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AP Psych > Unit 2: Biology > Flashcards

Unit 2: Biology Flashcards

(71 cards)

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1
Q

Acetylcholine

A

plays a role in learning and memory,

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2
Q

Action Potential

A

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

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3
Q

Adrenal gland

A

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in terms of stress

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4
Q

Agonist

A

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action

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5
Q

All-or-nothing Principle

A

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

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6
Q

Amygdala

A

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

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7
Q

Antagonist

A

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action

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8
Q

Aphasia

A

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca’s area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke’s area (impairing understanding)

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9
Q

Association Areas

A

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in a higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

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10
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). In sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division clams.

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11
Q

Axon

A

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

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12
Q

Brainstem

A

the oldest part and central cove of brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions

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13
Q

Broca’s area

A

heps control language expression area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech

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14
Q

CT Scan

A

x-rays of the head generate images that may locate brain damage

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15
Q

Central Nervous System

A

the brain and spinal cord

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16
Q

Cerebellum

A

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

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17
Q

cerebral cortex

A

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemisphere; the body’s ultimate control and information processing center

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18
Q

Charles Darwin

A

natural selection, what makes us so much alike as humans

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19
Q

Corpus Callosum

A

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

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20
Q

Dendrite

A

a neurons’ often bushy branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

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21
Q

Depolarized

A

electric charge on inside and outside cell membrane

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22
Q

Dopamine

A

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

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23
Q

EEG

A

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brains surface these waves are measured by electrodes on scalp

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24
Q

Endocrine System

A

the body “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood stream

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25
Endorphins
"morphine within"- natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure
26
Fight or Flight
instinctive response
27
fMRI
a technique for revealing blood flow and therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain functions and structure.
28
Frontal Lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
29
GABA
regulates sleep wake cycles main inhibitory nuerotransmitters
30
Glutamate
brains main excitatory neurotransmitters basis of learning and long term memory loss
31
Hippocampus
a neural center locate din the limbic system; helps process for storage of explicit memories of facts and events
32
Hypothalamus
a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities helps govern endocrine system via the pituitary gland emotions and reward
33
Interneuron
neurons with the brain and spinal cord; they communicate internally and process information between sensory inputs and motor outputs
34
Left hemisphere
controls right side of the body analytical thought, logic, speech, language, science, and math
35
Limbic System
neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres associated with emotions
36
medulla
the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and bretahing
37
Michael Gazzainga
one of the first with split brain
38
Motor Cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movement
39
Motor Neurons
carry information from the brain and spinal cord to the body tissues
40
MRI
A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computed generated images of soft tissue, shows brain anatomy
41
Myelin Sheath
a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next
42
Neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons when released by the sending neurons, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron, will generate a neural impulse
43
Norepinephrine
arousal and alertness in fight or flight response mood elevation
44
Occipital Lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; included areas that receive information from visual fields
45
Parasympathetic Nervous System
the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving energy
46
Parietal Lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory inputs for touch and body position
47
Peripheral Nervous System
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
48
PET
a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain preforms a given task
49
Pituitary Gland
the endocrines system most influential glands. Under the influence of the hypothalamus regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
50
Plasticity
the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
51
Polarized
an electrical difference across the cell membrane
52
Pons
connects cerebellum to rest of brain regulates respiratory output facial expressions
53
prefrontal cortex
forward part of frontal lobes enables judgment, planning, and processing new memories
54
reflexes
a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
55
Refractory Period
in neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired subsequent action potentials
56
Resting Potential
when no information is picked up by a human
57
Reticular Formation
a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus and plays an important role in controlling aroses
58
Reuptake
a neurotransmitter re-absorption by the sending neuron
59
Right Hemisphere
nonverbal communication, creativity, and intuiton
60
Roger Sperry
associated with the split brain
61
Sensory Cortex
located in the front of the parietal lobe, registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
62
Sensory Neurons
neurons that carry incoming information from the bodys tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
63
Serotonin
mood regulation hunger and sleep
64
Somatic Nervous System
the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body skeptical muscles skeletal nervous system
65
Split-brain
a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres y cutting the fibers connecting them
66
Sympathetic Nervous System
the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy
67
Synapse
the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at the junction synaptic gap or synaptic cleft
68
Temporal Lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears included the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear
69
Thalamus
the brains sensory control center,located on the top of the brainstem it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits
70
Threshold
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
71
Wernicke's Area
a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression usually in left temporal lobe

AP Psych (8 decks)

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