Unit 1 BBB Flashcards
survive
Brainstem
The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull. The brain stem is responsible for automatic survival functions
Medulla
The base of the brain, controls heartbeat and breathing
Reticular activating system
A nerve network in the brain stem that plays an important role in controlling arousal and sleep-awake transitions
Reward center
Any various areas of the brain (including areas of the hypothalamus and limbic system) that upon intercranial stimulation, have been implicated of producing pleasure
Cerebellum
The “little brain” at the rear of the brain stem, functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output at a balance
Cerebral Cortex
The intricate fabric of interconnected neural calles covering the cerebral hemispheres, the bodies ultimate control and info processing center
Hemispheres
- Left hemisphere controls right side of the body and excels in calculation and logic.
- Right hemisphere controls left side of the body and excels in visual imagery face recognition music
Limbic System
Donut shaped neural system (including hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions & drives
Thalamus
Brain’s sensory switchboard. Located on top of the brain stem it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum & medulla. All senses but smell are processed here
Hypothalamus
A neural structure lying below the thalamus, directs maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp.) Helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland and is linked to emotion/reward.
Pituitary Gland
The endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituary gland regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
Amygdala
Two lima bean sized neural clusters in the limbic system, linked to raw emotion such as fear or anger
Hippocampus
A neural center located in the limbic system. Helps process for storage (conscious) memories of facts and events
Corpus Callosum
The large band of neural fibers connecting the 2 brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
Lobes of the cortex
Frontal, parietal, temporal and occupital lobes are all 4 sections of the cerebral cortex
Occipital Lobe
Portion of the cortex lying at the back of the head. Includes areas that receive info from visual fields
Frontal Lobe (prefrontal and motor cortex)
Lies just behind the forehead, involved in speaking and muscle movement (motor) & making plans and judgments (prefrontal)
Temporal Lobes
Lies roughly above the ears, includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite year
Parietal Lobes
Parietal Lobes located at the top of the brain and are primarily responsible for processing sensory information from the body, such as touch, temperature, and spatial awareness.
Split brain research
Research and insights gardened from studying patients who have had their corpus colossum a bundle of fibers connecting the two hemispheres, severed
Specialization of right/left hemisphere
The tendency for one side or area of the brain to carry out specific brain activities. Even though both sides of the brain are almost identical. Primarily carries out some functions over others
Broca’s Area
Controls language expression - an area usually in the left frontal lobe that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
Wernicke’s Area
Controls language reception - a brain area involved in language, comprehension, and expression usually in the left temporal lobe
Aphasia
Impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca’s Area (impairing speaking) or Wernicke’s Area (impairing understanding)
Test with split brain patients
A condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them
Contralateral organization
The arrangement whereby each hemisphere is mainly responsible for the information of the opposite side of the body
Plasticity
The brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reogranizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
electroencephalogram (EEG)
An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on th scalp.
Functioning MRI (fMRI)
neuroimaging technique used to measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow and oxygen levels.
It provides detailed images of the brain’s structure and function, allowing researchers to observe which areas of the brain are active during specific tasks or stimuli.
Case studies
The use of a descriptive research approach to obtain an in-depth analysis of a person, group, or phenomenon
Lesioning procedure
Tissue destruction; a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue
Nature and Nurture
The innate, presumably genetically determined, characteristics and behaviors of an individual. In psychology, the characteristics most often and traditionally associated with nature are temperament, body type, and personality.
The totality of environmental factors that influence the development and behavior of a person, particularly sociocultural and ecological factors such as family attributes, parental child-rearing practices, and economic status.
Genetic predisposition
A tendency for certain traits to be inherited, including physical and mental conditions and disorders.
Evolutionary perspective
An approach to psychological inquiry that views human cognition and behavior in a broadly Darwinian context of adaptation to evolving physical and social environments and new intellectual challenges.
Eugenics
A much-criticized nineteenth-century movement that proposed measuring human traits and using the results to encourage only smart and fit people to reproduce.
Twin studies
Research with the purpose of assessing the relative contributions of heredity and environment to some attribute. Characteristics of identical and fraternal twins and comparing twins of both types who have been reared together or reared apart.
Central nervous system (CNS)
The brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
consists of all the nerves and ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord.
It serves as a communication network, transmitting sensory information from the body to the central nervous system (CNS).
Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles.
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
division of the peripheral nervous system that regulates involuntary bodily functions, It operates automatically, without conscious control.
Consists of two main branches: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.
Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic
Sympathetic: the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
Parasympathetic: the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
Glial cell
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
Neurons
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
Reflex arc
neural pathway that controls reflex actions, allowing for rapid, automatic responses to sensory stimuli without conscious thought (primitive reflexes).
Sensory neurons
neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
Motor neurons
neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
Interneurons
neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
Neural transmission
The movement of the action potential down the length of the axon, releasing neurotransmitters across the synaptic space to a receiving neuron.
All-or-nothing principle
a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing.
Action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
Depolarization
The process leading up to the height of action potential when sodium is rushing into the cell causing the interior to become more positive.
Refractory period
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
Resting potential
The state of a neuron when it’s not being stimulated or sending signals.
Reuptake
a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron
Firing threshold
The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.
Multiple sclerosis
A disease due to the degeneration of the myelin sheath in which communication to muscles and brain regions slow, resulting in diminished muscle control and sometimes impaired cognition.
Myasthenia gravis
A neuromuscular disease in which the muscles cannot contract, resulting in muscle weakness, difficulties with muscle control, or paralysis.
Neurotransmitters: excitatory vs inhibitory
Excitatory: The function of a neurotransmitter which results in a greater likelihood of an action potential.
Inhibitory: The function of a naturally occuring chemical which results in a reduced likelihood of an action potential.
Dopamine
A neurotransmitter associated with movement, attention and learning and the brain’s pleasure and reward system.
Serotonin
A neurotransmitter that affects hunger, sleep, arousal, and mood.
Norepinephrine
A neurotransmitter that helps control alertness and arousal. An undersupply can lead to a depressed mood.
Glutamate
A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory.
GABA
Most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter; regulates daily sleep-wake cycles.
Endorphins
“morphine within” - natural . opiate like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.
Substance P
A neurotransmitter involved in pain perception and immune response.
Acetylcholine
A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction.
Hormones
chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues
Adrenaline
A hormone whose major action is to increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar, providing a surge of energy to power our fight-or-flight respose.
Leptin
A hunger-suppressing hormone.
Ghrelin
A hunger-arousing hormone.
Melatonin
A hormone produced mainly by the pineal gland that is implicated in the initiation of sleep and in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle.
Oxytocin
A hormone which enables orgasm, and in a pregnant person, labor contractions and milk flow while nursing.
Agonist vs. Antagonist
Agonist: a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action - it mimics the neurotransmitter
Antagonist: a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action
Reuptake inhibitors
Substance that interferes with the transport of released neurotransmitter molecules back into the presynaptic terminal, boosting the effects of that neurotransmitter.
