Myers for AP Psychology Unit 3A Flashcards

10953239575	biological psychology	a branch of psychology that studies the links between biological (including neuroscience and behavior genetics) and psychological processes	0
10953239576	neuron	a nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system	1
10953239577	dendrite	the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body	2
10953239578	axon	long nerve fiber that conducts from the cell body of the neuron	3
10953239579	myelin sheath	a layer of fatty tissue encasing a neuron's axon that speeds transmission	4
10953239580	axon terminal (aka terminal branches)	terminal branch of an axon where neurotransmitters are stored	5
10953239581	action potential	a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon	6
10953239582	refractory period	the time after a neuron fires or a muscle fiber contracts during which a stimulus will not evoke a response	7
10953239583	threshold	the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse	8
10953239584	synaptic gap/synapse	space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite receptors of the next neuron	9
10953239585	all-or-none principal	law that neuron either generates an action..or nothing happens at all. Nothing in-between.	10
10953239586	neurotransmitter	chemical used by a neuron to transmit an impluse across a synapse to another cell	11
10953239587	excitatory effect	a neurotransmitter effect that makes it more likely that the receiving neuron will generate an action potential, or "fire"	12
10953239588	inhibitory effect	a neurotransmitter effect that makes it less likely that a receiving neuron will generate an action potential or "fire"	13
10953239589	antagonist	a chemical which blocks the activity of neurotransmitter	14
10953239590	agonist	a chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter	15
10953239591	endorphins	natural pain killer; morphine is an agonist	16
10953239592	acetycholine	a neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction; curare is an antagonist, black widow venom is an agonist	17
10953239593	dopamine	a neurotransmitter associated with movement, attention and learning and the brain's pleasure and reward system; too little --->Parkinson's; too much----> schizophrenia	18
10953239594	serotonin	neurotransmitter that affects sleep, arousal, mood, appetite; lack of it is linked with depression; prozac is an agonist	19
10953239595	gaba	inhibitory neurotransmitter, keeps your brain under control, usually associated with anxiety; lack of it is linked with seizures	20
10953239596	glutamate	excitatory neurotransmitter; can cause overstimulation of the brain, producing migraines or seizures; too much is linked with seizures	21
10953239597	SSRI	selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors	22
10953239598	central nervous system	the brain and spinal cord	23
10953239599	peripheral nervous system	the section of the nervous system lying outside the brain and spinal cord	24
10953239600	somatic nervous system	the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles	25
10953239601	autonomic nervous system	the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs	26
10953239602	sympathetic division (sympathetic N.S)	the part of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body to deal with perceived threats	27
10953239603	parasympathetic division (Parasympathetic N.S.)	the part of the autonomic nervous system that maintains normal body functions; it calms the body ever conserves energy	28
10953239604	endocrine system	glands that secrete hormones	29
10953239605	pituitary gland	the "master gland" of the endocrine system; it releases a great variety of hormones through out the body	30
10953239606	hormone	chemical substance secreted by endocrine glands that affect body processes	31
10953239607	reuptake	a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron	32
10953239608	nerves	bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs	33
10953239609	nervous system	the body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems.	34
10953239610	reflex	automatic responses to stimuli	35
10953239611	adrenal glands	glands on the top of the kidneys that release epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) - in our fight or flight response.	36
10953239612	sensory neurons	neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.	37
10953239613	motor neurons	neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.	38
10953239614	interneurons	neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs	39