AP Psychology – Brain/Biology – Flashcards
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biological psychology
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a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior
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neuron
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a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
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dendrite
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the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
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axon
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the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
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myelin
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a fatty substance that helps insulate neurons and speeds the transmission of nerve impulses
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action potential
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a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
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threshold
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the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
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synapses
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tiny gaps between dentrites and axons of different neurons
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neurotransmitters
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chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons
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acetycholine
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neurotransmitter associated with voluntary movement, sleep and wakefulness. Too little is associated with Alzheimer's
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endorphins
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natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure
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nervous system
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the body's speedy, electrochemical communication system, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
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central nervous system
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brain and spinal cord
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peripheral nervous system
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the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
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nerves
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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
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sensory neurons
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neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system
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interneurons
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Central nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
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motor neurons
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neurons that carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands
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somatic nervous system
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the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles
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autonomic nervous system
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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.
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sympathetic nervous system
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the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
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parasympathetic nervous system
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the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
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reflex
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a simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
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neural networks
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interconnected neural cells. With experience, networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results. Computer simulations of neural networks show analogous learning.
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refractory period
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(neurology) the time after a neuron fires or a muscle fiber contracts during which a stimulus will not evoke a response
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resting potential
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electrical charge across the cell membrane of a resting neuron
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lesions
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precise destruction of brain tissue
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electroencephalogram
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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.
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CT scan
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a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body.
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PET
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using a computerized radiographic technique to examine the metabolic activity in various tissues (especially in the brain)
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MRI
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a 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 brain
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brainstem
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The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions
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medulla
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the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
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reticular formation
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a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
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thalamus
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the 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
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cerebellum
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the "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem; it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance
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limbic system
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a doughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex. Includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus.
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amygdala
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two almond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion
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hypothalamus
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a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion
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cerebral cortex
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the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center
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glial cells
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cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
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frontal lobes
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the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
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parietal lobes
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the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position
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occipital lobes
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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
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temporal lobes
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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
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motor cortex
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an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
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sensory cortex
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the area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
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association areas
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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
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aphasia
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impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to wernicke's area (impairing understanding)
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Broca's area
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controls language expression-an aread of the frontal, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
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Wernicke's area
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controls language reception-a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression;usually in the left temporal lobe
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plasticity
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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
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corpus callosum
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the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
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split brain
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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
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endocrine system
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the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
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hormones
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chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another
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adrenal glands
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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.
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pituitary gland
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the endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
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cerebrum
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area of the brain responsible for all voluntary activities of the body
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hippocampus
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a neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage
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homeostasis
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process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment
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inhibitory inputs
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Information entering a neuron signaling it not to fire.
