Chapter 3: The Biological Bases of Behavior (69 terms)
pages 72-117;
Transcribed by alexwyllie
Terms : Hide Images
| 936383402 | Neurons | Individual cells in the nervous system that receive, integrate, and transmit information. | 0 | |
| 936383403 | Soma | The cell body, contains the cell nucleus and much of the chemical machinery common to most cells. | 1 | |
| 936383404 | Dendrites | The parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information. | 2 | |
| 936383405 | Axon | A long, thin fiber that transmits signals away from the soma to other neurons or to muscles or glands. | 3 | |
| 936383406 | Myelin sheath | Insulating material that encases some axons. | 4 | |
| 936383407 | Terminal buttons | Small knobs that secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters. | 5 | |
| 936383408 | Synapse | A junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to another. | 6 | |
| 936383409 | Resting potential | A neuron's stable, negative charge when the cell is inactive. | 7 | |
| 936383410 | Action potential | A brief shift in a neuron's electrical charge that travels along an axon. | 8 | |
| 936383411 | Absolute refractory period | The minimum length of time after an action potential during which another action potential cannot begin. | 9 | |
| 936383412 | Synaptic cleft | A microscopic gap between the terminal button of one neuron and the cell membrane of another neuron. | 10 | |
| 936383413 | Neurotransmitters | Chemicals that transmit information from one neuron to another. | 11 | |
| 936383414 | Postsynaptic potential (PSP) | A voltage change at a receptor site on a postsynaptic cell membrane. | 12 | |
| 936383415 | Excitatory PSP | A positive voltage shift that increases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will fire action potentials. | 13 | |
| 936383416 | Inhibitory PSP | A negative voltage shift that decreases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will fire action potentials. | 14 | |
| 936383417 | Reuptake | A process in which neurotransmitters are sponged up from the synaptic cleft by the presynaptic membrane. | 15 | |
| 936383418 | Agonist | A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter. | 16 | |
| 936383419 | Antagonist | A chemical that opposes the action of a neurotransmitter. | 17 | |
| 936383420 | Endorphins | Internally produced chemicals that resemble opiates in structure and effects. | 18 | |
| 936383421 | Peripheral nervous system | All the nerves that lie outside the brain and the spinal cord. | 19 | |
| 936383422 | Nerves | Bundles of neuron fibers (axons) that are routed together in the peripheral nervous system. | 20 | |
| 936383423 | Somatic nervous system | Nerves that connect to voluntary skeletal muscles and to sensory receptors. | 21 | |
| 936383424 | Afferent nerve fibers | Axons that carry information inward to the central nervous system from the periphery of the body. | 22 | |
| 936383425 | Efferent nerve fibers | Axons that carry information outward from the central nervous system to the periphery of the body. | 23 | |
| 936396766 | Autonomic nervous system (ANS) | Nerves that connect to the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles, and glands. | 24 | |
| 936396767 | Sympathetic division | The branch of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the body's resources for emergencies. | 25 | |
| 936396768 | Parasympathetic division | The branch of the autonomic nervous system that generally conserves bodily resources. | 26 | |
| 936396769 | Central nervous system (CNS) | The brain and the spinal cord. | 27 | |
| 936396770 | Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) | Nourishes the brain and provides a protective cushion for it. | 28 | |
| 936383426 | Electroencephalograph (EEG) | A device that monitors the electrical activity of the brain over time by means of recording electrodes attached to the surface of the scalp. | 29 | |
| 936383427 | Lesioning | Destroying a part of the brain. | 30 | |
| 936407697 | Electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) | Sending a weak electrical current into a brain structure to stimulate (activate) it. | 31 | |
| 936383428 | Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) | A new technique that permits scientists to temporarily enhance or depress activity in a specific area of the brain. | 32 | |
| 936383429 | Hindbrain | The cerebellum and two structures found in the lower part of the brainstem: the medulla and the pons. | 33 | |
| 936383430 | Midbrain | The segment of the brainstem that lies between the hindbrain and the forebrain. | 34 | |
| 936383431 | Forebrain | The largest and most complex region of the brain, encompassing a variety of structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum. | 35 | |
