AP Phychology

Interneurons

communicate within the brain + spinal cord & between sensory and motor neurons

sensory (afferent) neurons

carry info from sense receptors to brain + spinal cord

motor (efferent) neurons

carry info from brain and spinal cord to muscle + glands

action potential

 brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Dendrite

receives neural messages and sends impulse to cell body

Terminal branches

form junctions with other cells

Axon

Extension of neuron that passes messages through its branches to other neurons, muscles, or glands

Cell body

the cell’s life support OR Brain of the Neuron

Myelin sheath

atty tissue layer encasing the axon,  allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells.

Synapse

 junction between axon tip of the sending neuron and dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. Tiny gap at junction is called synaptic gap or synaptic cleft

neurotransmitter / different types + functions of neurotransmitters

Acetylcholine, Dopamine, Serotonin, Norepinephrine, GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid), and Glutamate

Acetylcholine

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

Dopamine

 influence movement, learning, attention, and emotion

Serotonin

affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

Norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid)

 A major inhibitory neurotransmitter

Glutamate

 a major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory

Agonist

Molecule similar to a neurotransmitter that triggers a response

Antagonist

Molecule that binds to a receptor and inhibits a response (excite by mimicking particular neurotransmitters or by blocking their reuptake)

parts (& functions) of the nervous system (look at the flow chart worksheet)

Peripheral nervous system(PNS), Central nervous system(CNS), Autonomic, Somatic

Peripheral nervous system(PNS)

received info from environment, transmits decision making by CNS through body

Central nervous system(CNS)

 makes decisions (mainly brain and spinal cord)

Autonomic

self regulated organs and glands

Somatic

voluntary control of skeletal muscles

Sympathetic

• arouses and expends energy

  • Fight or flight: pupils dilate, our heart rate increase, respiration increases, digestion decreases

Parasympathetic

• conserves energy and calms body after arousal

  • Rest and digest: pupils constrict, heart rate decreases, respiration decreases, digestion increases

endocrine system (parts & functions)

Hypothalamus, Ovaries, Adrenal glands, Pituitary gland, Thyroid, Testis, pancreas, Parathyroid

Hypothalamus

Controls the pituitary gland

Ovaries

secretes female hormones

• hormones: Chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another (Influence sex, food, & aggression.

Adrenal glands

secretes adrenaline hormone (trigger fight or flight response)

Pituitary gland

regulates growth hormones and controls other endocrine glands

Thyroid

 affects metabolism

Testis

secretes male hormones

Pancreas

regulates the level of sugar in the blood

Parathyroid

regulates calcium in blood

parts (& functions) of the brainstem tem (Automatic survival functions

Medulla, Pons, Thalamus, Reticular formation, cerebellum

medulla

heartbeat and breathing

Pons

REM Sleep, coordinates movements, saliva and tear production, and regulates

Thalamus

sensory control center (does not process smell)

Reticular formation

controls arousal (wakefulness and alertness)

Cerebellum

Coordinates balance and movement output (enables non-verbal learning)

parts (& functions) of the limbic system (emotion and drives)

Amygdala, Hippocampus, Hypothalamus, Nucleus accumbens

Amygdala

Emotional control center (fear and aggression)

Hippocampus

Processes conscious memories

Hypothalamus

• Controls our “maintenance” activities 

  • Helps govern basic drives

  • In charge of endocrine system

Nucleus accumbens

dopamine-related reward system

cerebral cortex

The body’s ultimate control and processing center that covers the cerebral hemispheres

Lobes (right and left side correspond with opposite side of body)

Occipital, Parietal,

Occipital

process visual info

Parietal

Receiving sensory input (touch and body position)

Temporal

Process auditory information

Frontal

Decision making, problem solving, judgment, reducing consequences, muscle movements

sensory/motor/auditory/visual cortex

Motor, Somatosensory, Auditory, Visual

Motor

area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

Somatosensory

Area at the front of the parietal lobes that processes body touch and movement sensations

Auditory

part of temporal lobe that processes auditory info.

Visual

association areas

• responsible for higher mental functions found in frontal lobe

  • Used for learning, remembering thinking, and speaking

Plasticity

 brain's ability to reorganize after damage

corpus callosum

Fraternal

Fraternal twins form from separate fertilized eggs. They share a fetal environment but are genetically no more similar than brothers and sisters

Identical

Identical twins form from a single fertilized egg cell and are genetically identical

Heritability

The proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes

Brain scans

• Electroencephalogram (EEG), Computed tomography (CT), Positron emission tomography (PET), Magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI), Functional MRI (FMRI)

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

electrodes placed on scalp, shows electrical activity across the brain’s surface

Computed tomography (CT)

x-ray photos from different angles; reveals brain structure ( including danger)

Positron emission tomography (PET)

Brain activity detected by radioactive form of glucose, shows hotspots for various tasks

Magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI)

magnetic fields and radio waves; detailed pics of soft tissue

Functional MRI (FMRI)

Comparing successive MRI scans reveals structure and function