Biology of the Mind: Biopsychology (September 2nd)

Neuron

Cell specialized for communication; the basic building blocks of your nervous system

Synapse

The space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron

Reputake

The process through which leftover neurotransmitters are brought back into the pre-synaptic cell

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers used to communicate between neurons.

Ex. Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins

At rest, neurons have what kind of charge compared to their surroundings?

Negative

Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Tells the neuron to decrease its negative charge (increase its positive charge)

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters tell the neuron to increase its negative charge

Action Potentials

A neural impulse, a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon, once it reaches the axon terminal, neurotransmitters are released into the synapse.

Inside a neuron, messages are carried via …… signals

Electrical

At the synapse, communication between two neurons is …..

Chemical

Agonist drugs

Drugs that increase a neurotransmitter’s actions by mimicking the neurotransmitter and activating the same receptor

Antagonist Drugs

Drugs that decrease a neurotransmitter’s action by blocking and binding to the neurotransmitters

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Composed of the brain and spinal cord. The brain uses the spinal cord and Endocrine system to communicate with the rest of the body.

Also uses interneurons to process info from sensory neurons, and send info to motor neurons

What are the two branches of the Nervous System?

The Central Nervous System and the Peripherial Nervous System

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body

Sensory (afferent) neurons

Neurons that carry info from the body to the brain and spinal cord

Motor (efferent) neurons

Neurons that carry info from brain and spinal cord t the muscles and glands

Somatic Nervous System

Division of the PNS that controls skeletal muscles

Autonomic Nervous System

Division of PNS that controls the glands and muscles of internal organs

Sympathetic Nervous System

Division of Autonomic Nervous System that arouses the body in fight or flight response

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Division of the Autonomic Nervous System that calms the body and conserves energy

Endocrine System

The body’s chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

Hormones

Chemical messengers secreted by the endocrine system that travels through the bloodstream and affects other tissues.

Brainstem

Oldest part of the brain, and responsible for automatic survival actions

Cerebellum

“little brain” processes sensory input, coordinates movements and balance, nonverbal learning and memory

Limbic System

Neural system associated with emotions and drives

Amygdala

Neural clusters associated with emotions; fear and emotions processing

Hypothalamus

Responsible for some of the body’s maintenance activities like temperature regulation

Hippocampus

Helps process conscious memories of facts and events for storages

Cerebral Cortex

The outer layer of the forebrain, is divided into two hemispheres and is the body’s information-processing center

Each hemisphere is divided into 4 lobes

Frontal

Parietal

Temporal

Occipital

Frontal Lobes

Involved in speaking and muscle movement, and making plans and judgments

The motor cortex is the region of the frontal lobe responsible for voluntary movements

Parietal Lobe

Receives sensory input for touching and body position; spatial reasoning

Somatosensory Cortex is responsible for interpreting ‘touch’ information

Temporal Lobes

Auditory processing and memory storage

Auditory Cortex is responsible for processing incoming auditory information from the ears

Occipital Lobe

Responsible for processing visual information

Visual Cortex

Prefrontal Cortex

Responsible for planning and judgement

Corpus Callosum

Large band or neural fibers connecting the two hemispheres of the brain and carrying messages between them