AP Pysch Ch. 2: Neuroscience and Behavior Flashcards

"Psychology", David G. Myers. 8th edition 2007. 65 vocab

123568273	biological psychology	a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior	1
123568274	neuron	a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system	2
123568275	axon	the extention of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands	3
123568276	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	4
123568277	action potential	a neural impulse; a breif electrical charge that travels down an axon	5
123568278	threshold	the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse	6
123568279	synapse	the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron	7
123568280	neurotransmitters	chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gap between neurons	8
123568283	nervous system	the body's speedy, electrochemical communication system, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems	9
123568284	central nervous system	the brain and spinal cord	10
123568285	peripheral nervous system	the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body	11
123568286	nerves	neural "cables" containing many axons	12
123568287	sensory neurons	neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system	13
123568288	interneurons	central nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs	14
123568289	motor neurons	neurons that carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands	15
123568290	somatic nervous system	the division of the perihperal nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles	16
123568291	autonomic nervous system	the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs	17
123568292	sympathetic nervous system	the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations	18
123568293	parasympathetic nervous system	the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy	19
123568294	reflex	a simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus	20
123568295	neural networks	interconnected neural cells - with experience, networks can learn	21
123568296	lesion	tissue destruction	22
123568297	(electroencephalogram) EEG	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 scalp	23
123568298	CT (computed tomography) scan	a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body	24
123568299	PET (positron emission tomography) scan	a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task	25
123568300	MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue	26
123568301	brainstem	the oldest part and central coe of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival functions	27
123568302	medulla	the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing	28
123568303	reticular activating system	a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal	29
123568304	thalamus	it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla; the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem;	30
123568305	cerebellum	the "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem; it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance	31
123568306	limbic system	a doughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions such as fear and agression and drives such as those for food and sex	32
123568307	amygdala	two almond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion	33
123568308	hypothalamus	helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion; a neural struture lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities,	34
123568309	cerebral cortex	the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center	35
123568310	glial cells	cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons	36
123568311	frontal lobe	the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; invloved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments	37
123568312	parietal lobe	the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; includes the sensory cortex	38
123568313	occipital lobe	the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes the visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field	39
123568314	temporal lobe	the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each of which receives auditory information primarily from the opposite ear	40
123568315	motor cortex	an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements	41
123568316	sensory cortex	the area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations	42
123568317	association areas	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, thinking, and speaking	43
123568318	aphasia	impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (imparing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (imparing understanding)	44
123568319	Broca's area	controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech	45
123568320	Wernicke's area	controls language reception - a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe	46
123568321	plasticity	the 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 development	47
123568322	corpus callosum	the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them	48
123568323	split brain	a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them	49
123568324	endocrine system	the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream	50
123568325	hormones	chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine system, that are produced in one tissue and affect another	51
123568326	adrenal glands	a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys that secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress	52
123568327	pituitary gland	it regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands; under the influence of the hypothalamus. It is endocrine system's most influential gland	53
123568328	Phrenology	a pseudo-sciene that studied the bumps on a person's head to determine personality	54
123573034	Refactory Period	Recharging period of the nueron, building new action potential	55
123573035	Resting Period	When neuron is charged, but waitng for new action potential	56
123573036	Acetylcholine	Neurotransmitter: Excitatory: controsl muscle crontraction; involved in memory formation (in hippocampus)	57
123573037	Dopamine	Neurotransmitter: Inhibitory: invoved in voluntary muscle movements, learning memory and emotional arousal	58
123573038	Serotonin	Neurotransmitter. Inhibitory: Involved in emotional states, sexual behavior, pain perception, and sleep	59
123573039	Endorphins	Neurotransmitter. Inhibitory: invoved in pain perception and positive emotions, opiatelike	60
123573040	Norepinephrine	Neurotransmitter: Exictatory: invoved in increasing heartbeat, arousal, learning, memory, and eating	61
123573041	GABA (gamma aminobutyric)	Neurotransmitter: Inhibitory: associated with allergies	62
123573042	Psychosurgery	Destruction of brain tissue for the purpose of treating mental disorders	63
123573043	Lobotomy	Destruction of brain tissue done on purpose in surgery	64
123573045	Neuroimaging	using technology to study the brain, such as CAT or MRI scans	65