PsychMod3-4

Genes

chains of chemicals, instructions for development

Glial cells

protects neurons

Neurons

Receiving and transmitting electrical signals. Allows us to receive sensory info, control muscles, regulate digestion, secrete hormones, complex mental processes

Soma

provides fuel, manufactures chemical of the neuron

Dendrites

receive signals from other neurons, muscles and senses, and pass those to the cell body

Axon

carries signals between soma & neurons, mucles, organs

Myelin sheath

protects axon

End bulbs

produce neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers of the nervous system. some chemicals are inhibitory, some excitatory

Peripheral nervous system

nerves throughout the body, except brain & spinal cord. Nerves carry info, have the ability to regrow/reattach

Central nervous system

neurons in brain and spinal cord, limited capacity to grow new neurons and make new connections

Reflex

unlearned, involuntary reaction to stimulus

MRI

nonharmful radio frequencies

PET

slightly radioactive solution to measure amount of radiation absorbed by neurons

fMRI

measures activity of neurons while doing cognitive tasks

Somatic nervous system

allows you to move & control muscles voluntarily

Autonomic nervous system

regulates heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, ...

Sympathetic division

triggered by threat/challenge, fight or flight

Parasympathetic division

returns body to calm

Hindbrain

pons, medulla, cerebellum

Pons

transmits messages between spinal cord & brain

Medulla

controls vital reflexes

Cerebellum

coordinating motor movements but not in initiating voluntary movements

Wrinkled cortex

thin layer of cells that cover forebrain

Frontal lobe

motor skills, personnality

Motor cortex

narrow strip on back edge of frontal lobe, initiation of all voluntary

movements

Motor humunculus

more cortex devoted to body parts we have more control over

Sensory humunculus

more cortex devoted to more sensitive body parts

Broca's area

speach

Parietal lobe

sensory

Somatosensory cortex

front edge of parietal lobe, processes info about touch, location of limbs, pain and temperature

Temporal lobe

hearing, speaking

Primary auditory cortex

processes things we hear (meaningless)

Auditory associtation areas

perceiving what we hear (meaningful)

Occipital lobe

seeing

Primary visual cortex

receives signals from receptors in eyes into basic visuals (meaningless)

Visual association areas

transforms basic visuals into meaningful

Limbic System

hypothalamus, amygdala, thalamus, hippocampus

Hypothalamus

controls emotional responses

Amygdala

evaluates emotional situations, receives inputs from senses

Thalamus

processes sensory info and relays to areas of cortex

Hippocampus

saves fleeting memories into permanent storage

Homeostatsis

optimum level of arousal kept by autonomic NS

Hypothalamus

control center or endocrine system, regulates pituitary gland

Pituitary gland

posterior, regulates water & salt, anterior, regulates growth, adrenals, pancreas, thyroid & gonads

Pancreas

regulates bloodsugar (insulin)

Thyroid

regulates metabolism

Adrenal glands

outside (cortext), regulates sugar & salt, resist stress, pubic hair. inside (medulla), deal with stress

Gonads

ovaries, sexual development, ovulation, growth sex organs. testes, sexual development, sperm, growth of sex organs.