question

Action Potential

answer

Electrical signal that moves down the neuron's axon

question

Adrenal Glands

answer

SIDS stop our kidneys and secretes hormones involved in the stress response

question

Agonist

answer

Drug that mimics or strengthens the effects of a neuotransmitter

question

All-or-none-

answer

Phenomenon that incoming signal from another neuron is either sufficient or insufficient to reach the threshold of excitation

question

Allele

answer

Specific version of a gene

question

Amygdala

answer

Structure in the limbic system involved in our experience of emotion and tying emotional meaning to our memories

question

Antagonist

answer

Drug that blocks or impedes the normal activity of a given neurotransmitter

question

Auditory Cortex

answer

Strip of cortex in the temporal lobe that is responsible for processing auditory

question

Autonomic nervous system

answer

Controls our internal organs and glands

question

Axon

answer

Major extension of the soma

question

Biological Perspective

answer

View that psychological disorders like depression and schizophrenia are associated with imbalances in one or more neurotransmitters systems

question

Broca's area

answer

Region in the left hemisphere that is essential for language production

question

Central Nervous System

answer

Brain and Spinal Cord

question

Cerebellum

answer

Hindbrain structure that controls our balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills, and it is thought to be important in the processing some types of memories

question

Cerebral Cortex

answer

Surface of the brain that is associated with our highest mental capabilities

question

Chromosome

answer

long strand of genetic information

question

Computerized tomography (CT) scan

answer

Imaging technique in which a computer coordinates and integrates multiple x-rays of a given area

question

Corpus Callosum

answer

Thick band of neaual fibers connecting the brain's two hemispheres

question

Dendrite

answer

Branch-like extension of the soma that receives incoming signals from other neurons

question

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

answer

Helix-shaped molecule made of nucleotide base pairs

question

Diabetes

answer

Disease related to insufficient insulin production

question

Dominant allele

answer

allele whose phenotype will be expressed in an individual that possesses that allele

question

Electroencephalograhy

answer

recording the electoral activity of the brain via electrodes on the scalp

question

Endocrine system

answer

Series of glands that produce chemical substance known as hormones

question

Epigenetics

answer

Study of gene-environment interactions, such as how the same genotype leads to different phenotypes.

question

Fight or flight response

answer

Activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, allowing access to engird reserves and heightened sensory capacity so that we might fight off a given threat or run away to safety

question

Forebrain

answer

Largest part of the brain, containing the cerebral cortex, the thalamus, and the limbic system, among other structures

question

Fraternal twins

answer

Twins who develop form two different eggs fertilized by different sperm, so their genetic material varies that same as in non-twin siblings

question

Frontal lobe

answer

Part of the cerebral cortex involved in reasoning, motor control, emotion, and language; contains motor cortex

question

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

answer

MRI that shows changes in metabolic activity over time

question

Gene

answer

sequence of DNA that controls or partially controls physical characteristics

question

Genetic Environment Correlation

answer

View of gene- environmental interaction that asserts our genes affect our environment, and our environment influences the expression of our genes

question

Genotype

answer

Genetic makeup of an individual

question

Glial cell

answer

Nervous system cell that provides physical and metabolic support to neurons, including neuronal insulation and communication, and nutrient and waste transport

question

Gonad

answer

Secretes sexual hormones, which are important for successful reproduction, and mediate both sexual motivation and behavior

question

Gyrus

answer

Bump or ridge on the cerebral cortex

question

Hemisphere

answer

Left or right half of the brain

question

Heterozygous

answer

Consisting of two different alleles

question

Hindbrain

answer

Division of the brain containing medulla, pons, and cerebellum

question

Hippocampus

answer

Structure in the temporal lobe associated with learning and memory

question

Homeostasis

answer

State of equilibrium-- biological conditions, such as body temperature, are maintained at optimal level

question

Hormone

answer

Chemical messenger released by endocrine glands

question

Homozygous

answer

consisting of two identical allele

question

Hypothalamus

answer

Forebrain structure that regulates sexual motivation and behavior and a number of homeostatic processes; serves as an interface between the nervous system and the endocrine system

question

Identical twins

answer

twins that develop from the same sperm and egg

question

Lateralization

answer

Concept that each hemisphere of the brain is associated with specialized functions

question

Limbic system

answer

Collection of structures involved in processing emotion and memory

question

Longitudinal fissure

answer

Deep groove in the brain's cortex

question

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

answer

Magnetic fields used to produce a picture of the tissue being imaged

question

Medulla

answer

Hindbrain structure that controls automated processes like breathing, blood pressure and heart rate

question

Membrane potential

answer

Differences in change across the neuronal membrane

question

Midbrain

answer

division of the brain located between the forebrain and the hindbrain; contains the reticular formation

question

motor cortex

answer

strip of cortex involved in planning and coordinating movement

question

Mutation

answer

sudden, permanent change in a gene

question

Myelin Sheath

answer

Fatty substance that insulates axons

question

Neuron

answer

Cells in the nervous system that act as interconnected information processors, which are essential for all of the tasks of the nervous system

question

Neurotransmitter

answer

chemical messenger of the nervous system

question

Occipital lobe

answer

part of the cerebral cortex associated with visual processing; contains the primary visual cortex

