ap psych unit 2

neuron

cell within the nervous systm that recieves & sends electrochemical messages

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers of the brain

glial cells

cells that provide support for neurons to grow on

dendrite

part of the neuron; recieves messages from other cells

receptor sites

recieves signals from neurotransmitters

each neurotransmitter has its own type of receptor site that only recieves signals from that neurotransmitter

soma

cell body of the neuron.

includes nucleus

axon

extends from cell body

carrys messages to other cells

myelin sheath

fatty substance around axon that insulates it

axon terminal

at the end of the axon. sends signal to other neurons

synapse

meeting point betweeen neurons

synaptic vesicles

stores various neurotransmitters

neural transmission

process by which information travels thru a neuron

reuptake

after neuroteansmitters stimulate the receptors, any left over neurotransmitters are sent back to be used again

threshold

level of stimulation that a soma uses to decide whether an axon should create electricity

resting state/potential

neuron is charged & ready to fire.

all-or-none principle

action potential strength is constant as long as the threshold is met

refractory period

period of time after an action potential during which a cell cannot repeat action potential

excitatory neurotransmitter

excite neurons & cause them to fire

inhibitory neurotransmitter

prevents next neuron from firing

acetylcholine (ACh)

thought, learning, memory, muscle action

serotonin

feeling of well-being & happiness. regulates sleep cycle & intenstinal movements

dopamine (reward)

pleasure center of the brain. reward, motivation , addiction

norepinephrine

fight or flight response. contracts blood vesseles + increases blood flow

GABA (calming)

calms the nervous system

increases sleepiness

decreases anxiety, memory, muscle tension

glutamate (memory)

thinking, long-term memory, learning

endorphins

relieves pain & stress.

released during exercise, pain, excitement

central nervous system (CNS)

brain & spinal cord

main control center

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

sensory nerves outside of CNS

motor pathway (PNS)

sends signals from brain to muscles/glands

sensory pathway (PNS)

sends signals from sensory receptors to brain

somatic nervous system

responsible for voluntary movements

afferent (sensory) neurons

carrys information from nerves to CNS

efferent (motor) neurons

carrys info from brain to effectors

interneruons

located in CNS

communicates between sensory inputs and motor outputs

reflex arc

signal is sent from sensory organs to spinal cord & acts on it without being processed by the brain

autonomic nervous system

regulates “automatic” actions

breathing, blood pumping, digestion etc

sympathetic nervous system

fight-or-flight response

increased heartrate, blood pressure, blood sugar,

parasympathetic nervous system

calms the person. “rest and digest”

pituitary gland (master gland)

stress, growth, reproduction, some parts of pregnancy/childbirth

thyroid gland

metabolism, growth, appetite

pineal gland

melatonin (sleepy at night)

adrenal glands

releases adrenaline (norepinephrine, epinephrine)

gives us a surge of energy

gonads

ovaries in female

testes in male

releases estrogen & testosterone

Oxytocin (hormone)

regulates social interaction & sexual reproduction

Cortisol

main stress hormone

corpus callosum

connects two hemispheres of the brain & facilitates communication

lateralization

evidence that each hemisphere has its own fucntion

left hemisphere

lang, speech, writing, analysis

right hemisphere

processing, perception, recognition, emotions

cerebral cortex (grey matter)

higher thought, lang, conciousness, reason, imagination

has wrinkes to increase surface area

frontal lobe

reasoning, motor skills, higher-level cognition

prefrontal cortex

complex cognitive behavior, personality, decision-making

frontal lobe

motor cortex

recieves info & uses it to move

frontal lobe

brocas area

physical movements of speech & language comprehension

frontal lobe

parietal lobe

processing sensory signals (touch, pressure, temp)

somatosensory cortex

recieves & proccesses sensory information from body

parital lobe

occipital lobe

visual centers of the brain

temporal lobe

hearing & meaningful speech

wernicke’s area

speech comprehension & plans for meaningful speech

temporal lobe

brainstem

controls flow of msgs between brain & body

breathing, swallowing, consciousness, sleep-wake cycles

medulla

controls vital autonomic fucntions

breathing, heart rate

pons

stimulates breathing, controls sleep cycles

reticular formation

filters unneccesary input & focus on useful sensory input

cerebellum

posture, balance, coordination

thalamus

proccesses & transmits sensory info to cerebral cortex

“relay station”

limbic system

emotions, basic drives(hunger, sex), formation of episodic memories

hypothalamus

thirst, emotions, hunger, body tem regulation, circadium rythm,

hippocampus

formation, organization, storage of new memories

connects sensations & emotions to memories

amygdala (fear center)

processing emotion & survival responses

aggression and fear

flight or fight

neuroplasticity

ability of the brain to change structure & fucntion in response to experiences/trauma

functional plasticity

move fucntion of brain from damaged to undamaged area

strucutral plasticity

ability to change brain strucutre as result of learning

“split brain”

occurs from the corpus callosum being severed. two hemispheres act independently

transcranial magnetic stimulation (TNS)

change brain magnetic fields to treat depression

x-ray

shows bones + solid strucutres

used to find fractures

electroencephalogeaph (EEG)

measures electrical activity of the brain

shows sleep stages, tumors, seizures

CT/CAT Scan

2D x-ray pics that creates a 3d pic of an organ

show bone/muscle disorder, tumor, blood clot

MRI

use radio waves + magnetic fields to create 3d image of brain

better quality than CT

MEG imaging

measures electrical signals from magnetic fields of brain

functional MRI (fMRI)

measures blood O2 in all areas of the brain in response to neural activity

PET scan

uses short-lived radioactive matter to map glucose activity in the brain

dual proccessing

The principle is that information is processed both consciously and unconsciously.