The brain and neuropsychology

Question 1

The autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Answer 1

A network of unmyelinated nerve fibers running through the body and connecting the senses and internal organs with the central nervous system.

Question 2

The central nervous system (CNS)

Answer 2

Consists of the brain and spinal cord.

Question 3

The peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Answer 3

The network of nerve fibers connecting the various parts of the body with the central nervous system. It is made up of the SNS and the ANS.

Question 4

Sensory information

Answer 4

Information that is picked up by the sense organs of the body and passed on to the central nervous system.

Question 5

The somatic system (SNS)

Answer 5

The network of myelinated sensory and motor neurons that carry.

Question 6

Stimulus

Answer 6

Something that is detected by the sense receptors, which the nervous system will react to.

Question 7

Fight or flight response

Answer 7

An automatic reaction to threat, stimulated by the ANS and maintained by the endocrine system, which activates the body’s reserves of energy to prepare it for action.

Question 8

Emotion

Answer 8

The moods, or feelings that a person experiences.

Question 9

Motor neuron

Answer 9

A nerve cell that takes messages from the CNS to muscles to cause them to move.

Question 10

Neuron

Answer 10

A specialized nerve cell which generates and transmits an electrical impulse.

Question 11

Sensory neuron

Answer 11

A nerve cell that picks up information from sense receptors and carries it to the CNS

Question 12

Excitation

Answer 12

When a neurotransmitter binds with a receptor on the next neuron, and increases the chance that the next neuron will fire an electrical impulse.

Question 13

Inhibitor

Answer 13

When a neurotransmitter binds with a receptor on the next neuron, and decreases the chance that the next neuron will fire an electrical impulse.

Question 14

Neuronal growth

Answer 14

When a neuron repeatedly excites another neuron, leading to a change (or process of growth) in one or both of the neurons

Question 15

Neurotransmitter

Answer 15

A chemical which is released into the synapse by one neuron, and picked up by the next neuron.

Question 16

Relay neuron

Answer 16

A nerve cell that passes messages within the CNS.

Question 17

Reuptake

Answer 17

A process by which neurotransmitter is reabsorbed into the synaptic knob after it has been used during synaptic transmission.

Question 18

Synapse

Answer 18

The small gap between the dendrite of one neuron and the receptor site of the next one.

Question 19

Synaptic transmission

Answer 19

The process by which messages are passed from one neuron to another by sending neurotransmitters across the synaptic gap so they can bind with receptors on the next neuron.

Question 20

Cerebellum

Answer 20

A small, wrinkled structure at the back of the brain which coordinates motor movement, dexterity, and balance, among other things.

Question 21

Cerebrum

Answer 21

The largest part of the brain in humans, which consists of two large cerebral hemispheres.

Question 22

Frontal lobe

Answer 22

The area of the brain that controls cognitive processes such as thought and memory.

Question 23

Lobes of the brain

Answer 23

Each half of the brain is divided into four area or lobes: the frontal, the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe and the occipital lobe.

Question 24

Occipital lobe

Answer 24

The area of the brain where visual information is processed

Question 25

Parietal lobe

Answer 25

The area of the brain that is responsible for integrating information from other areas to form complex behaviours.

Question 26

Temporal line

Answer 26

The area of the brain that is responsible for aspects such as the comprehension and production of spoken language

Question 27

Cerebral cortex

Answer 27

The folded outer layers of the cerebrum.

Question 28

Localised function

Answer 28

A function such as language or vision, which is found in a particular area on the cerebral cortex.

Question 29

Motor area

Answer 29

The area of the cerebral cortex concerned with movement.

Question 30

Somatosensory area

Answer 30

The area of the cerebral cortex concerned with sensory feeling.

Question 31

Angular gyrus

Answer 31

An area on the parietal lobe which deals with reading.

Question 32

Auditory cortex

Answer 32

An area on the frontal lobe which deals with speech production.

Question 33

Broca’s area

Answer 33

An area on the frontal lobe which deals with speech production.

Question 34

Visual cortex

Answer 34

The area of the cerebral cortex concerned with vision.

Question 35

Wernicke’s area

Answer 35

An area on the temporal lobe which deals with understanding speech.

Question 36

Cognitive neuroscience

Answer 36

The study of how cognitive processes connect with brain activity and structure.

Question 37

CT scan

Answer 37

Computerised Tomography, which scans the brain by building up a 3D image from a series of X-ray ‘slices’.

Question 38

fMRI scan

Answer 38

functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, which scans the brain by identifying the magnetic activity of water molecules in active brain cells.

Question 39

PET scans

Answer 39

Positron Emission Tomography, which locates blood flow in the brain by detecting radioactive tracers.

Question 40

Neurological damage

Answer 40

Injury or harm to the nervous system, which affects how the neurons work.

Question 41

Stroke

Answer 41

A sudden interruption to the blood supply in a part of the brain.

Question 42

Symptom

Answer 42

One of a collection of physical changes that tell us that some kind of disorder or problem exists.

Question 43

Episodic memory

Answer 43

Unique memories which are concerned with general knowledge rather than personal experience.

Question 44

Semantic memory

Answer 44

Memories which are concerned with general knowledge rather than personal experience.