Ap psych unit 1\

Nervous system

The body system that transfers impulses throughout the body

impulses

electro-chemical messages/ signals that cause muscle contractions and gland secretion, transfer info from sensory organs to the brain and are active during cognitive functions

The Neuron

Cells that make up the nervous system (the building block) they generate and transfer impulses throughout the body

soma

contains nucleus and organelles

dendrites

receives impulses from other neuron or from sensory neurons

axon

transferes impulses onto other neuron muscles or glands

myelin sheath

an insulating layer of fat cells suroounding the axon it ensures the speed of impulses transmission by preventing dispersal

terminal buttons (axon terminals)

Contain chemicals (neurotransmitters) involved in impulse transmission

receptor cells

specialized cells located in the sensory organs (eye ear skin etc) they detect environmental info ( light sounds temp changes)

sensory neurons (afferent neurons)

transfers impulses from receptor cells to spinal cord/ brain (ex. eyes take in info and sensroy neurons transfer it to the brain)

Motor (efferent) neurons

transfer impulses from brain/ spinal cord to muscles or glands.

effectors

any muscle/gland that responds to motor neurons.

internuerons

transfer impulses between afferent (sensory) efferent (motor) neurons

Pathway when studnet hears a question and raises their hand to answer

Receptor cells (in ear) > sensory neuron> internuerons ( in brain) > Motor neurons > effector neurons

Glial Cells

the glue of the nervous system they do not transmit impulses. Major functions. produce myelin and provide electrical insulation provide structural and metabolic support assist in production and movement of cerebral spinal fluid, participate in defense and immune responses, produce myelin and provide electricla insulation , provide structural and etabolic cell bodies of neurons.

Synapse

the space between the terminal buttons of one neuron and the dendrites of the next neuron.

Neurotransmitters (Nts)

chemicals that cross synapse and allow neurons to comunicate

pre-synaptic neuron

neuron that sends out NT;s

post-synaptic neuron

neuron that absorbs NT

excitatory neurotransmitters

start a new impulsese in the postsynaptic neuron

inhibitory neurotransmitters

surpress impulses in the postsynaptic neuron

Reuptake process

excess Nt's are absorbed back into the presynaptic neuron ( not all Nt's in the synapse bind with receptors)

Enzymatic degredation

Enzymes breakk down the NTs ( not all Nt's in the synapse bind with receptors)

Acetylcholine (ACH)

released by motor neurons that initiate muscle contractions. found in neurons located in the hippocampus

Dopamine

coordinate muscle movemnts. Released in part of the brain called the blank rewards pathway which is active when we expierence sensations of pleasure.
High levels can be linked to schizophrenia
Low levels can be linked to Parkison's Disease
Cocain enhances blank in the rewards pathway casing mild euphoria

Endorphins

morphine produced inside the body that is involved in pain relief, when released it can produce a mild euphoric effect.
Associated with the runners high ( along wirh serotonin)

serotonin

regulates metabolic functions and moods
Associated with the runners high ( along with endorphins)

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

primary inhibitory neurotransmitter it inhibits the function of internuerons within the brain
GABA slows down impulses and neurological functions which impairs reaction times judgments etc
- certain drugs ( alcohol and cocaine) may enhance the effect of GABA (alobg with dopamine)

Substance P

plays a role in the perception of pain

Norepiephrine

elevates alertness and physiological arousal during stressful situations.

Antidepressants

some are known as selective seretonin reuptake inhibitors and the slow the reuptake process to maintain higher levels of seretonin. Ex. MAOI are anti depressenants tha slow down enzymatic degredation of seretonin.

resting potential

when a neuron is not producing an impulse it is said to be at its blank

action potential (A.P)

is the electro chemical process which cenerates an impulse within the neuro. they happen rapidly but only one can occur at a time

Threshold

the minimum level of stimulation required to trigger an action potential/impulse . a neuron either fully respsond or not at all

if the treshold is met

an A.P occurs

if the treshold is not met

No A.P occurs

During an action potential

cetain ion move across the membrane of the neuron. Na ions move from outside in k ions move from inside out. this movement creates a change in charge which genertates electrical current impulse (idk man)

Repolarize

neuron returns to resting potential not pumping NA out and k in. a neuron must repolarize before another can be produced

refactory period

time period when a neuron cannot produce an action potential. while a neuron repolarizes it is in the refactory period.

