Biological Bases

Physiological Psychology

Study of how behavior is influenced by biology

EEG (electroencephalogram)

Measures subtle changes in electrical activity in the brain through electrodes placed on the head; used commonly in sleep studies

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Uses electromagnets and radio waves to create 3-D structural images

CAT scan (computerized axial tomography)

Generates cross sectional images of brain with a series of x-ray pictures

Functional MRI (fMRI)

Creates a rapid sequencing of MRI images(video of sorts)

PET scan (positron emission tomography)

Visualizes radioactive glucose in the brain, which is used when there is activity in the brain, therefore visualizing which parts of the brain are active

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Comprised of nerves in the spinal cord and brain

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Comprised of all neurons outside of the central nervous system

Sensory (Afferent) Neurons

Neurons that send sensory info to the brain

Motor (Efferent) Neurons

Neurons that send info from the brain to the rest of the body

Reflexes

quick and involuntary responses caused by direct transmission from sensory to motor neurons

Somatic Nervous System

Part of the peripheral nervous system, controls voluntary movements of large skeletal muscle

Autonomic Nervous System

Part of the peripheral nervous system, controls non skeletal or smooth muscle; made up of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

Sympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic nervous system, responsible for heightened sense of arousal; fight or flight; causes digestion and salivation to be slowed while speeding up heart rate and respiration

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Part of the autonomic nervous system, compliments sympathetic nervous system by slowing down the body(heart rate, respiration) and increasing salivation and digestion in order to return to homeostasis

Hindbrain

Oldest part of the brain that contains the cerebellum, medulla oblongata, reticular activating system(RAS), and the pons

Cerebellum

Part of hindbrain, controls muscle tone and balance

Medulla oblongata

Part of hindbrain, controls involuntary actions such as breathing, digestion, and heart rate(Basic life needs)

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

Part of hindbrain, controls arousal

Pons

Part of hindbrain, also Latin for "bridge"; passes neutral information from one brain region to another and has also been linked to REM sleep

Midbrain

consists of tectum and tegmentum

Tectum

part of the midbrain that acts as the brain's roof; also governs visual and auditory reflexes

Tegmentum

Part of the midbrain that acts as the brain's floor; also governs visual and auditory reflexes

Forebrain

Contains the limbic system; contains the parts of the brain called the thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, and the cerebral cortex

Thalamus

Part of the forebrain that relays sensory info to other parts of the brain

Hippocampus

Part of the forebrain that is involved in the creation of memories; damage to this can cause anterograde amnesia

Amygdala

Part of the forebrain that is involved in emotion, particularly anger, fear, and frustration

Hypothalamus

Part of the forebrain that controls temperature and water balance; sex and hunger drives. This part of the brain is separated into two parts.

Lateral Hypothalamus

Turns on the hunger drive

Ventromedial hypothalamus

Turns off the hunger drive

Cerebral Cortex

Part of the forebrain that is involved in higher cognitive function such as thinking, planning, language use, and fine motor control.

Corpus Callosum

Hold the right and left cerebral hemispheres together with connective nerve fibers

expressive aphasia

the loss of the ability to speak and produce language(can still understand it)

Broca's Area

Area in the left hemisphere responsible for language processing(speech function)

receptive aphasia

inability to understand speech

Wernicke's area

part of the left temporal lobe that controls speech comprehension(listening to dialogue)

Roger Sperry

Researcher who studied split brain patients; proved that the two hemispheres can act independently of each other

Contralateral Processing

The ability to use both hemispheres and integrate information between them via the corpus callosum

Frontal Lobe

Lobe of the brain responsible for decision-making and working memory

Parietal Lobe

Lobe of the brain responsible for somatosensory information; somatosensory cortex is locate here; receives info about temperature, pressure, pain, and texture

Occipital Lobe

Lobe of the brain responsible for processing visual input

Temporal Lobe

Lobe of the brain responsible for handling auditory input; critical for speech comprehension and understanding the tone of music

Apraxia

inability to organize one's movement

Agnosia

Difficulty processing sensory input

Alexia

Inability to read

Agraphia

Inability to write

Neuron

Nerve cell

Soma

Cell body of the neuron

Dendrites

Receive messages from other neurons; attached to the soma

Axon

Transmits action potential down its length in order for neurotransmitters to release at the terminal buttons

