psych u2

Thalamus

Thalamus

relay station for sensory information

Hypothalamus

regulates body maintenance activities

Amygdala

controls emotional responses

Cerebellum

balance & coordination

Medulla

vital functions

Hippocampus

processes new memory for storage

Corpus callosum

A broad bans of nerve fibers joining two hemispheres of the brain. Affects cognition and behavior.

Frontal lobe

planning, judgement & motor cortex (voluntary movement)

Temporal lobe

auditory processing & language

Occipital lobe

visual processing

Parietal lobe

processing & sensory cortex

reticular formation

regulate behavioral arousal, consciousness and motivation

brainstem

helps regulate vital body functions; balance, coordination, reflex, breathing, heart rate.

motor cortex

planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements

somatosensory cortex

detects sensory information from the body

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Consists of the brain and spinal cord, responsible for integrating sensory information, controlling motor functions, and facilitating communication between different body parts. It plays a crucial role in reflexes, thoughts, emotions, and overall body regulation.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Consists of nerves and ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord. It is responsible for transmitting sensory information to the central nervous system and carrying motor commands to the muscles. It is divided into two main parts: the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.

Somatic Division

Responsible for voluntary control of body movements through skeletal muscles.

Autonomic Division

Regulates involuntary bodily functions, including heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate. It consists of two main branches: one that prepares the body for 'fight or flight' responses and another that promotes 'rest and digest' activities.

Cell Body

Central part of a neuron that contains the nucleus and organelles. It integrates incoming signals from dendrites and generates outgoing signals to the axon.

Dendrite

Transmits information to the cell body.

Axon

Transmits information to other neurons, muscles, or glands.

Axon terminal

Transmits signals to other neurons or target cells.

Synapse

Allows for the transfer of signals through neurotransmitters, facilitating communication in the nervous system.

Receptor

A specialized protein on the surface or inside a cell that interacts with signaling molecules to initiate a physiological response.

Action potential

Neural impulse created when a neuron ‘fires’. Travels from dendrites to axon to terminal branches

reuptake

Regulates the levels of neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft, ensuring that signals are not continuously transmitted and allowing for the recycling of neurotransmitters for future use.

all or nothing principle

Once a certain threshold of stimulation is reached, an action potential is triggered, leading to a full response. If the threshold is not met, there is no response. This ensures consistent signaling in the nervous system.

neurotransmitter

Facilitates communication in the nervous system, playing a key role in various functions such as mood, sleep, and muscle movement.

serotonin

Contributes to well-being & happiness; helps sleep cycle & digestive system regulation. Affected by exercise & light exposure.

dopamine

Feelings of pleasure, and also addiction, movement, and motivation.

acetylcholine

Involved in thought, learning, & memory. Activates muscle action in the body. Also associated with attention and awakening

mirror neurons

Provide a mechanism for action-understanding, imitation-learning, and the simulation of other people's behavior

hormone

A chemical messenger produced by glands in the endocrine system, released into the bloodstream to regulate various physiological processes, including growth, metabolism, and mood. They play key roles in maintaining homeostasis and influencing bodily functions.

adrenaline

Linked to fight/flight – secreted in large amounts when stimuli triggers it

testosterone

Principle male sexual development hormone, also associated with aggression and impulsive action

estrogen

Principle female sexual development hormone

oxytocin

Promotes trust, bonding, and social behaviors. It can influence emotional responses and is involved in various reproductive functions (lowering stress, in sexual pleasure, reproductive behavior (attraction), maternal behavior, etc).

Physiological Arousal

external stimuli and innate drives (drive reduction behavior)

Drive-Reduction Theory

Motivation arises from the need to reduce internal tension caused by unmet biological drives. When a drive is satisfied, it leads to a state of balance or homeostasis.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

A degree of physiological arousal helps *performance, but only to a point.

Le Doux Theory of Emotion (Low Road vs. High Road)

High Road Processing: thalamus, sensory cortex, parietal lobe, frontal lobe (thinking)

Low Road Processing: thalamus, amygdala (emotional processing)

Happiness AKA Subjective Well-Being (SWB)

Frequent positive emotions and a sense that life is good

Vagus Nerve / Polyvagal Theory

Connects the brain to various organs, influencing heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate. The state of the vagal nerve will directly regulate the behaviors and emotions you exhibit.