question

Pancreas

answer

secretes hormones that regulate blood sugar

question

Parasympathetic nervous system

answer

associated with routine, day-to-day operations of the body

question

Parietal lobe

answer

part of the cerebral cortex involved in processing various sensory and perceptual information; contains the primary somatosensory cortex

question

Peripheral nervous system

answer

connects the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, organs and senses in the periphery of the body

question

Phenotype

answer

individual's inheritable physical characteristics

question

Pituitary gland

answer

Secretes a number of key hormones, which regulate fluid levels in the body, and a number of messenger hormones, which direct the activity of other glands ninth endocrine system

question

Polygenic

answer

Multiple genes affecting a given trait

question

Pons

answer

Hindbrain structure that connects the brain and spinal cord; involved in regulating brain activity during sleep

question

positron emission tomography (PET) Scan

answer

involves injecting individuals with a mildly radioactive substance and monitoring changes in blood flow to different regions of the brain

question

Prefrontal cortex

answer

area in the frontal lobe responsible for higher-level cognitive functioning

question

Psychotropic medication

answer

drugs that treat psychiatric symptoms by restoring neurotransmitter balance

question

Range of reaction

answer

Asserts our genes set the boundaries within which we can operate, and our environment interacts with the genes to determine where in that range we will fall.

question

Receptor

answer

Protein on the cell surface where neurotransmitters attach

question

Recessive allele

answer

allele whose phenotype will be expressed only if an individual is homozygous for that allele

question

Resting potential

answer

The state of readiness of the neuron membrane's potential between signals

question

Reticular formation

answer

midbrain structure important in regulating the sleep/wake cycle, arousal, alertness, and motor activity

question

Reuptake

answer

Neurotransmitter is pumped back into the neuron that released it

question

Semipermeable membrane

answer

Cell membrane that allows smaller molecules or molecules without an electrical change to pass through it, while stopping larger or highly charged molecules

question

soma

answer

cell body

question

somatic nervous system

answer

relays sentry and motor information to and from the CNS

question

Somatosensory Cortex

answer

Essential for processing sensory information from across the body, such as touch, temperature, and pain

question

Substantia nigra

answer

Midbrain structure where dopamine is produced; involved in control of movement

question

Sulcus

answer

depressions or grooves in the cerebral cortex

question

Sympathetic nervous system

answer

Involved in stress-related activities and functions

question

Synapse

answer

Small gap between two neurons where communication occurs

question

Synaptic vesicle

answer

storgage site for neurotransmitters

question

Temporal lobe

answer

part of cerebral cortex associated with hearing, memory, emotion, and some aspects of language; contains primary auditory cortex

question

Thalamus

answer

Sensory relay for the brain

question

Theory of evolution by natural selection

answer

states that organisms that are better suited for their environments will survive and reproduce compared to those that are poorly suited for their environment

question

Threshold of excitation

answer

level of charge in the membrane that causes the neuron to become active

question

Thyroid

answer

secretes hormones that regulate growth, metabolism, and appetite

question

Ventral tegmental area (VTA)

answer

Midbrain structure where dopamine is produced; associated with mood, reward, and addiction

question

Wernicke's area

answer

important for speech comprehension

question

Mutation

answer

A(n) __________ is a sudden, permanent change in a sequence of DNA.

question

Genotype; phenotype

answer

_________ refers to a person's genetic makeup while _____ refers to a person's physical characteristics.

question

Epigenetic's

answer

____________ is the field of study that focuses on genes and their expression

question

23

answer

Humans have ________ pairs of chromosomes

question

Dendrites

answer

The _______ receives incoming signals from other neurons

question

Agonist

answer

A(n) _______ facilitate or mimics the activity of a given neurotransmitter system

question

Myelin sheath

answer

Multiple sclerosis involves a breakdown of the

question

Inside; outside

answer

An action potential involves Na+ moving ______ the cell and K+ moving ___________ the cell.

question

Somatic

answer

Our ability to make our legs move as we walk across the room is controlled by the

question

Parasympathetic nervous system

answer

If your ______ is activated, you will feel relatively at ease.

question

Brain and spinal cord

answer

The central nervous system is comprised of __________

question

Pupil dilation and increased heart rate

answer

Sampathetic activation is associated with

question

Thalamus

answer

The ________ is a sensory relay station where all sensory information, except for smell, goes before being sent to other areas of the brain for further processing

question

Wernicke's Area

answer

Damage to the _______ disrupts one's ability to comprehend language, but it leaves one's ability to produce words intact.

question

MRI

answer

A(n) _______ uses magnetic fields to create pictures of a given tissue.

question

Substantia nigra

answer

Which of the following is not a structure of the forebrain?

question

Glucagon and insulin

answer

The two major hormones secreted from the pancreas are:

question

Pituitary

answer

The _________ secretes messenger hormones that direct the function of the rest of the endocrine glands

question

Adrenal

answer

The _________ gland secretes epinephrine

question

Pituitary

answer

The ______ secretes hormones that regulate the body's fluid levels.

Intro to Psychology Chapter 3 – Flashcards

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