AP Psych: Brain and Bio

Franz Gall and Phrenology

Gall Tried to localize functions on brain. Shape and size of the skull=character and abilities

corpus callosum

Nerve fibers joining the two hemispheres of the brain. It allows information to pass between the two halves

Cerebral Cortex

The outermost layer of the brain making up the superficial aspect of the cerebrum

Frontal Lobe

the front of the brain and controls language production, emotions, decision making/productivity, personality, and voluntary movement

the motor cortex

located right behind the frontal lobe and controls fine motor movements. Each area of cortex controls a different part of the body (larger areas=precise movement like tongue and fingers smaller areas=subtle movements like shoulders and elbows)

Broca’s Area

contained in the Left Frontal Lobe and controls speech production

Broca’s Aphasia

makes speech very slow, slurred, and labored, w/ no comprehension problems

Temporal Lobe

located at the temples and controls hearing plus comprehension of language 

Wernicke’s Area

located on the Left Temporal Lobe and comprends language

Wernicke’s Aphasia

language comprehension is damaged

Parietal Lobe

Located in the lower half of the brain, processes sensory signals from the body like touch, pressure, temperature, and pain

Somatosensory Cortex

AKA Sensory Cortex, it is the main sensory receptive area for sensory touch. Large areas are for more sensitive parts like lips or hands and smaller areas are for less sensitive parts like the back and abdomen. 

Occipital Lobe?

located at the back bottom of the brain, and is where vision is processed and colors. It also is involved in depth perception and contains the vision cortex which receives information from the Thalamus 

What are neurotransmitters

chemical messages that are made by neurons and used for communication in the synapse

What is an Agonist

it fills receptor space and activates it, mimicking the neurotransmitter

What is an Antagonist

it fills receptor space so that neurotransmitters cannot activate it

Acetylcholine (ACH)

muscle action, learning, memory. Deficit can lead to myasthenia gravis and alzheimer’s  

Myasthenia Gravis

Autoimmune disorder where antibodies attack ACH receptors leading to muscle weakness

Dopamine (Pleasure)

reward neurotransmitter, linked with addictions and muscle control. Excess can lead to schizophrenia and deficit can lead to Parkinson disease

Serotonin (Mood/Emotions)

regulation of mood/sleep, reduces anxiety and stress. Deficit leads to depression

GABA (Natural Tranquilizer)

Main Inhibitory NT, prevents neurons from firing impulses, regulates anxiety

Glutamate (New Connections, Learning)

Main excitatory NT, helps create long-term synaptic connections

Endorphins (Morphine)

Inhibitor of pain, pain control, released after exercise, birth, injury

Norepinephrine

keeps us alert, stress stimulates release

substance P (Pain perception)

involved in the transmission of pain signals

synapase/synaptic cleft

gap between two neurons in which a neural impulse may pass

receptor site

place where NT’s bind on postsynaptic neuron, located at the dendrite

vesicles

where neurotransmitters are housed in terminal buttons

reuptake

when NT’s are reabsorbed back into the cell that previously released it 

Action Potential

Brief neural impulse down an axon after threshold is reached

resting neuron

neuron that is not receiving any charge (-70mv of neuron)

depolarization of the neuron

if the neuron becomes more positive than the resting potential 

Threshold 

level of stimulation needed (-55mv) to trigger an impulse down an axon during depolarization phase

All or Nothing

neuron’s reaction to either firing or not

repolarization

the cell experience a decrease of voltage due to potassium increase

the limbic system

includes the hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and thalamus. Involved in learning, motivation, emotion, and memory

Hippocampus

Memory, helps with formation, organization, and storage of new memories into long ones

hypothalamus

works with pituitary gland, maintains homeostasis (hunger, thirst, body temperature), linked with emotion 

Amygdala

fear/aggression, lower end of the hippocampus, attached significance to events associated to fear/emotion

thalamus

sensory control, receives sensory information and sends them to the appropriate areas of the forebrain, every sense but smell

cerebellum

little brain”, coordination, balance and procedural memory

brainstem

includes pons, reticular attention formation, medulla

pons 

coordinate sleep and movement, bridge from medulla to brain 

reticular attention formation

filters incoming stimuli, only relaying what is important to brain, alertness, actives consciousness 

medulla (oblongata) 

base of brainstem, blood pressure, heartbeat, breathing 

the central nervous system (CNS)

The body's primary processing and control center.

main components of the central nervous system (CNS)

The brain and the spinal cord.

the function of the brain in the CNS

To integrate sensory information and direct motor responses.

the role of the spinal cord

To carry incoming and outgoing messages between the brain and the rest of the body.

the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Gathers information and transmits CNS decisions to body parts.

the autonomic nervous system (ANS)

The self-regulated action of internal organs or glands.

the parasympathetic nervous system

Promotes the 'rest and digest' response, calming the body.

the function of the sympathetic nervous system

Triggers the 'fight or flight' response, preparing the body to confront danger.

the somatic nervous system

Controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles.

neuron

The basic unit of communication in the brain and nervous system.

dendrites

To receive information or signals from other neurons.

the soma in a neuron

The cell body that contains the nucleus.

the axon

The part of a neuron that sends messages from the dendrite to the terminal buttons

glial cells

Support cells for neurons that hold them together, protect them, and help produce myelin.

terminal buttons

To form junctions with other neurons and contain neurotransmitters.

sensory (afferent) neurons

Neurons that carry information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system.

motor (efferent) neurons

They carry information from the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

interneurons

Neurons located only in the CNS that process information.

EEG

measures the brain’s electrical activity through electrodes placed on the scalp. It shows brainwave patterns in real time

fMRI

A brain imaging method that measures blood flow and oxygen use in the brain to detect activity.

MEG

A technique that measures the magnetic fields created by electrical activity in the brain.

CT

A brain scan that uses X-rays to make detailed images of brain structures. It shows injuries, tumors, or abnormalities but does not show brain activity..

PET

A scan that uses a radioactive tracer to measure glucose use in the brain.