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AP Pschology > Unit 1 > Flashcards

Unit 1 Flashcards

1
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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2
Q

Nuerons

A

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.

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3
Q

Central Nervous System

A

The brain and Spinal cord. The body’s decision maker

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4
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

Gathering information and for transmitting CNS decisions to other body parts.

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5
Q

Nerves

A

Bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sensory organs.

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6
Q

Sensory Neurons

A

Neurons that carry incoming information from the body’s tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.

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7
Q

Motor Neurons

A

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

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8
Q

Interneurons

A

Nuerons within the brain and spinal cord; they communicate internally and processes information between sensory inputs and motor outputs.

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9
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

Somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system.

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10
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system.

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11
Q

Autonomic Nervous System

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

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12
Q

Autonomic Nervous Systems subdivisions

A

The sympathetic Nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

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13
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

Fight or flight. The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy.

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14
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

Rest and digest. The division of the autonomic system that calms the body, conserving its energy.

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15
Q

Reflex

A

A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk reflex.

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16
Q

Frontal Lobe

A

Suppresses socially inappropriate behavior. Predicts consequences of actions. Plays a role in choice between good and bad actions. Judgement. Decision making. Personality.

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17
Q

Parietal Lobe

A

Assists with interpretation of touch. Plays a role in the knowledge of numbers and their relationships. Helps with the understanding of objects, shapes, and space. Special organization and cognitive maps.

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18
Q

Occipital Lobe

A

Processes and makes sense of visual information.

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19
Q

Cerebellum

A

Plays a major role in balance and voluntary motor skills.

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20
Q

Brain stem

A

Allows the transfer of information between the brain and body. Plays a role in automatic functions such as the heartbeat and breathing.

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21
Q

What is in the Brain Stem

A

Medulla, pons, reticular activating system, and the thalamus.

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22
Q

Dendrites

A

A neurons often bushy, branching extensions that recieve and integrate messages, conducting impulses towards the cell body.

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23
Q

Axon

A

The segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

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24
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

A layer of fatty tissue that insulates them and speeds their impulses.

25
Q

Glial Cells

A

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory

26
Q

Action Potential

A

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

27
Q

Threshold

A

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

28
Q

Refractory Period

A

In neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state.

29
Q

All-or-None Response

A

A neurons reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing.

30
Q

Synapse

A

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the ——— gap or the ——— cleft.

31
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap 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.

32
Q

Reuptake

A

A neurotransmitters reabsorption by the sending neuron

33
Q

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A

Enables muscle action, learning, and memory. With Alzheimer’s disease, ACh-producing neurons deteriorate

34
Q

Dopamine

A

Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion. Oversupply linked to schizophrenia. Undersupply linked to tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson’s disease.

35
Q

Serotonin

A

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal. Undersupply linked to depression. Some drugs that raise serotonin levels are used to treat depression.

36
Q

Norepinephrine

A

Helps control alertness and arousal. Undersupply can depress mood.

37
Q

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

A

A major inhibitory neurotransmitter. Undersupply linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia.

38
Q

Glutamate

A

A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory. Oversupply can overstimulate the brain, producing migraines or seizures.

39
Q

Endorphins

A

Neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure. Oversupply with opioid drugs can suppress the body’s natural endorphin supply.

40
Q

Agonist

A

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action.

41
Q

Antagonist

A

A molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action.

42
Q

Endocrine System

A

The body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

43
Q

Hormones

A

Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

44
Q

Hindbrain

A

Consists of the medulla, pons, and cerebellum; directs essential survival functions, such as breathing, sleeping, and wakefulness, as well as coordination and balance.

45
Q

Midbrain

A

Found atop the brainstem; connects the hindbrain with the forebrain, controls some motor movement, and transmits auditory and visual information.

46
Q

Forebrain

A

Consists of the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus; manages complex cognitive activities, sensory and associative functions, and voluntary motor activities.

47
Q

Medulla

A

The hindbrain structure that is the brainstem’s base; controls heartbeat and breathing.

48
Q

Thalamus

A

The forebrain’s sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

49
Q

Reticular Formation

A

A nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; it filters information and plays an important role in controlling arousal.

50
Q

Cerebellum

A

The hindbrain’s “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; its functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory.

51
Q

Limbic System

A

Neural system located mostly in the forebrain — below the cerebral hemispheres — that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, thalamus, and pituitary gland; associated with emotions and drives.

52
Q

Amygdala

A

Two lima-bean–sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

53
Q

Hypothalamus

A

A limbic system neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion and reward.

54
Q

Hippocampus

A

A neural center in the limbic system that helps process explicit (conscious) memories-of facts and events- for storage.

55
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A

The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the forebrain’s cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.

56
Q

Motor Cortex

A

A cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.

57
Q

Visual Cortex

A

In the occipital lobes at the rear of your brain receives input from your eyes.

58
Q

Auditory Cortex

A

In your temporal lobes- above your ears- receives information from your ears.

59
Q

Sensory Cortex

A

Process and make sense out of information gathered by our five senses.

AP Pschology (2 decks)

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