Module 3

227511364	Biological Psychology	A branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior.
227511365	Neuron	a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
227511366	Dendrite	the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
227511367	Axon	the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
227511368	Myelin Sheath	a 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
227511369	Action Potential	a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
227511370	Threshold	the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
227511371	Synapse	the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
227511372	Neurotransmitters	chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons
227511373	Acetylcholine	a neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction
227511374	Endorphins	"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.
227511375	Nervous System	the body's speedy, electrochemical communication system, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
227511376	Central Nervous system	The brain and spinal cord
227511377	Nerves	neural "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 organs
227511378	peripheral nervous system	the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
227511379	sensory neurons	neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system
227511380	interneurons	Central nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
227511381	motor neurons	neurons that carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands.
227511382	Somatic nervous system	the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system
227511383	autonomic nervous system	The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.
227511384	sympathetic nervous system	the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
227511385	parasympathetic nervous system	the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
227511386	reflex	a simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
227511387	neural networks	interconnected neural cells
227511388	Pituitary gland	the endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
227511389	Adrenal glands	a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. the adrenals secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress.
227511390	hormones	Chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another.
227511391	endocrine system	the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream