Psych 101 Exam 1 UW

CNS

central nervous system, brain + spinal cord, sends/recieves signals

PNS

peripheral nervous system, nerves outside of CNS

somatic nervous system

skin, muscle, and joints, voluntary movements, sends/receives signal to CNS

autonomic nervous system

“automatic” system, glands, internal organs etc, sends/receives signals from CNS, sympathetic and parasympathetic are organized under this.

dendrites

where the neuron receives signals

cell body/soma

maintains cell life

axon

covered in myelin sheath, where the action potential travels along

action potential

caused by a change in chemical concentration, results in an electrical signal being sent across a neuron that results in the release of something in the synapse. action potentials are all all or nothing

synapse

gap between 2 neurons

terminal buttons

convert electric charge (action potential) to chemical messaging by releasing a neurotransmitter

refractory period

resting period for the neuron

descriptive research methods

describe what is occurring, can be observational, case studies, self-reports

correlational research methods

tests relationship between 2 variables, and proves correlation not causation

experimental research methods

investigate what causes an outcome, requires manipulation of variables, and can prove causation

acetylcholine

motor control, attention, memory, learning, sleeping

norepinephrine

arousal/alertness, fight or flight response

serotonin

mood neurotransmitter, emotional states, impulse control, happiness, dreaming

Dopamine

motivation/reward, motor control

GABA

main inhibitory NT, lowers anxiety

glutamate

main excitatory NT, helps with learning and memory

Endorphins

pain reduction + reward

agonist

substance that has a similar shape to a naturally-occurring NT, so binds to its receptor and produces a similar effect, ex: tobacco and acetylcholine

grey matter

cell bodies

white matter

myelinated axons

antagonist

same thing as agonist, but instead binds to receptor and blocks NT from binding to it, stops effect from happening

Hindbrain

medulla, pons, cerebellum

medulla

survival functions — breathing, heart rate, sleep

pons

arousal, sleep, left/right motor control

cerebellum

motor control, muscle memory, voluntary motor activity

midbrain

substantia nigra (controls voluntary muscle mov)

substantia nigra

voluntary motor activity

Forebrain (subcortical)

Thalamus, Amygdala, Hippocampus, Hypothalamus

Thalamus

sensory gateway (not smell)

Amygdala

emotions + association of emotions with experiences

Hypothalamus

regulates body function, motivation, also involved in the endocrine system, so remember it assists in release of hormones, hence regulating body function

Hipppocampus

memory + spatial memory

Forebrain (cortical)

Occipital, Parietal, Temporal, and frontal lobes

Occipital lobe

vision, contains fusiform complex and primary visual cortext

Parietal lobe

touch + spatial awarness, contains primary somatosensory cortex

Temporal Lobe

hearing/memory, contains primary auditory cortext

Front Lobe

planning, complex thought, movement, contains primary motor cortex and prefrontal cortex

brainstem

midbrain and hindbrain, but not cerebellum

EEG

uses electrodes on scalp to measure brain activity

fMRI

uses blood oxygen levels to figure out which area of brain is active

normal waking state

beta waves

just before sleeping state

alpha waves

stage N1

theta sleep

N2

sleep spindle + k complexes

N3

delta (slow waves)

REM

beta waves, rapid eye movement, arousal

activation synthesis

dreams are due to random neural firing resulting in random sensory input being assoc with random memories

circadian rhythym sleep theory

sleep due to evolution, protect from harm

restorative theory

sleep leads to rest and repair

consolidation theory

during sleep learning/memory consolidation occurs, sleep spindles + k complexes support this theory because they help with memory and learning

Insomnia

inability to fall asleep

narcolepsy

falling asleep at random times

REM behavior disorder

acting out dreams in REM

stimulants

increase behavior/activity (meth, cocaine, caffeine, NT: dopamine, norepinephrine

depressants

reduce behavior/activity, (alcohol, NT: GABA)

opioids

reduce pain and increase pleasure, (opoids, heroine, morphine, NT: endorphins

hallucinogens

change perception (LSD, MDMA, NT: serotonin, dopamine)