AP Psych - Biological Perspectives

AP Psych bio (Excluding sleep and sensations since I was too lazy to add those, but I will soon)

Neuron

Neuron

The building blocks of the nervous system

Soma

The body of the cell

Encompasses the nucleus

Dendrites

Branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses towards the cell body

Axon

The part of a neuron in which messages travel through

Myelin Sheath

A fatty substance found in some neurons which protects and insulates the axon

Speeds up the rate at which messages travel

Axon Terminal

Located at the end of the neuron

Terminal buttons protrude from it to send on messages

Action Potential

A brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Reuptake

A neurotransmitter’s re-absorption by the sending neuron

Refractory Period

A period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

All-or-None Response

A neuron’s reaction of either firing or not firing

Synaptic Gap

The space between dendrites and terminal buttons

Neurotransmitters jump across this gap

Sensory Neurons

Neurons that carry messages from the body to the brain for processing

Motor Neurons

Neurons that carry messages from the brain to the body for reaction to stimuli

Interneurons

Neurons located in the brain and spinal cord

Communicate between sensory input and motor output

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System

The nervous system outside of the brain and spinal cord

Somatic Nervous System

Also called the skeletal nervous system

Controls voluntary movements

Autonomic Nervous System

Nervous system that controls involuntary responses

Sympathetic Division of the ANS

The division of the ANS that activates fight or flight when there is perceived danger

Parasympathetic Division of the ANS

The division of the ANS that calms the body after a perceived danger, conserving it’s energy

Neurotransmitter

A chemical messenger fired by neurons

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Neurotransmitter linked to muscle movement, learning, and memory

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter linked with learning, attention, emotion, pleasure & reward

Seratonin

Neurotransmitter linked with mood stabilization, hunger, sleep, and arousal

Norepinephrine

Neurotransmitter linked with alertness and arousal

GABA

Neurotransmitter linked with sleepiness

Glutamate

Neurotransmitter linked with memory and all cognitive functions

Endorphines

Neurotransmitter linked with being a natural pain killer

Substance P

Neurotransmitter linked with pain perception and immune response

Agonist

A molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response

Antagonist

Inhibits or blocks a response

Depressants

Type of drugs that slow/inhibit CNS functions

Opiates/Opioids

Type of drugs that are agonists for endorphins

Stimulants

Type of drugs that activate the sympathetic nervous system

Hallucinogens/Psychedelics

Type of drugs that cause sensory/visual distortions, alter mood, and affect thinking

Hindbrain

The oldest part of the brain

Takes care of basic human survival functions

Medulla

Part of the hindbrain

Base of the brain stem that controls basic autonomic functions like heart rate, breathing, etc.

Pons

Part of the hindbrain

Helps coordinate movement on each side of the body

Plays a role in sleep function

Reticular Formation/Reticular Activating System

Part of the hindbrain

A bundle of nerves that is involved in alertness/arousal

Cerebellum

Part of the hindbrain

Involved in processing sensory input, balance, voluntary movement, and implicit memory

Limbic System/Midbrain

The border between the older and newer parts of the brain

In charge of emotions and drives

Hypothalamus

Part of the midbrain/limbic system

“Head Coach” of the limbic system that maintains homeostasis

Also involved in initiating fight or flight, feeding (homeostasis), and fornication

Thalamus

Part of the midbrain/limbic system

Receives and reroutes information from sensory input

Amygdala

Part of the midbrain/limbic system

Linked to emotion

Controls things like aggression, anger, and afraid (fear)

Hippocampus

Part of the midbrain/limbic system

Linked with memory: converting short-term to long-term, processing and retrieving declaratory memories, spatial relationship memories

Cerebral Cortex/Forebrain

The newest part of the brain

Frontal Lobe

Part of the forebrain

Involved in speaking, muscle movement, judgement

Parietal Lobe

Part of the forebrain

Receives sensory input for touch/pain/pressure and body position

Temporal Lobe

Part of the forebrain

Primary auditory cortex

Occipital Lobe

Part of the forebrain

Primary visual cortex

Corpus Callosum

Band of neural fibers that connects both brain hemispheres and carries messages between them

Motor Cortex

An area at the back of the frontal lobe which controls voluntary movements

Somatosensory Cortex

An area at the front of the parietal lobe that registers and processes body touch and movement sensation

Auditory Cortex

Cortex that processes sounds

Located in the temporal lobe

Visal Cortex

Cortex that processes things you see

Located in the occipital lobe

Association Areas

Parts of the cerebral cortex that are involved in complex mental functions like learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

Prefrontal Cortex

An association area that enables judgements

Broca’s area

One of two language association areas

Connected to speaking abilities

Located in the frontal lobe

Wernicke’s Area

One of two language association areas

Connected to understanding language

Located in temporal lobe