure
What is the nervous system?
The body’s electrochemical communication network, consisting of all nerve and peripheral and central nervous system
What is the peripheral nervous system?(PNS)
The sensory and motor neurons connecting the central nervous system(CNS) to the rest of the body
What is the central nervous system?(CNS)
The brain and spinal chord
What is the somatic nervous system?
The division if the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles(also called skeletal nervous system)
What is the autonomic nervous system?
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
What are nerves?
bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs
What is an arc reflex?
A reflex when sensory neurons send impulses to the interneurons/spinal cord then back to the neurons to react
What is the endocrine system?
The slower chemical communication system in humans that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
What are hormones?
chemical messangers made by the endocrine system that travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues
What are adrenal glands?
A pair of endocrine glands that help arouse the body in times of stress
What is the pituitary gland?
The gland regulating growth and control of other endocrine glands under the influence of the hypothalamus
What is the thyroid gland?
The gland affecting metabolism levels
What are the parathyroids?
Glands regulating calcium levels in the blood
What is a lesion?
The destruction of brain tissue
What is a CT scan?
(Computed tomography scan), a series of x ray photographs taken from different angles combine by a computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body
What is a pet scan?
(Positron emission tomography scan) a visual display of brain activity thay detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
What is an MRI?
(Magnetic resonance imaging) a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images of soft tissue, used to show brain anatomy
What is an fMRI?
a technique for revealing bloodflow and brain activity by comparing fmri and mri scans(used to show brain function)
What is the brainstem? What if it was damaged?
The oldest, central part of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull, responsible automatic survival functions. We could still do normal survival things, but we would them without purpose of it were damaged
What is the medulla?
The base of the brainstem, controls heartbeat and breathing
What is the pons?
The strucure above the medulla, helping to coordinate movements
What is the reticular formation? What if its severed?
A nerve network in the brainstem playing an important role in controlling arousal. If severed, one would enter an irreversible coma
What is the thalamus?
The brains sensory switchboard, it directs messages to sensory recieving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
What is the cerebellum?
The part of the brain responsible for processing sensory input and coordinating output and balance
What is the limbic system?
The doughnut shaped neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres associated with emotions and drives
What is the amygdala?
Two neural clusters in the limbic system linked to emotion
What is the hypothalamus?
A neural structure that directs several body maintenance functions, is linked to emotion and reward and helps govern the endocrine system
What is the thalamus?
The part of the brain that relays messages between lower brain centers and cerebral cortex
What is the corpus callosum?
The axon fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres
What is the cerebral cortex?
The ultimate control and information processing center
What are the frontal lobes?
area involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements
What are the occiptal lobes?
Portion of the cerebral cortex including areas that recieve information from the visual fields
What are the parietal lobes?
Portion of the cerebral cortex that recieves sensory input for touch and body position
What are the temporal lobes?
portion of the cerebral cortex including auditory areas for recieving information from the opposite ear
What is the motor cortex?
Cortex controlling voluntary movements
What is aphasia?
impairment of language usually caused by damage to broca’s or wernicke’s area
What is Broca’s area?
controls language expression, directs muscle movements involved in speech
What is Wernicke’s area?
Controls language reception, involved in language conprehension and expression
What can someone with a split brain do/not do?
They can still do most things normally, the two sides of the brain just dont communicate
What is cognitive neuroscience?
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition
What is dual processing?
The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks
What is the difference between fraternal and identical twins?
Franternal twins developed in separate eggs and are no more closely related than brothers or sisters, identical twins developed in the same egg and are more closely related
What is the difference between heritability and interaction?
Heritability is how much of our behavior and variation we can attribute to genes and interaction is how much we can attribute to outside factors
