Psychology Chapter 3 and 4

Acetylcholine

Neurotransmitter enables muscle action; attention, learning, memory, sleeping, and dreaming

Action protential

Electrical signal down the axon caused by the movement of ions across the membrane

Agonist

Drugs that mimic the effect of neurotransmitters by binding to the receptor

All-or-None principle

The principle that when a neuron reaches its maximal threshold the actional potential either fires or doesnt.

Amnesia

Partial or total memory loss

Amygdala

Limbic system involved in emotions and emotional memories, recognizes and response to stimuli to induce fear

Antagonists

Drugs bind to receptors improperly, prevents the neurotransmitter from transferring information

Aphasia

condition resulting in speaking impairment or language comprehension

Association Cortex

majority of the cerebral cortex that isn’t the primary sensory or motor cortices to produce cognition

Autonomic Nervous system

controls internal organs in the body, does so unconsciously. Split into two different systems, sympathetic and parasympathetic systems

Axon

extends from cell body, carries information to other neurons

Axon terminal

located at the end of the axon contains everything needed to transfer the information to another neuron

Basal Ganglia

collection of subcortical brain areas involved in the control of movement

Binge drinking

5+ drinks at one time for males, 4+ drinks at one time for females

Brain damage

injury inflicted on a particular part(s) of the brain

Brain Stimulation

applies electrical stimulation to specific brain areas to examine localized brain functions and how it affects behavior

Broca’s Area

located in the frontal lobe that’s critical for the PRODUCTION of language

Cannabinoids

chemicals that alter perception, increases relaxation, induces time distortion and impairs coordination

Case Studies

studies people with brain damage in order to localize behaviors and mental functions

Cell body/ The Soma

contains structures that synthesize proteins, produces energy for the neuron and contains genetic material

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord encased in bone for protection

Cerebellum

Hindbrain structures important in coordinating smooth movements and balance

Cerebral Cortex

CNS depressants

psychoactive drugs that decrease brain activity and arousal

CNS Protection

Conduction

Transfer of information within a neuron.

Corpus Callosum

thick band of myelinated axons that connects the two cerebral hemispheres

Dendrites

Receives information from other neurons, looks like tree branches

Dopamine

neurotransmitter that influences movement, motivation, emotion, pleasure, arousal

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

electrodes are placed on a person’s scalp, allows the measurement of changes in brain activity

Emotion

complex internal state that involves physiological, cognitive, and behavioral components

Endocrine system

communication system that is made up if glands that release chemical messengers such as hormones

Endorphins

neurotransmitters that act within the pain pathways and emotion centers of the brain; lack of endorphins can create a lower pain threshold or ability to self soothe

Figh or Flight response

coordinated set of activities that prepares the body for action by the sympathetic nervous system

Frontal Lobe

largest lobe of cerebral cortex; processes voluntary motor movements in the motor cortex

Function

an activity or purpose

GABA

major inhibitory neurotransmitters; a low supply is linked to seizures, anxiety, and insomnia

Glial Cells

provides structural and functional support for neurons, nutrition, regulates chemicals, removes waste, and creates a blood brain barrier

Glutamate

major excitatory neurotransmitter; low supply can overstimulate the brain

Hallucinogens

diverse group of drugs, causes sensory and perceptual disorders

Hebbian Learning

Highly Complex Behaviors

executive functions, language, and personality

Hippocampus

limbic system structure concerned with basic drives, emotions, and memory. high plasticity

Hormones

chemicals produced by glands of the endocrine system

Hypothalamus

regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, sexual behavior, sleep. links the brain and endocrine system, and controls the autonomic nervous system

Information Transfer

communication between neurons. occurs from outside world to brain, it integrates and processes within and sends it back out to the muscles and glands

Insula

cortical structure involved in self-awareness and processing a variety of stimuli to influence decision making

Interneuron

a neuron that connects two other neurons

Ion channels

specialized pores in cell membrane that allow the passage ions

Language

spoken and written communication

Lateralization

functions become localized in right or left hemisphere

Learning and memory

the acquisition and retention of information, involves hippocampus

Limbic System

set of forebrain structures that play a critical role in regulating emotion or feelings

Localization

particular brain areas that are critical for specific functions

Medulla

a structure within the hindbrain that is responsible for basic life functions and reflexes

Mirror Neurons

located in motor cortex, active when making a movement, watching others perform the same movement, and imitating people

Motor Cortex

area in frontal lobe region of the brain, controls movement of different body parts

Motor Neuron

individuals neurons that carries signals from the cns to the muscles and glands to produce movement

Movement

engages in smooth coordinated changes in position of the body

Myelin Sheath

fatty cover that insulates axons and increases speed of information transfer

Nervous system

consists of all neurons that transfer information to and from brain

Neurogenesis

formation of new neurons in specific areas of the developed brain

Neuroimaging

techniques that allow researchers and clinicians to study the brain in awake healthy people such as PET and MRI scans

Neurons

brain cells thar communicate with other cells to generate behavior and mental activity

Neuroplasticity

Neurotransmitters

specialized chemicals that travel across the synapse to transfer information

Norepinephrine

neurotransmitter that helps control mood and arousal, low supply causes depressive mood

Occipital Lobe

brain area that processes incoming visual information in the primary visual cortex

Opioids

class of drugs used to relieve pain, mimic endorphins and bind to the same receptors in brain

Orbitofrontal Cortex

located behind the eye sockets, mediates bodily responses associated with emotion

Parasympathetic nervous system

branch of the ANS associated with rest and regeneration

Parietal Lobe

brain area that processes information about body sensations, touch, temp, and pain

Perception

process by which the brain organizes and interprets sensory info

Peripheral Nervous system

consists of neurons outside the CNS, allows the brain and spinal cord to communicate within the rest of the body

Pituitary Gland

regulates the activity of other glands by releasing different hormones

Plasticity

process of structural and functional changes in the brain caused by life experiences

Pons

hindbrain structure, where motor information crosses to the opposite side, for coordinating movement

Postsynaptic Potential

localized change in internal charge of neuron

Prefrontal Cortex

involved in short term memory, reasoning, planning, decision making, and inhibition of inappropriate behaviors

Programmed Cell death

removes excess neurons that aren’t needed or used

Psychoactive Drugs

substances that affect behavior and mental processes by altering the transfer of info

Receptors

proteins in the cell membrane of the receiving neuron, lock and key manner for recognizing chemicals

Refractory Period

brief action after an action potential with no further firing until membrane ions are balanced

Resting Potential

allows neuron to respond to incoming info from other neurons

Reticular Formation

runs through the hindbrain and brainstem, regulates arousal, attention, and sleep

Reuptake

chemicals are taken back up into the presynaptic axon terminal where they repackaged in the vesicles

Saltatory Conduction

process of action of potential jumping down the axon of myelinated neurons

Sensation

the detection of info from the environment

Sensory Neuron

communicates sensory info to the spinal cord

Serotonin

neurotransmitter that regulates hunger, sleep, arousal, and aggressive behavior, low supply linked to depression

Somatic Nervous System

somatosensory cortex

spinal cord

spinal reflex

split brain operation

stimulants

striatum

structure

substance use disorder

substantia nigra