Introduction to the Brain and Nervous System

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to the brain and nervous system.

Neurons

Specialized cells that communicate with each other to transmit signals.

Network

A group of neurons that connect and work together to perform functions.

Connectionism

An approach that focuses on understanding how neural connections contribute to cognitive processes.

Computational neuroscience

The study of brain function in terms of information processing and application of computational methods.

Action potential

A rapid rise and fall in voltage across a cell membrane when a neuron fires.

XOR (exclusive or)

A logical operation in which the output is true if only one of the inputs is true.

Feature detectors

Neurons that respond to specific visual features such as edges and orientations.

Hidden layer

A layer in a neural network that processes inputs between the input layer and output layer.

Excitatory signal

A signal that increases the likelihood that a neuron will fire an action potential.

Inhibitory signal

A signal that decreases the likelihood that a neuron will fire an action potential.

Somatic nervous system

The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movements and transmits sensory information.

Autonomic nervous system

The part of the peripheral nervous system that regulates involuntary functions, such as heart rate and digestion.

Polygraph machine

A device that measures physiological arousal, often misrepresented as a lie detector.

Cognitive abilities

Mental skills such as thinking, learning, and reasoning.

Primary motor cortex

The region of the brain responsible for planning and executing voluntary movements.

Primary somatosensory cortex

The area of the brain that processes sensory information from the body.

The corpus callosum

A bundle of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Myth of 10% brain usage

The misconception that humans only utilize 10% of their brain capacity.

Lateralization of brain function

The tendency for certain cognitive processes or functions to be more dominant in one hemisphere than the other.

Analog computation

A form of computation that involves continuous variables and ranges of values, as opposed to discrete digital signals.

Neural circuit

A network of neurons that work together to achieve a specific function or response.