PSYCH 1200 Unit 2

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord; creates thoughts and emotions and sends instructions to the rest of the body.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Nerves throughout the body that carry out instructions from the CNS and relay sensations from the outside world back to the CNS.

Somatic Nervous System

Division of the PNS that controls external actions of the skin and muscles.

Autonomic Nervous System

Division of the PNS that controls internal actions of organs and glands.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Division of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the body's energy resources and prepares the body for fight or flight.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body back down.

Neuron

A cell in the nervous system that receives and sends information.

Sensory Neuron

Neuron that carries information from the body to the brain.

Motor Neuron

Neuron that carries information from the brain to the muscles.

Interneuron

Neuron that communicates with other neurons.

Dendrites

Branch-like parts of a neuron that receive messages from other neurons.

Cell Body

Part of the neuron that contains the nucleus.

Axon

Long cable-like part of a neuron that transmits messages away from the cell body.

Axon Terminals

End points of the axon where the message is passed to the next neuron.

Synapse

The gap between two neurons.

Action Potential

Electrical signal sent down an axon.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical signals passed between neurons.

Excitatory Neurotransmitter

Neurotransmitter that increases the chance that the next neuron will fire.

Glutamate

Example of an excitatory neurotransmitter.

Inhibitory Neurotransmitter

Neurotransmitter that decreases the chance that the next neuron will fire.

GABA

Example of an inhibitory neurotransmitter.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Neurotransmitter that stimulates muscle contractions when released by motor neurons onto a muscle.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter released by the brain's reward system that makes us feel good and is involved in movement.

Serotonin

Neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, sleep, appetite, and more.

SSRIs

Antidepressant drugs that keep more serotonin in the synapse.

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

Strengthening of synaptic connections as a result of repeated stimulation.

Long term potentiation

Repeated stimulation strengthens connections between neurons; the sending neuron needs less prompting to release neurotransmitters.

Neural Networks

Groups of neurons that connect regions of the brain.

Brainstem

Most autonomous and innermost region of the brain; serves basic life functions such as physiological arousal and breathing.

Medulla

Part of the brainstem that controls heart rate and breathing.

Pons

Structure in the brainstem that helps control body movements such as balancing and walking.

Reticular Formation

Narrow network of neurons that runs through the medulla and pons.

Thalamus

Relay station that filters information between the brain and body; every sensory system except smell has a location in the thalamus.

Thalamus

Helps with sleep by shutting off incoming signals from the senses, allowing the body to rest.

Cerebellum

Part of the brain behind the brainstem that coordinates voluntary movement and balance and helps with learning and remembering movement skills.

Limbic System

Brain area between the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres that governs emotions and memory.

Amygdala

Part of the limbic system involved in aggression and regulating emotions such as fear and anxiety.

Hypothalamus

Brain structure that controls the pituitary gland and regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, sleep/wake cycles, and sexual arousal.

Hippocampus

Brain structure involved in storing long-term memories about what, when, and where something happened.

Hippocampus Damage

Damage can prevent a person from building new what/when/where memories.

Cerebral Cortex

Outer, bark-like layer of the brain involved in higher cognitive functions such as planning, perception, and language.

Frontal Lobes

Brain region behind the forehead involved in taste, judgment, planning, organization, emotion control, and decision making.

Motor Cortex

Area responsible for voluntary muscle movement.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Progressive loss of muscle control.

Parietal Lobes

Brain regions involved in somatosensory activities, discrimination of size, shape, and texture, visually guided actions, and speech perception.

Somatosensory Cortex

Area responsible for the sense of touch.

Somatosensory Cortex Representation

More sensitive body regions have more area dedicated to them in the somatosensory cortex.

Temporal Lobes

Brain regions involved in auditory perception, speech, and complex visual perceptions.

Auditory Cortex

Area that processes sounds, detects pitch, and helps locate where a sound is coming from.

Olfactory Cortex

Area of the brain that detects smell.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change its structure and function in response to experience or damage.

Brain Lateralization

The idea that the left and right hemispheres are specialized to perform different functions.

Corpus Callosum

Region that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Split-Brain Research

Research showing that when the corpus callosum is severed, each hemisphere can process sensory information, form concepts, and direct actions independently.

Neurogenesis

The formation of new neurons.

Stem Cells

Undifferentiated cells that have the potential to develop into major cell types in the brain.

Astrocytes

Cells that nourish and protect neurons.

Oligodendrocytes

Cells that surround axons and enable them to conduct signals efficiently.

Lesion

Brain damage caused by things such as strokes, falls, or tumors.

Feature Detectors

Specific neurons that detect features such as movement, lines, edges, and faces.

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Technique that records electrical activity produced by brain neurons using electrodes placed around a participant's head.

EEG Advantage

Participants can move around and remain in a natural state while using EEG.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Brain scan that uses a magnetic field to create images of activity in different brain areas.

fMRI

Neurons that fire use more oxygen, increasing blood flow; fMRI detects changes in blood flow to indicate neural activity.

fMRI Advantage

Noninvasive technique for studying brain activity.

Spinal Cord

Long, thin, tubular bundle of nerves and supporting cells extending down from the brain.

Sensory Neurons

Relay sensory information from sense organs up to the somatosensory cortex of the parietal lobes.

Motor Neurons

Relay commands for muscles from the motor cortex.

Reflex

Involuntary and nearly instantaneous movement in response to a stimulus.

Reflex Pathway

Sensory information reaches a threshold, and interneurons in the spinal cord send a message back through motor neurons without first relaying the information to the brain.

Homeostasis

Natural balance in the body's systems.

Endocrine System

System involving glands and hormones that regulate emotions and behaviors.

Gland

Group of cells that functions to secrete hormones.

Hormone

Chemical that moves through the bloodstream to help regulate emotions and behaviors.

Pituitary Gland

Small, pea-sized gland near the center of the brain controlled by the hypothalamus; secretes hormones that regulate other endocrine organs.

Pancreas

Gland that secretes glucagon and insulin.

Pineal Gland

Gland that secretes melatonin, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle.

Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands

Glands that determine how quickly the body uses energy and control the amount of calcium in the blood and bones.

Adrenal Glands

Glands that produce cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.

Epinephrine and Norepinephrine

Hormones important in activating the sympathetic nervous system.

Ovaries

Female sex glands that produce eggs and secrete estrogen and progesterone.

Testes

Glands that secrete testosterone, which regulates bodily changes associated with sexual development.

Intersex

Having sexual or reproductive anatomy that does not neatly fit the description of female or male.

Stroke

When blood flow to the brain is interrupted.

Ischemic Stroke

Stroke caused by a blood clot that blocks a blood vessel.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

Stroke caused by a burst blood vessel.

Ischemic Stroke Percentage

About 87% of strokes are ischemic.

Stroke and Brain Hemispheres

Each hemisphere has its own set of blood vessels, so strokes typically affect only one hemisphere.

Stroke Damage

The amount of damage depends on how large the blocked or torn blood vessel is.

FAST

Stroke response process: Facial Drooping, Arm Weakness, Speech, Time.

F in FAST

Facial drooping.

A in FAST

Arm weakness.

S in FAST

Speech problems.

T in FAST

Time; seek help quickly.

Stroke Rehabilitation

Recovery varies; speech, physical, and occupational therapists can help restore different abilities.

Speech Therapist

Helps restore speech after a stroke.

Physical Therapist

Helps restore movement and muscle coordination after a stroke.

Occupational Therapist

Helps restore activities of daily living after a stroke.

Stroke Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation activities encourage the brain to use neuroplasticity to recover function.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Brain injury classified as mild, moderate, or severe.