Auto Immune

certain neurological disorders result from the immune sysemt destroying healthy compononts of the neuron. this can interfere with impulse transmission

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

affect impulses transmission. symptoms. it causes demyelination ( immuse system breaks down mylenin sheath slowing down transmission in the neuron). Auto immune disorder

myasthenia gravis

the immune system produces antibodies that block receptors used by acetycholine. and auto immune disorder

The reflex arc

an adaptive and automatic neurological response channeled through the spinal cord. triggered by unexpected detection of painful stimulus.

Reflex arc pathway

Receptor cells in the skin detect painful stimulus triggering a response in a sensory neuron. this impulse is carried to interneurons of the spinal cord and the transfered to the motor neurons. the motor neuron causes the muscle of the arm to contract allowing arm to quickly move away from painful stimulus. after reflex arc is completed we becom conciously aware of the source of pain

four components of the brain

hindbrain ( brainstem), mindbrain, forebrain, cerebral cortex

Hindbrain / brainstem

oversees life instead of more complex behavior

Meedulla

controls vital biological functions such as breathing regulation of hearbeat and swalloing

cerebellum

control involuntary muscle movments necessary to maintian balance (ex when sitting down and standing up) controls voluntary muscle movemtns that are performed in rapid secesion or require precise control ( ex walking) damage to this can cause Dysdiadochokinesia whic is marked by an inability to de rapidly alternating movements. coordinates movement of multiple mudcles during an action

Pons (latin for bridge)

transmits impulses between the cerebellum and the more complex motor region of the brain. influence deep sleep and dreaming states (along with other parts of the brain ) . rapid eye movement while asleep is caused by activity in this ( along with midbrain)

reticular formation

A network of neurons embedded within the brainstem activates sensory regions of the brain needed to maintain alertness and attention. (ex, if a person needs to listen closely to someone speaking, the blank will redirect blood flow to the auditory regions of the brain, allowing them to maintain attention.) Abnormal function here is linked to ADHD.

Midbrain

coordinates muscle movements to allow eyes and ears to better focus on sights and sounds. (ex. the quick simultaneous movements the eyes often occurring while reading) rapid eye movement while asleep is caused by activity in the blank (and pons)

hippocampus

active during the formation of memories which is then stored in later parts of the brain

amygdala

involved in fear responses. is active during a specific type of memory formation called emotional learning

hypothalamus

regulates metabolic functions ( body temp, thirst feelings of hunger, and fullness) . detect biological need ( ex. need for food food ). triggers bodily functions to meet needs ( ex. feeling of hunger) .

thalaumus

brains relay station directs info from sensory organs onto more complex brian regions

olfactory bulb

interprets impulses from recepto cells and sensory neurons in the nasal cavity

cerebal cortex

one of the four major regions of the brain it is the most developed and divided into four lobes

Motor cortex

initiates voluntary muscle movements, the right side of the body is controlled by the left side of this and the left side of the body is controlled by the right side of this. impulses that cause voluntary muscles to contract comes from here

Association cortex

located in all lobes intergrating information from multiple lobes, it allows for complex cognitive function

pre-frontal cortex

coordinated executive cognitive functions (emotion and impulse control along with the ability to plan reason and make decisions)

broca's area

located on the left side of the frontal love and is involved in speech production and fluency. Dmage to this causes Broca's aphasia whch is a difficulty speaking fluently.

Somatosensory cortex (parietal lobe)

interprets bodies tacticle sensations (sense of touch like the diff between smooth and rough surfaces ) detected by the right side of the body and processes by the left portion of cortex.

wernicke's area ( temporal lobe )

involved in language COMPREHENSION. it allows us to take sounds heard and traslate into meaningful language. Damage can cause wernicke's aphasia where speech is fluent but the meaning is impaired

auditory cortex (temporal lobe)

interprets auditory sensations impulses from left ear are processed by the right side of temporal lobe and vice versa)

occipital lobe (visual cortex)

interprets visual sensations ( abilitiy to recognize definition of edged patterns shapes and movements). the right field of visions is processed by left visual cortex

right brain functions

art awarness, creativity, imagination, intuition, insight, holistic thought, music awarness, 3-D forms, let-hand control

left- brain functions

analytical thought, logic, language, reasoning, science and math, written, numbers skills, right hand control

Corpus callosum

200 million nerve fiberrs that conect left and right hemisphere, impulses from the right can travel across this to the left. it allows for impulses to transfer and communicte between hemispheres

Neural pathway

bundel of neurons connecting different brain regions

neuroplasticity

neural pathways and brain regions can develop in response to experiece, they function more efficiently. the more a neural pathway is used the more the structure will change. they alow the pathway to send impulses more efficiently. new dendrites develop increasing the capacity to send impulses. allows function with less cognitive effort