| 936383432 | Thalamus | A structure in the forebrain through which all sensory information (except smell) must pass to get to the cerebral cortex. | 36 | |
| 936383433 | Hypothalamus | A structure found near the base of the forebrain that is involved in the regulation of basic biological needs. | 37 | |
| 936383434 | Limbic system | A loosely connected network of structures located roughly along the border between the cerebral cortex and deeper subcortical areas. | 38 | |
| 936383435 | Cerebral cortex | The convoluted outer layer of the cerebrum. | 39 | |
| 936383436 | Cerebral hemispheres | The right and left halves of the cerebrum. | 40 | |
| 936383437 | Corpus callosum | The structure that connects the two cerebral hemispheres. | 41 | |
| 936383438 | Split-brain surgery | The bundle of fibers that connects the cerebral hemispheres (the corpus callosum) is cut to reduce the severity of epileptic seizures. | 42 | |
| 936383439 | Perceptual asymmetries | left-right imbalances between the cerebral hemispheres in the speed of visual or auditory processing. | 43 | |
| 936383440 | Endocrine system | Glands that secrete chemicals into the bloodstream that help control bodily functioning. | 44 | |
| 936383441 | Hormones | The chemical substances released by the endocrine glands. | 45 | |
| 936426038 | Pituitary gland | A gland that releases a great variety of hormones that fan out around the body, stimulating actions in the other endocrine glands. | 46 | |
| 936383442 | Behavioral genetics | An interdisciplinary field that studies the influence of genetic factors on behavioral traits. | 47 | |
| 936383443 | Chromosones | Strands of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules that carry genetic information. | 48 | |
| 936383444 | Zygote | A single cell formed by the union of a sperm and an egg. | 49 | |
| 936383445 | Genes | DNA segments that serve as the key functional units in hereditary transmission. | 50 | |
| 936383446 | Homozygous condition | The two genes in a specific pair are the same. | 51 | |
| 936383447 | Heterozygous condition | The two genes in a specific pair are different. | 52 | |
| 936383448 | Dominant gene | The gene that is expressed when paired genes are different. | 53 | |
| 936383449 | Recessive gene | The gene that is masked when paired genes are different. | 54 | |
| 936383450 | Genotype | A person's genetic makeup. | 55 | |
| 936383451 | Phenotype | The ways in which a person's genotype is manifested in observable characteristics. | 56 | |
| 936383452 | Polygenic traits | Characteristics that are influenced by more than one pair of genes. | 57 | |
| 936383453 | Family studies | Studies in which researchers assess hereditary influence by examining blood relatives to see how much they resemble one another on a specific trait. | 58 | |
| 936383454 | Twin studies | Studies in which researchers assess hereditary influence by comparing the resemblance of identical twins and fraternal twins with respect to a trait. | 59 | |
| 936383455 | Identical (monozygotic) twins | Twins that emerge from one zygote that splits for unknown reasons. | 60 | |
| 936383456 | Fraternal (dizygotic) twins | Twins that result when two eggs are fertilized simultaneously by different sperm cells, forming two separate zygotes. | 61 | |
| 936383457 | Adoption studies | Studies that assess hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological parents and their adoptive parents. | 62 | |
| 936383458 | Genetic mapping | The process of determining the location and chemical sequence of specific genes on specific chromosomes. | 63 | |
| 936383459 | Fitness | The reproductive success (number of descendants) of an individual organism relative to the average reproductive success in the population. | 64 | |
| 936421028 | Natural selection | Heritable characteristics that provide a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely than alternative characteristics to be passed on to subsequent generations and thus come to be "selected" over time. | 65 | |
| 936383460 | Adaption | An inherited characteristic that increased in a population (through natural selection) because it helped solve a problem of survival or reproduction during the time it emerged. | 66 | |
| 936383461 | Inclusive fitness | The sum of an individual's own reproductive success plus the effects the organism has on the reproductive success of related others. | 67 | |
| 936383462 | Critical period | A limited time span in the development of an organism when it is optimal for certain capacities to emerge because the organism is especially responsive to certain experiences. | 68 |
