Ap Pysch Unit 1 Test vocab

central nervous system (CNS)

consists of brain and spinal chord. Main processing center of the nervous system

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The nervous system outside the brain and spinal chord

Automatic Nervous System (ANS)

a part of the nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions. Ex: breathing, heartbeat, etc.

Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

a part of the nervous system that controls voluntary bodily functions. Ex: moving arms

Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)

A network of nerves that prepare the body for physical activity, stress and danger. Often referred to as the “fight of flight” response.

Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS)

a network of nerves that help the body relax and restore homeostasis after periods of stress or danger

Neurons

A type of cell that receives and sends messages from the body to the brain and back to the body

Soma

The cell body

Axon

Passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands

Dendrites

Receive messages from other cells

Terminal Buttons

The small knobs at the end of an axon that releases chemicals called neurotransmitters

Low Serotonin

Depression

Myasthenia Gravis

A condition where certain muscles have difficulty contracting

Low levels of dopamine

Linked to parkinsons

High levels of dopamine

Linked to schizophrenia

Ach

Responsible for learning and memory

Norepinephrine

Neurotransmitter that controls alertness, mode, and attention

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, mood, and body temperature

Dopmaine

A neurotransmitter involved in mood, movement, and attention

Glutamate

The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system; important for learning and memory

Glial cells

Cells that support and protect nerve cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems

Inter motor neurons

Carry information between sensory and motor neurons

Agonists

Drugs that mimic a particular neurotransmitter

Antagonists

Drugs that block a particular neurotransmitter from activating its recepters

Action potential

The electrical impulse sent along an axon when the dendrites of a neuron fire

Synapse

The small gap between the axon and the dendrite

Inhibitory

Describes a neurotransmitters causes postsynaptic neuron to propagate fewer action potentials

Substance P

Regulates bone metabolism, cartilage metabolism, and fracture healing

Gamma - aminobutyric acid (GABA)

neurotransmitters that slows down the brain by blocking signals in the central nervous system

Neurotransmitter

A chemical substance that is released by the end of a nerve by the arrival of a nerve impulse and diffuses across the synapse

Right Hemisphere

Controls left side of the body, creativity, emotions, spatial reasoning

Left Hemisphere

controls right side of the body, logical, language

Corpus Callosum

allows 2 hemi-sphere to communicate

Frontal lobes

personality, working memory, critical thinking, emotions, speech

Parietal lobes

process sense of touch, stimulates movement, and body control

Occipital lobes

process visual info, visual cortex, does NOT identify people or objects

Temporal lobes

processes hearing and language

Cerebellum

balance, coordination, memory, motor movement, processes sensory input, balance, non-verbal learning,

Medulla

controls heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and blood pressure

reticular activating system (RAS)

relays information to the brain through routes, stimulates arousal and alertness

Thalamus

brain sensory control center, receives information from all senses except smell

Hypothalamus

notifies body of hunger, thirst, body temperature (shivering and sweating), sexual behavior, controls all glands

Amygdala

enables aggression and fear

Hippocampus

converts short-term memories into long term ones, involved with spatial awareness, memory, and learning

pre-fontal cortex

processes tasks, memory, critical thinking, and emotions

Broca’s Area

left hemisphere in the frontal lobe
produces speech

motor cortex

back of the frontal lobe
sense of movement

somatic sensory cortex

processes which area is most sensitive to detecting pain

auditory cortex

helps you understand spoken language

insomnia

linked to low GABA and pineal gland

limbic system

HAH! hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus

ach

linked with alzeimers

basal ganglia

voluntary movements, routine behaviors, linked with parkinson’s and dopamine levels