Psych U3 ML 9

Biological psychology

the study of the link between biology(hormones, genetics, spine) and psychological processes.

Neuron

a nerve cell, basic building block of the nervous system

Dendrites

Fibers that receive information and conduct it toward the cell body (part of a neuron cell)(information receptors)

Axon

Fibers that pass information to other neurons or muscle glands (information transfers) (can be very long(feet))

Myelin sheath

a fatty tissue that insulates and speeds up axon impulses

Action potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Refractory period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

Threshold

the level of stimulation(excitatory>inhibitory) to trigger a neural impulse

Synapse

The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the receiving dendrite tip of the receiving neuron

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

Reuptake

Axon terminal reabsorbs excess neurotransmitters

Endorphins

neurotransmitters linked to pain, control, and pleasure

Agonist

a molecule that binds to a receptor site to stimulate a response

Antagonist

a molecule that binds to a receptor site to inhibit or block a response