AP Psych Vocab 3-1

Plasticity

Brain's ability to change (especially during childhood) by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

Neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons

Cerebral cortex

a thin surface layer of interconnected neurons; the control and information processing center

Temporal lobe

portion of the cerebral cortex (above ears); includes auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear

Frontal lobe

portion of the cerebral cortex (behind forehead) that deals with speaking, muscle movements, and making plans and judgments

Parietal lobe

portion of the cerebral cortex (back-top of the head); receives sensory input for touch and body position

Occipital lobe

portion of the cerebral cortex (back of the head); receives information from the visual fields

Sensory cortex

(front of parietal lobe) registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

Motor cortex

(back of frontal lobes) controls voluntary movements

Association areas

areas of cerebral cortex not involved in motor/sensory functions but in higher mental functions like learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

Split brain

(result in surgery) isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly corpus callosum) connecting them

Consciousness

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment

Dual processing

the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

Corticalization

An increase in the relative size of the cerebral cortex

Lateralization

The idea that the two hemispheres (of the brain) are specialized in different functions

Agnosia

difficulty recognizing a sensed stimulus

Dominant hemisphere

A term usually applied to the side of a person's brain that produces language

Prefrontal area (prefrontal cortex)

The very front of the frontal lobes; involved in sense of self, reasoning, and planning

Mirror neuron

A neuron that becomes active when a motor action is carried out and when another organism is observed carrying out the same action

Acetylcholine (Ach)

A neurotransmitter mainly involved in muscle action, cognitive functioning and memory

Dopamine (DA)

A neurotransmitter mainly involved in voluntary movement, emotions, motivation, and learning

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter mainly involved with sleep, mood, and appetite

Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA)

A neurotransmitter that primarily inhibits neurons

Glutamate

A neurotransmitter that primarily excites neurons

Endorphins

A neurotransmitter mainly involved in pain reduction and pleasure

Aphasia

an impairment in language

Wernicke’s area

part of the brain that processes language comprehension

Broca’s area

part of the brain that processes language production

Corpus Callosum

nerve fibers that connect the left and right hemisphere, transferring information between them