Biopsychology Vocabulary Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the biological bases of behavior, neuron anatomy, neural communication, and the divisions/structures of the nervous system.

Biopsychology

The study of the biological bases of mind and behavior, specifically the study of the nervous system.

Neurons

The basic cells that make up the nervous system, with approximately 100 billion located in the brain and nervous system.

Glial cells

Support cells in the nervous system that exist in similar numbers to neurons.

Action potential

An electrical signal or nerve impulse that moves from the axon hillock to the terminal buttons, rapidly flipping the neuron to a positive charge of $+40\,mV$.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers released by terminal buttons that communicate with receptors on the dendrites of other neurons.

Soma

The cell body of a neuron which contains the nucleus.

Dendrites

Receptor or input sites located around the soma of a neuron.

Axon

A single extension of the cell from the soma that serves as an output site for nerve impulses.

Axon hillock

The area where the axon begins and where the action potential is initiated.

Terminal buttons

The ends of the axon that release neurotransmitters to affect other neurons.

Myelin sheath

A covering that may coat the axon to facilitate the speed of electrical signals.

Synapse

The gap across which neurons communicate with one another.

Resting potential

The negative charge of a neuron when it is not active, typically measured at $-70\,mV$.

Threshold

The specific level of stimulation, approximately $-60\,mV$, that a neuron must reach before it will fire.

All-or-none law

The principle stating that neurons either fire completely or do not fire at all, with no in-between state.

Central nervous system (CNS)

The part of the nervous system comprised of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

The system comprised of bundles of axons (nerves) that connects the CNS to the rest of the body, including muscles, glands, and organs.

Spinal cord

A relay between the brain and the rest of the body consisting of 30 segments, with the top merging into the brain stem.

Cerebral cortex

The outermost layer of the brain, most recently evolved and complex, characterized by gyri (ridges) and sulci (grooves).

Longitudinal fissure

The deep groove that separates the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Lateralization

The specialization of function in each hemisphere of the brain, such as the left hemisphere's focus on logic and math.

Corpus callosum

A thick band of fibers that connects the two hemispheres of the brain.

Frontal lobe

The lobe at the front of the brain involved in motor control, thinking, planning, and personality.

Prefrontal cortex

A part of the frontal lobe responsible for higher-level thinking, planning, deciding, and emotional regulation.

Broca’s area

A region in the frontal lobe essential for language production.

Parietal lobe

The lobe at the top of the brain responsible for processing body position, navigation, and somatosensory information.

Somatosensory cortex

An area in the parietal lobe that processes sensory information from across the body.

Temporal lobe

The lobe on the sides of the brain involved in hearing, memory, emotion, and language comprehension.

Wernicke’s area

A region in the temporal lobe essential for language comprehension.

Occipital lobe

The lobe at the back of the brain primarily responsible for processing vision.

Limbic system

A subcortical system dedicated to processing memory and emotion.

Thalamus

A sensory hub that receives and integrates sensory information before relaying it to various brain areas for processing.

Hippocampus

A structure in the limbic system essential for forming and retrieving long-term memories.

Amygdala

A structure in the limbic system involved in processing emotional responses.

Hypothalamus

A structure that controls the pituitary gland and regulates basic bodily functions like hunger, temperature, and the stress response.

Brain stem

Part of the hindbrain consisting of the pons and medulla that is involved in basic life processes like breathing and heart rate.

Cerebellum

Part of the hindbrain responsible for coordinating movements, balance, and muscle memory.

Midbrain

A set of structures between the hindbrain and forebrain that regulates sleeping/waking and relays information between brain areas.

Somatic nervous system

A division of the PNS that provides pathways for sensory and motor information to and from the brain to allow movement and sensation.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS)

A division of the PNS that controls involuntary functions of organs and glands.

Sympathetic nervous system

The part of the autonomic nervous system involved in the 'fight, flight, or freeze' response and preparing the body for activity.

Parasympathetic nervous system

The part of the autonomic nervous system that maintains normal functioning and helps the body 'rest and digest' after arousal.