Vocab Ch 3 Flashcards
Central nervous system (CNS)
The brain and the spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system
All nerve cells in the body that are not part of the central nervous system. The peripheral nervous system includes the somatic and autonomic nervous system.
Neurons
The basic units of the nervous system; cells that receive, integrate, and transmit information in the nervous system. They operate through electrical impulses, communicate with other neurons through chemical signals, and form neural networks.
Dendrites
Branchlike extensions of the neurons that detect information from other neurons.
Cell body
The site in the neurons where information from thousands of other neurons is collected and integrated.
Axon
A long, narrow outgrowth of a neuron by which information is conducted from the cell body to the terminal buttons.
Terminal buttons
At the ends of a one, small modules that release chemical signals from the neurons into the synapse.
Synapse
The gap between the terminal buttons of a “sending” neuron and the dendrites of a “receiving” neuron; the site at which chemical communication occurs between neurons.
Action potential
The electrical signal that passes along the axon and subsequently causes the release of chemicals from the terminal buttons.
Testing membrane potential
The electrical charge of a neuron when it is not active.
Myelin sheath
A fatty material, made up of glial cells, that insulates some axons to allow for faster movement of electrical impulses along the axon.
Nodes of Ranvier
Small gaps of exposed axon, between the segments of myelin sheath, where action potentials take place.
All-or-none principle
The principles that when a neuron fires it fires with the same potency each time; a neuron either fires or not- it cannot partially fire, although the frequency of firing can vary
Neurotransmitters
Chemical substances that transmit signals from one neuron to another.
Receptors
In neurons, specialized proteins molecules on the postsynaptic membrane; neurotransmitters bind to these molecules after passing across the synapse.
Reuptake
The process whereby a neurotransmitter is taken back into the presynaptic terminal buttons, thereby stopping its activity
Acetylcholine (ACH)
The neurotransmitter responsible for motor control at the junction between nerves and muscles; it is also involved in mental processes such as learning, memory, sleeping, and dreaming.
Norepinephrine
A monoamine neurotransmitter involved in states of arousal and attention
Seratonin
A monoamine neurotransmitter important for a wide range of psychological activity, including emotional states, impulse control, and dreaming.
Dopamine
A monoamine neurotransmitter involves in motivation, reward, and motor control over voluntary movement.
GABA
Gamma-aminobutyric acid: the primary inhibitory transmitter in the nervous system.
Glutamate
the primary exitatory transmitter in the nervous system
endorphins
neurotransmitters involved in natural pain reduction and reward
Broca’s area
a small portion of the left frontal region of the brain, crucial for the production of language
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
a device that measures electrical activity in the brain
positive emission tomography (PET)
a method of brain imaging that assesses metabolic activity by using a radioactive substance injected into the bloodstream
Magnetic resonance imaging
a method of brain imaging that uses a powerful magnetic field to produce high-quality images of the brain
functional magnetic resonance imaging FMRI
an imaging technique used to examine changes i the activity of the working human brain by measuring the changes in the blood oxygen levels
transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
the use of strong magnets to briefly interrupt normal brain activity as a way to study brain regions
brain stem
an extension of the spinal cord; it houses structures that control functions associated with survival, such as heart rate, breathing ,swallowing, vomiting, urination, and orgasm
cerebellum
a large, convoluted protuberance in the back of the brain stem; it is essential coordinated movement and balance
thalamus
the gateway to the brain; it receives almost all incoming sensory information before the information reaches the cortex
hypothalamus
a brain structure that is involved in the regulation of bodily functions, rhythms, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels; it also influences our basic motivated behaviors.
amygdala
a brain structure that serves a vital role in learning to associate things with emotional response and in processing emotional information
basal ganglia
a system of subcortical structures that are important for the planning and production of movement
cerebral cortex
the outer layer of brain tissue, which forms the convoluted surface of the brain; the site of all thoughts, perceptions, and complex behaviors
corpus callosum
a massive bridge of millions of axons that connects the hemispheres and allows information to flow between them
occipital lobes
regions of the cerebral cortex- at the back of the brain- important for vision
parietal lobes
regions of the cerebral cortex- in front of the occipital lobes and behind the frontal lobes- important for the sense of touch and for attention to the environment.
temporal lobes
regions of the cerebral cortex-below the parietal lobes and in front of the occipital lobes-important for processing auditory information, for memory, and for object and face perception.
prefrontal cortex
the frontmost portion of the frontal lobes, especially prominent in humans; important for attention, working memory, decision making, appropriate social behavior, and personality.
split brain
a condition that occurs when the corpus callous is surgically cut and the two hemispheres of the brain do not receive information directly from each other
somatic nervous system SNS
a component of the peripheral nervous system; it transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the central nervous system and the skin, muscles, and joints.
Autonomic Nervous System ANS
a component of the peripheral nervous system; it transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the central nervous system and the body’s glands and internal organs.
sympathetic division
a division of the autonomic nervous system; it prepares the body for action
endocrine system
a communication system that uses hormones to influence thoughts, behaviors, and actions.,
hormones
chemical substances, released from endocrine glands, that travel through the bloodstream to targeted tissues; the tissues are subsequently influenced by the hormones.
pituitary gland
a gland located at the base of the hypothalamus’ it sends hormonal signals to other endocrine glands, controlling their release of hormones.
gonads
the main endocrine glands involved in sexual behavior: in males, the testes; in females the ovaries.
plasticity
a property of the brain that allows it to change as a result of experience or injury.
genes
the units of heredity that help determine the characteristics of an organism
gene expression
whether a particular gene is turned on or off
chromosomes
structures within the cell body that are made up of DNA, segments of which comprise individual genes.
dominant gene
a gene that is expressed in the offspring whenever it is present
recessive gene
a gene that is expressed only when it is matched with similar gene from the other parent plant.
genotype
the genetic constitution of an organism, determined at the moment of conception.
phenotype
observable physical characteristics from both genetic and environmental influences
monozygotic twins
also called identical twins; twin siblings that result from one zygote splitting in two and therefore share the same genes.
dizygotic twins
also called fraternal twins; twin siblings that result from two separately fertilized eggs and therefore are no more similar than non twin siblings.
heredity
transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring through genes.
heritability
a statistical estimate of the extent to which variation in a train within a population is due to genetics.
