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AP Psychology: Neuroscience Flashcards

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9910575429phrenologythe study of how bumps on the skull can reveal our mental abilities and our character traits0
9910575430neurona nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system1
9910575431dendritethe bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body2
9910575432axonthe extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands3
9910575433myelin sheatha layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next; its degeneration causes multiple sclerosis4
9910575434action potentiala neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon; generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels the axon's membrane5
9910575435refractory perioda resting pause in which the neuron pumps the positively charged sodium ions back outside6
9910575436thresholdthe level of simulation required to trigger a neural impulse7
9910575437all or none principlethe response in which a neural impulse is triggered or it isn't; increasing the stimulus above the threshold will not increase the action potential's intensity8
9910575438synapsethe gap between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron9
9910575439neurotransmitterschemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons; when released by the sending neuron, they travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receding neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse10
9910575440reuptakeprocess in which excess neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the sending neuron11
9910575441acetylcholinea neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction; neurotransmitter associated with attention, arousal, muscle action/movement, and memory Associated problems: Alzheimer's12
9910575442endorphins"morphine within" - natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure13
9910575443nervous systemthe body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems14
9910575444central (nervous system)this system is made up of the brain and spinal chord15
9910575445peripheral (nervous system)this system is made up of the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body16
9910575446nervesneural "cables" containing many axons; these bundled axons, which are part of the peripheral nervous system, connect the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs17
9910575447sensory neuronsneurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system18
9910575448motor neuronsneurons that carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands19
9910575449interneuronscentral nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs20
9910575450somatic (nervous system)the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles21
9910575451autonomic (nervous system)the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs22
9910575452sympathetic (nervous system)the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations23
9910575453reflexa simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response24
9910575454neural networksinterconnected neural cells; with experience, they can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results25
9910575455endocrine systemthe body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood system26
9910575456hormoneschemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another27
9910575457adrenal glandsa pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys; they secrete the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, which help to arouse the body in times of stress28
9910575458pituitary glandthe endocrine system's most influential gland ("master gland"); under the influence of the hypothalamus, it regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands29
9910575459EEG (electroencephalogram)an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface; these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp30
9910575460PET scana visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task31
9910575461MRIa technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain32
9910575462fMRIa technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans; MRI scans show brain anatomy and these show brain function33
9910575463brainstemthe oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival function34
9910575464medullathe base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing35
9910575465ponspart of the brainstem that sits above the medulla; it helps coordinate movements36
9910575466reticular formationa nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal37
9910575467thalamusthe brain's sensory switchboard, 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; transmits messages regarding seeing, hearing, tasting, and touching (not smell)38
9910575468cerebellumthe "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem; its functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance; processes implicit memory39
9910575469limbic systema donut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotion such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex; includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus40
9910575470amygdalatwo lima bean-sized neural dusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion, mainly aggression and fear41
9910575471hypothalamusa neural structure lying below the thalamus it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion42
9910575472cerebral cortexthe intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center43
9910575473glial cellscells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons44
9910575474frontal lobethe portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments45
9910575475parietal lobethe portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position46
9910575476occipital lobethe portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes the visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field47
9910575477temporal lobethe portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each of which receives auditory information primarily from the opposite ear48
9910575478motor cortexthe area at the rear of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movements49
9910575479sensory cortexthe area at the front of the parietal lobe that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations50
9910575480association areasareas 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, thinking, and speaking51
9910575481aphasiaimpairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding)52
9910575482Broca's areacontrols language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech53
9910575483Wernicke's areacontrols language reception - a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe54
9910575484angular gyrusinvolved with reading aloud; it receives the visual information from the visual area and recodes it into the auditory form, which Wernicke's area uses to derive its meaning55
9910575485plasticitythe brain's capacity for modification, as evident in brain reorganization following damage (especially in children) and in experiments on the effects of experience on brain development56
9910575486corpus callosumthe large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them57
9910575487split braina condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them58
9910575488dopamineneurotransmitter associated with mood/emotion, arousal, and learning; associated closely with the brain's pleasure and reward system Associated problems: Parkinson's, schizophrenia, cocaine, amphetamines59
9910575489norepinephrineneurotransmitter associated with mood, arousal, and learning; helps control alertness and arousal Associated problems: depression, high blood pressure60
9910575490serotoninneurotransmitter associated with sleep, hunger, aggression, and arousal Associated problems: depression, anxiety, inhibit dreaming, OCD61
9910575491GABAneurotransmitter associated with sleep and movement; has a *inhibitory* effect on axons Associated problems: anxiety, Huntington's, epilepsy62
9910575492Roger SperryThis psychologist is known for developing surgery designed to treat epileptics by severing the corpus callosum. He contributed greatly to understanding the lateralization of brain function.63
9910575493Computed Tomography (CT) scan3D X-ray, sees hard tissue damage64
9910575494Association areasAny area not associated with receiving sensory information or coordinating muscle movements65
9910575495Cerebral CortexMade up of 4 lobes: Frontal Lobe, Parietal Lobe, Motor Cortex, and Sensory Cortex66
9910575496Limbic systemHypothalamus, Hippocampus, amygdala •Bodily Functions, emotions, memory67
9910575497Hind brainStructure on top of spinal cord •controls basic biological structures68
9910575498ForebrainWhat makes us human, largest part of brain69
9910575499NeurogenesisCreation of new nerves70

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