Myelin Sheath

Fatty coatings of the axon that speed up action potentials

Nodes of Ranvier

Parts of the axon in between the myelin sheaths that are left uncovered

Terminal Buttons

End of the axon that forms a synapse with the dendrites of other neurons; secretes neurotransmitters

Synapse

Gap between terminal buttons and dendrites; extremely small

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that are released by the terminal buttons that go across the synapse to the dendrites of another neuron

Resting Membrane Potential

A membrane potential of -70 mV

Leak Channels

Channels that are open all the time that allow ions to diffuse through the membrane

Action Potential

A nerve impulse that travels down the axon causing the terminal buttons to secrete neurotransmitters.

Excitatory neurotransmitters

neurotransmitters that excite the nerve cell into firing

Inhibitory neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters that inhibit the cell; stop it from firing

Reuptake

The process by which neurotransmitters that are not broken down by enzymes are reabsorbed

Enzymes

What breaks down neurotransmitters

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Neurotransmitter that affects memory and muscle function, particularly the heart

Serotonin

Neurotransmitter that is related to sleep, arousal, pain, and hunger

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter that is associated with happiness, movement, and attention; imbalance of this can lead to Parkinson's or Schizophrenia

GABA

An inhibitory neurotransmitter

Glutamate

An excitatory neurotransmitter that is the counterpart to GABA

Endorphins

Neurotransmitters that act as the body's painkillers

Norepinephrine

Neurotransmitter that affects alertness; too little of this can cause depression

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to form or sever neural connections throughout one's life

Michael Gazzinga

Researcher who is known for pioneering work on neuroplasticity

Endocrine System

Bodily System that regulates hormones

Pituitary Gland

Located in the brain, main gland in the endocrine system

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

Hormone that stimulates the adrenal glands

Adrenal Glands

Gland in the endocrine system that is responsible for secreting epinephrine and norepinephrine

Epinephrine

Hormone that is otherwise known as adrenaline

Thyroid Gland

Gland in the endocrine system that secretes thyroxine

Thyroxine

Hormone that helps regulate cellular metabolism

Huntington's Chorea

A rare genetic disease with a late onset of after 40 years old that causes muscular impairment; caused by damage to the basal ganglia

Heretability

The degree of variance among individuals that can be attributed to genetic variations

Environmentality

Degree to which a trait's expression is caused by he environment surrounding that organism

State of Consciousness

When we are conscious of the environment around us

Altered State of Consciousness

When are normal consciousness is disrupted; head injuries, toxins, or other disorders

William James

Believed in a stream of consciousness; also created functionalism

Robert Sternberg

Believed consciousness is a mental reality we create for ourselves in order to adapt to the world; also create the triarchic theory of intelligence

Unconscious

Things that happen that without our command; heavily studied by Sigmund Freud

Preconscious level

Info that is consciously available but not commonly used; riding a bike or other involuntary movements we have learned

Controlled Processing

A state where we are very aware of our actions; opposite of automatic processing

Automatic Processing

A state where we perform tasks mechanically, without very much thought; opposite of controlled processing

Melatonin

Neurochemical that is believed to play a role in sleep

Pineal Gland

Gland in the brain that produces melatonin

Circadian Rhythm

A day to night pattern that our bodily functions regulate to

Beta Waves

Neural activity occurring when we are awake and focused

Alpha Waves

Neural activity occurring when we are awake, but much more relaxed

Theta Waves

Neural activity occurring during the early stages of sleep

Delta Waves

Neural activity occurring during stages 3 and 4 of sleep which progressively increase throughout stage 4

Eugene Aserinsky and Nathaniel Kleitman

Discovered that eyes move rapidly during REM sleep

Paradoxical Sleep

How REM sleep is described due to the activity of beta waves, which are normally found in people who are awake and focused

William Dement

Sleep researcher who studied REM sleep and discovered the "REM Rebound"

REM Rebound

When someone loses REM sleep one night, they have more REM sleep the next(replenishes what they lost)