every term

Lesions

destruction of brain tissue

microelectrode techniques

study individual neurons

structural imaging

Techniques that provide images of the brain's structure

Computated Tomography (CT) Scan

Creates a 3-D image of the brain using x-rays

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

brain-imaging method using radio waves and magnetic fields of the body to produce detailed images of the inner brain

functional imaging

techniques that show brain activity

EEG (electroencephalogram)

measures electrical activity in areas of the brain by examining brain waves

Postrition Emission Tomography (PET)

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

Functional MRI (fMRI)

Shows function and structure, blood flows to active parts of brain

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Pons

helps coordinate movement, above medulla

Amygdala

two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

Hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

Hippocampus

a neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage

cerebral cortex

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center

frontal lobes

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

parietal lobes

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

occipital lobes

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

temporal lobes

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

brain plasticity

The capacity for the brain to alter its structure and function.

Predispositions

Genes do not determine how we look or act, they predispose us to

Behavior geneticists

Focus on the extent to which heredity accounts for individual differences in behavior and thinking

Evolutionary psychologists

Investigate how psychological traits could aid in survival and be passed on to the next generation

Heritability

the extent to which differences among people are attributable to genes

Eugenics

the attempt to improve the human species by selective breeding

identical twins

twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms

fraternal twins

Twins who develop from separate eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment

Epigenetics

Interaction of the environment and how genes work

Biological psychology

a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior

Neuroscience

the scientific study of the brain and nervous system

Nervous system

electrochemical communication system of the body

Neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

Nerve

bundle of neurons

Sensory neurons

afferent

sensory neurons (afferent)

carry messages from the body's tissues and sensory organs toward the brain and spinal cord

motor neurons

efferent

motor neurons (efferent)

carry messages from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

Interneurons

Carry messages from neuron to neuron within the brain and spinal cord

mirror neurons

Involved in mimicking the behavior of others

Dendrites

Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive messages

Soma

the cell body of the neuron responsible for maintaining the life of the cell

Axon

A threadlike extension of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body.

neural impulse

electrical signal traveling down the axon

myelin sheath

covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses

terminal branches of axon

form junctions with other cells

Terminal buttons

Small knobs at the end of axons that secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters

Glial cells

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

What do the glial cells form?

myelin sheath

Myelinated tissue

white matter

Unmyelinated tissue

gray matter

resting potential

Neuron is not processing information, polarized

action potential

When impulse reaches threshold it will fire

refractory period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired, recharging

excitatory effect

Tell other neurons to fire

inhibitory effect

Tell other neurons to restv

all-or-none principle

neuron either fires completely or doesn't fire at all

synaptic gap/cleft

Fluid filled gap between a sending and receiving neuron

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons and latch onto receptor sites on the dendrites of a receiving neuron

Vesicles

Containing neurotransmitters

Reuptake

a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron

ACh (acetylcholine)

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

Disease related to ACh

Alzheimer's

Dopamine

Associated with systems that govern movement, planning, reward

Diseases related to dopamine

Parkinson's, schizophrenia, ADHD

Serotonin

Involved with systems regarding sleep, appetite, and mood

Disease related to serotonin

Depression

Norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

Endorphins

"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter

Glutamate

excitatory neurotransmitter

Agonists

Compound that mimics neurotransmitters and activates the receptor site

Antagonists

Block the receptor sites so that neurotransmitters cannot latch on

Brainstem

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions

reticular formation

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

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Pons

"Bridge" between cerebral cortex and medulla; acts as a relay station; involved in sleep

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 (helps tune out during deep sleep)

Cerebellum

the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include voluntary movement, balance, memories of skill

Hypothalamus

reward/pleasure center, eating behaviors

Pituitary gland

the master gland of the endocrine system

Amygdala

two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

Hippocampus

new memories and learning

Cerebrum

largest part of the brain

cerebral cortex

The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center.

corpus callosum

a broad band of nerve fibers joining the two hemispheres of the brain.

association areas

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

frontal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement

motor cortex

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

parietal lobe

receives sensory input for touch and body position

temporal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing, balance, equilibrium, recognize faces

occipital lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information

Broca's area

Controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

Wernicke's area

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

Aphasia

impairment of language

neural plasticity

Brains ability to modify itself after some types of damage

language

Left brain

Perceptual tasks

Right brain

Somatic division of PNS

Voluntary movement

Autonomic division of PNS

Involuntary movement

Sympathetic

Arousal (fight or flight)