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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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dendrites

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neuron extensions that receive messages and conduct them toward the cell body

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axon

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neuron extension that sends messages to other neurons or cells

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neuron

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a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

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action potential

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a nerve impulse

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synapse

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junction between the axon tip of a sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of a receiving neuron

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threshold

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level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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all-or-none response

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a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing

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neurotransmitters

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neuron-produced chemicals that cross synapses to carry messages to other neurons or cells

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opiate

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chemical, such as opium, morphine, and heroin, that depresses neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

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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 network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems

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central nervous system (CNS)

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the brain and spinal cord

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peripheral nervous system (PNS)

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the sensory and motor neurons connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body

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nerves

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bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

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sensory neuron

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neuron that carries incoming information from the sensory receptors to the central nervous system

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motor neuron

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neuron that carries outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands

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interneuron

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neuron that processes information between sensory inputs and motor outputs

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somatic nervous system

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peripheral nervous system division controlling the body's skeletal muscles (aka skeletal nervous system)

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autonomic nervous system

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peripheral nervous system division controlling the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart)

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sympathetic nervous system

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autonomic nervous system subdivision that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

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parasympathetic nervous system

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autonomic nervous system subdivision that calms the body, conserving its energy

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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 messages that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

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adrenal glands

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pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones(epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress

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pituitary gland

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most influential endocrine gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

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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; 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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thalamus

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area at the top of the brainstem; directs sensory messages to the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

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reticular formation

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nerve network running through the brainstem and thalamus; plays an important role in controlling arousal

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cerebellum

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the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance

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limbic system

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neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

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amygdala

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two Lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

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hypothalamus

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a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities (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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thin layer of interconnected neurons covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center

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frontal lobes

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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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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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portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

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temporal lobes

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portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes areas that receive information from the ears

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motor cortex

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cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes; controls voluntary movements

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sensory cortex

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cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes; registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

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hallucination

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false sensory experience, such as hearing something in the absence of an external auditory stimulus

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association areas

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cerebral cortex area involved primarily in higher mental functions, such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

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Broca's area

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frontal lobe area, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech; controls language expression

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Wernicke's area

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brain area, usually in the left temporal lobe, involved in language comprehension and expression; controls language reception

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plasticity

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the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

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neurogenesis

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formation of new neurons

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corpus callosum

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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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condition in which the brain's two hemispheres are isolated by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

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consciousness

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our awareness of ourselves and our environment

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selective attention

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focusing conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

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inattentional blindness

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failure to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

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circadian rhythm

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internal biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle

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REM (rapid eye movement) sleep

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recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for minor twitches) but other body systems are active

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alpha waves

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relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

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sleep

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periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness

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insomnia

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recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

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narcolepsy

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sleep disorder in which a person has uncontrollable sleep attacks, sometimes lapsing directly into REM sleep

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sleep apnea

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a sleep disorder in which a sleeping person repeatedly stops breathing until blood oxygen is so low it awakens the person just long enough to draw a breath

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dream

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sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person's mind

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manifest content

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according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream

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latent content

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according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream

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REM rebound

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the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation

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An area of great interest to a biological psychologist would be the relationship between

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neurotransmitters and depression

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Dendrites are branching extensions of

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neurons

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An axon is

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the extension of a neuron that carries messages away from the cell body

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An electrical signal that travels down the axon of a neuron is called the

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action potential

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A synapse is a(n)

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junction between a sending neuron and receiving neuron

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Neurotransmitters are released from terminals at the end of the

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axon

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An undersupply of Serotonin is most closely linked to

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depression

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Schizophrenia is most closely linked with an oversupply of the neurotransmitter

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dopamine

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An undersupply of the major inhibitory neurotransmitter known as ___________ is linked to seizures.

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GABA

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Opiate drugs occupy the same receptor sites as

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Endorphins

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Motor neurons transmits signals to

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glands

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The two divisions of the peripheral nervous system are the

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somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system

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The somatic nervous system is part of the __________ nervous system.

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peripheral

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An accelerated heartbeat is to a slowed heartbeat as the __________ nervous system is to the __________ nervous system.

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sympathetic ; parasympathetic

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The strengthening of synaptic connection facilitates the formation of

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neural networks

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The part of the central nervous system that carries information from your senses to your brain and motor-control information to your body parts is the

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spinal cord

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Endocrine glands secrete hormones into

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the bloodstream

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The part of the brainstem that controls heartbeat and breathing is called the

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medulla

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Which brain structure receives information from all the senses except smell?

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thalamus

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the motor cortex is located in the __________ lobes.

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frontal

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The sensory cortex is located just behind the motor cortex and is most important for our sense of

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touch

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When people with Schizophrenia have auditory hallucinations, MRI scans show active auditory areas in the

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temporal lobes

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the part of the cerebral cortex that directs the muscle movements involved in speech is known as

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Broca's area

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Wernicke's area is typically located in the left __________ lobe.

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temporal

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The capacity of a brain area to reorganize in response to damage is known as

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plasticity

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The process of forming new neurons within the brain is called

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neurogenesis

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Damage to the left cerebral hemisphere is most likely to reduce a person's ability to

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solve arithmetic problems

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A periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness that involves five distinct stages is known as

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sleep

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Fast and jerky movements of the eyes are especially likely to be associated with

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REM sleep

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The human sleep cycle repeats itself about every

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90 minutes

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