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Psychology > Unit 3 Test: Neuropsychology > Flashcards

Unit 3 Test: Neuropsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

Neuron

A

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

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2
Q

Dendrite

A

The branching extensions at the beginning of a neuron that conduct impulses towards the cell body. They pick up incoming neurotransmitters.

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3
Q

Axon

A

The segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons, muscles, or glands. It sends messages from the dendrites to the terminal buttons.

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4
Q

Cell body

A

The part of the neuron that contains the nucleus. It is near where the chemical signals are converted into electrical signals.

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5
Q

Myelin sheath

A

A fatty tissue layer that encases the axon. It increases the transmission speed of neural impulses.

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6
Q

Terminal buttons

A

Contains neurotransmitters which send messages to other neurons. The final place where the message is in the neuron before it leaves the neuron in neurotransmitters and goes to another neuron.

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7
Q

Action potential

A

This is the firing of the neuron. This goes faster when there is myelin sheath covering the axon. This happens in a single neuron when messages must be sent from neuron to neuron. The sending of messages is electrical.

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8
Q

Synaptic space/gap

A

Neurons do not touch, so the synaptic gap is the space where the neurotransmitter from one neuron’s terminal button travels to the dendrite of another neuron.

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9
Q

Threshold of excitation

A

The neuron/dendrite must pick up enough neurotransmitters in order to fire.

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10
Q

All-or-none law

A

The neuron will either fire, or it will not. Think of it like a sneeze: dust goes up your nose, and you either have enough dust to make you sneeze or you do not. When you sneeze, you will not half-sneeze. You either sneeze or you do not.

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11
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

The chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap and bind to receptor sites in the dendrites of the receiving neuron.

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12
Q

Seretonin

A

A neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.

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13
Q

Agonist

A

A molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action.

Ex. heroin, fentanyl, morphine. When a person takes these, they bind to neurotransmitter receptors very quickly and make a person temporarily feel good.

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14
Q

Antagonist

A

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

Ex. Narcan (Naloxone) binds to neurotransmitter receptors in the brain and prevents the agonist molecules from causing someone to overdose.

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15
Q

Glial cells

A

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons. They also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory. They are like worker bees for the queen bee neuron. Albert Einstein had many. They pick up excess neurotransmitters that are not used.

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16
Q

Medulla

A

Located at the base of the brain stem, it controls heartbeat and breathing.

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17
Q

Cerebellum

A

Located at the rear of the brain, it coordinates movement, balance, and procedural memory.

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18
Q

Thalamus

A

The sensory control center of the brain that directs messages to the sensory receiving areas.

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19
Q

Hypothalamus

A

Directs eating, drinking, and body temp. It also governs the endocrine system, and it is linked to emotion and reward.

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20
Q

Hippocampus

A

Processes memories of facts and events for storage.

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21
Q

Amygdala

A

Controls aggression and fear which is all linked to emotion. It activates your fight or flight response.

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22
Q

Occipital lobe

A

The lobe at the back of the brain that receives visual input.

23
Q

Temporal lobe

A

The lobe located above the ears that receives auditory input from the opposite ear.

24
Q

Parietal lobe

A

The lobe in the middle of the brain that receives input for touch and where you are in physical space.

25
Q

Frontal lobe

A

The lobe at the front of the head involved in speaking and voluntary muscle movements (walking, talking, etc). It also contributes to making plans and judgements.

26
Q

Motor cortex

A

Controls voluntary muscle movements at the rear of the frontal lobe.

27
Q

Sensory cortex

A

Registers body movement and touch at the front of the parietal lobe.

28
Q

Broca’s area

A

The part of the brain located in the frontal lobe that helps with the production of speech.

29
Q

Wernike’s area

A

The part of the brain in the temporal lobe that helps with comprehension of language.

30
Q

Limbic system

A

A neural system located mostly in the forebrain, below the cerebral hemispheres, that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus. It is associated with emotions and drives.

31
Q

Association areas

A

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

32
Q

Somatic nervous system

A

Controls skeletal muscles and “voluntary” movements

33
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A

Controls our internal muscles and glands’ involuntary actions.

34
Q

Sympathetic nervous system

A

Controls our stress response. This may be manifested in the pupils dilating, blood moving to the center of our body, sweating, heart rate increasing, upset stomach, and/or bowels being released.

35
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system

A

This is responsible for turning the stress response/sympathetic nervous system off.

35
Q

Endocrine system

A

A system of long-term communication that utilizes hormones to send messages throughout the body. A hormone is a chemical messenger.

36
Q

Pituitary gland

A

Located at the bottom of the brain, it works with the hypothalamus to tell the other glands what to do and when.

37
Q

Pineal gland

A

Located in the brain, the pineal gland produces melatonin to help control sleep patterns using light.

If there is not enough melatonin sent out, you will have a hard time sleeping and you will feel angry. If there is enough sent out, you will sleep well and wake up feeling good.

38
Q

Melatonin

A

The hormone sent out by the pineal gland that is produced more when it is dark and less when it is light. It helps control sleep patterns.

39
Q

Thyroid gland

A

Located in the neck, the thyroid gland helps convert food into energy.

If the thyroid turns food to energy too slowly, you will feel tired. If the thyroid turns food to energy too fast, you will feel anxious.

40
Q

Pancreas

A

Located near the stomach, the pancreas produces insulin and glucagon to regulate blood sugar.

You will feel more energized if you have high blood sugar, and you will feel tired and hungry if you have low blood sugar.

41
Q

Insulin

A

A hormone sent out by the pancreas that decreases blood sugar.

42
Q

Glucagon

A

A hormone sent out by the pancreas that increases blood sugar.

43
Q

Gonads

A

Located in the testes or ovaries, the gonads produce testosterone and estrogen which play a big role in human development. A large release of testosterone will cause aggression.

44
Q

Testosterone and estrogen

A

Hormones sent out by the gonads that increase aggression levels and help in human development, especially going through puberty.

45
Q

Adrenal glands

A

Located on top of the kidneys, the adrenal glands produce adrenaline and cortisol.

Cortisol makes you feel stressed, and adrenaline gives you a boost of energy in a stressful situation.

46
Q

PET scan

A

A technique for detecting brain activity that displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

47
Q

EEG

A

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

48
Q

MRI

A

A technique that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy.

49
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

The neurons are everywhere in your body besides your brain and spinal cord. Somatic, autonomic, sympathetic, parasympathetic.

50
Q

Central nervous system

A

The brain and spinal cord

51
Q

Polarized/resting state

A

The inside and outside of the axon have charged ions during the resting state. They are imbalanced when the neuron is polarized.

52
Q

Depolarized

A

This is the firing of the neuron when the ions switch going down the axon like a zipper.

Psychology (3 decks)

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