AP Psych: Biology

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction.

Action potential

A neural impulse: a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon,

Adrenal glands

A pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. That secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress.

Agonist

Excite neurons by mimicking natural neurotransmitters or blocking their reuptake to keep more of them in your system. (pretends to be something else)

Alzheimer's disease

A progressive and irreversible brain disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and finally, physical functioning.

Amygdala

Two lima bean-sized neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion.

Antagonist

Inhibit neural impulses by blocking receptor sites or diminishing their release.

Aphasia

Impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding).

Association areas

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

Autonomic nervous system

Part of the of the peripheral nervous system

regulates involuntary physiologic processes (including heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion, and sexual arousal.)

Axon

The extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons of to muscles or glands.

Behavioral genetics

The study of the relative power and limits of genetic ad environmental influences on behavior.

Brainstem

The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull: It is responsible for automatic survival functions.

Central nervous system (CNS)

The brain and spinal cord.

Cerebellum

Deals with muscle movements such as balance and coordination

Cerebral cortex

The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that cover the cerebral hemispheres: Deals with higher order processing

Corpus callosum

The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Dendrites

The bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

Endocrine system

The body's 'slow" chemical communication system:set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

Endorphins

"Morphine within"-natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.

Forebrain

The largest and most complex region of the brain, encompassing a variety of structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum.

Glial cell

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protects neurons.

Hindbrain

Includes the cerebellum and two structures found in the lower part of the brain-stem, the medulla and pons.

Hormones

Chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and effect another.

Hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

Interneurons

Central nervous system neurons that internally communicate between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.

Lesioning

removal or destruction of part of the brain

Limbic system

Includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus.

(MRI) Magnetic resonance imaging

is a brain imaging technique that detects magnetic changes in the brain's blood flow patterns.

Medulla

controls heartbeat, blood pressure and breathing.

Functional MRI (fMRI)

technique that uses magnetic fields to visualize brain activity using changes in blood oxygen level

Midbrain

The segment of the brain-stem that lies between the hindbrian and forebrain.

Myelin sheath

covers the axon of neurons and helps speed neural impulses

Nerves

Neural "cables' containing many axons. These bundled axons, which are part of the peripheral nervous system, connect the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.

Neural networks

Interconnected neural cells. With experience, networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results. Computer stimulation's or neural networks show analogous learning.

Neuron

A nerve cell: the basic building block of the nervous system

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit information from one neuron to another

Parasympathetic nervous system

Rest and Digest; Calms the body after the threat has passed

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body.

Pituitary gland

The endocrine system's most influential gland. It growth and controls other endocrine glands. Master gland

Plasticity

The brain's capacity for modification, s evidence in brain reorganization following damage (especially in children) and in experiments on the effects of experiments on brain development.

(PET) Positron emission tomography

A visual display of the brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

Reflex

A simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response.

Resting potential

Neuron is in its normal, resting state.

Reticular Formation

A nerve network in the brain-stem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.

Somatic nervous system

The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system.

sympathetic nervous system

Fight or Flight!!

Synapse

The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

Synapse cleft (Gap)

The gap at the junction of the synapse.

Terminal buttons

Found at the end of the axon, and are responsible for sending the signal on to other neurons.

Thalamus

the brain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

Threshold

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

motor neurons

Sends signals from the brain to our body to make us move

Broca's Area

part of the brain that is responsible for speech production

wernicke's area

part of the brain that is responsible for understanding spoken language

split brain patients

corpus collosum is severed, two hemispheres of the brain don't communicate as effectively

afferent neurons

carries nerve impulses from sensory receptors or sense organs toward the central nervous system.

efferent neurons

Neurons that send impulses from the central nervous system to your limbs and organs

neuron firing order

dendrite--soma---axon--terminal bulb

occipital lobe

Deals with vision

temporal lobe

Deals with hearing

frontal lobe

decision making

parietal lobe

processes sensory information

absolute refractory period

The minimum length of time after an action potential during which another action potential cannot begin.

relative refractory period

A period after firing when a neuron is returning to its normal polarized state and will fire again only if the incoming message is much stronger than usual

all or none principle

states that the strength of a response of a neuron or muscle fiber is not dependent upon the strength of the stimulus. If a stimulus is above a certain threshold, a neuron or muscle fiber will fire.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter that deals with, pleasure

Serotonin

Neurotransmitter that deals with mood, sleep and arousal

norepinephrine

Neurotransmitter that deals with cognition and perception

glutamate

Neurotransmitter that deals with Sensory information, Motor and spinal reflexes

substance p

Neurotransmitter that deals with pain control

endorphins

Neurotransmitters that deal with pain moderation

GABA

Neurotransmitter that deals in the slowdown of bodily activity

Hippocampus

deals with memories