AP PSYCH UNIT 1 VOCAB (PART 2)

Terms 19-36

glutamate

main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system; participates in the relay of sensory information and learning.

reflex

an automatic motor response to a sensory.

nature-nurture issue

the long-standing controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors.Today’s science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction.

occipital lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.

plasticity

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

wernicke’s area

controls language reception - a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the let temporal lobe.

thalamus

the brain’s sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

temporal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas; each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear.

motor cortex

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

parietal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and towards the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position.

reticular formation

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.

medulla

the base of the brain stem; controls heartbeat and breathing.

sesnory cortex

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.

limbic system

doughnut-shaped neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.

hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

glial cells

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.

frontal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements.

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.