Biological Psychology: Neurons, Neurotransmitters, and the Endocrine System

Flashcards covering key vocabulary, cell structures, neurotransmitters, and endocrine glands detailed in the biological psychology lecture transcript.

Neuron

A nerve cell that serves as the basic building block of the nervous system, capable of transmitting electrochemical messages throughout the body.

Soma

The cell body of a neuron that acts as its life support, containing essential cellular components such as the nucleus, DNA, mitochondria, and ribosomes.

Dendrites

The short, bushy, branch-like extensions of a neuron that receive chemical messages and signals from other cells and convey them back to the soma.

Axon

The long, cable-like extension of a neuron that transmits electrical impulses from the cell body outward to other neurons, glands, or muscles.

Myelin Sheath

A protective layer of fatty tissue encasing the axon of some neurons that speeds up the transmission of electrical signals.

Action Potential

The firing impulse or electrical charge that shoots down a neuron's axon to its terminals when triggered by sensory input or neighboring neurons.

Synapse

The functional contact point between neighboring neurons where communication takes place.

Synaptic Gap

The microscopic cleft, measuring less than a millionth of an inch wide, separating the axon terminal of one neuron from the dendrites of another.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that jump across the synaptic gap to bind to specific receptor sites on a receiving neuron, exciting or inhibiting its likelihood of firing.

Reuptake

The process by which excess neurotransmitters in the synaptic gap are reabsorbed by the sending neuron that released them.

Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that rev up a receiving neuron, increasing the likelihood that it will fire an action potential.

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that calm or chill neurons out, decreasing the likelihood that the neuron will jump into action.

Norepinephrine

An excitatory neurotransmitter that plays a key role in controlling alertness and arousal.

Glutamate

An excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory, an over-supply of which can overstimulate the brain and trigger seizures or migraines.

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

A major inhibitory neurotransmitter that decreases neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system.

Serotonin

An inhibitory neurotransmitter that influences mood, hunger, and sleep; abnormally low levels are linked to depression.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables muscle action and influences learning and memory; a breakdown in acetylcholine-producing neurons is associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with movement, learning, and pleasurable emotions; excessive levels are linked to schizophrenia and impulsive or addictive behaviors.

Endocrine System

The body's slow chemical communication system consisting of glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream.

Hormones

Chemical messengers produced by the endocrine glands that travel through the bloodstream to affect other tissues, including the brain, regulating mood, metabolism, and growth.

Adrenal Glands

A pair of endocrine glands located next to the kidneys that secrete adrenaline to trigger the fight-or-flight response by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

Pancreas

An endocrine gland located near the adrenals that secretes insulin and glucagon to regulate how the body absorbs and monitors sugar.

Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands

Glands located at the base of the throat that secrete hormones to regulate metabolism and monitor calcium levels in the body.

Pituitary Gland

A pea-sized structure in the brain known as the master gland of the endocrine system; it produces growth hormone and oxytocin and instructs other endocrine glands to release hormones.

Hypothalamus

A region in the brain that controls the pituitary gland and helps integrate the nervous and endocrine systems into a feedback loop.