AP Psych

Central Nervous System

The brain and the spinal cord

Spinal Cord

Nerve fibers in the vertebrae for automatic reflexes

Peripheral Nervous System

The sensory and motor network of nerves

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls automatic and involuntary functions of organs

Somatic Nervous System

Controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles

Sympathetic Nervous System

Arouses body in flight-or-flight

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Calms and conserves bodies energy after a stressful event

Neurons

nerve cel building block of the nervous system

Glial Cells

protectors of neurons, neuron supporter that neurons can’t survive without, builds the myelin sheath, provides nutrition, and acts as immune defense

Reflex Arc

automatic neural pathway that controls involuntary responses to a sudden stimulus (touch hot stove)

Sensory Neurons

send physical stimuli from environment from body sensory receptors

Motor Neurons

nerve cells that carry movement commands from central nervous system

Interneurons

neurons within brain and spinal cord to communicate internally

All-or-Nothing Principle

A neuron cannot be partially turned on, its either charged or not charged at all

Depolarization

process where neurons internal charge becomes more positive to make action potential more likely to fire

Refractory Period

brief period of inactivity after neuron has fired

Reuptake

reabsorption of excess neurotransmitters from synapse

Resting Period

Neuron on standby with stable negative charge

Threshold

Boundary level where a physical stimulus is perceived

Neurotransmitter

chemical component released to send specific signals

Excitatory transmitters

transmitters that fire connecting neurons

Inhibitory transmitters

transmitters that inhibit connecting neurons

Dopamine

influences learning, attention, and emotion, reward system

Disorder = too much, schizophrenia, under, Parkinson’s

Serotonin

regulatory, emotion mood, appetite, sleep

Disorder = lack of, depression

Norepinephrine

Danger response transmitter, flight-fight-freeze

Low = depression

Over = anxiety

Glutamate

Excitatory, involved with normal operations and LTIP (long term potentiation)

GABA

inhibitory transmitter that calms nervous system, causes sleepiness, lowers muscle tension and anxiety

Low = anxiety

without = neurons fire too fast and easily

Endorphins

Relives pain and stress in high-demand situations (running, runners high)

Substance P

Bodys pain perception signal to brain, in response to injury

High = depression and anxiety

Acetylcholine

Carries signals between nerve cells to control movement, memory, autonomic functions

Disorders = myasthenia grans and multiple sclerosis

Hormones

Endocrine system = send signals long distances through the blood stream

Adrenaline

Fight, flight, freeze hormone

cortisol

Leptin

Hunger hormone, initiates hunger

Grelin

After Leptin, fullness hormone

Melatonin

sleep-wake cycle hormone

Oxytocin

social interaction and child birth hormone

Agonist

A molecule that boosts neurotransmitters effects

Antagonist

A molecule that blocks a neurotransmitters effect

Reuptake Inhibitors

Stimulants

Caffeine

Cocaine

Depressants

Alcohol

Hallucinogens

Marijuana

Opioids

Heroin

Tolerance

after frequent use, body gets used to drug and takes higher dosage to feel same effects as the first time taken

Addiction

Addiction of body to drugs to produce certain things and function

Withdrawal Symptoms

Bodys reliance on drugs makes body struggle after quitting because it cannot produce its own, causes physical and mental pain

Brain Stem

Medulla

Reticular Formation

Cerebellum

Cerebral Cortex

Limbic System

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

Pituitary Glands

Hippocampus

Amygdala

Corpus Callosum

Occipital Lobe

Temporal Lobe

Parietal Lobe

Somatosensory Cortex

Frontal Lobe

Handles movement, reasoning, executive functions

Prefrontal Cortex

frontal lobe center for complex thinking and decision making

Motor Cortex

frontal lobe center for movement

Split Brain Research

Case studies on the removal of the corpus callosum

Hemispheres

Left and right halves of the cerebrum

Broca’s Area

Muscle movements involved in speech production.

Wernicke’s Area

The region of brain responsible for language comprehension

Brain Plasticity

Brains ability to recover and reorganize itself

f MRI

Scanning technique to measure brain activity by changes in blood flow

Lesioning

Purposefully damaging parts of the brain area for reaction

Aphasia