HOSA BIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY

"Biological Psychology"

"The study of how the nervous system and behavior, as well as mental processes, are interconnected and influence each other."

"Monism"

"The philosophy that the mind is what the brain does."

"Neuron Doctrine"

"The concept that the nervous system is made of separate cells, not a continuous network, proven by Santiago Ramón y Cajal."

"Jackson's Hierarchy"

"A theory proposed by John Hughlings Jackson that the nervous system is organized in a hierarchy, with complex structures managing more primitive ones."

"fMRI"

"A modern imaging technique used to observe brain activity by measuring changes in blood flow."

"PET Scan"

"A type of imaging test that helps to show how your tissues and organs are functioning, particularly the brain."

"CNS"

"Central Nervous System, consisting of the brain and spinal cord."

"PNS"

"Peripheral Nervous System, which includes all nerves that carry sensory and motor information to and from the body."

"Meninges"

"Three layers of membranes that protect the Central Nervous System."

"Cerebrospinal Fluid"

"A fluid that cushions the brain and is produced in the brain's ventricles."

"Spinal Cord"

"A cylinder of neural tissue that initiates vital reflexes and carries sensory information to the brain."

"Brainstem"

"The part of the brain that includes the hindbrain and midbrain, responsible for basic life functions."

"Medulla"

"A part of the hindbrain essential for regulating heart rate and breathing."

"Pons"

"A part of the hindbrain that manages sleep, arousal, and facial expressions."

"Hindbrain"

"The lower part of the brain that includes the medulla, pons, and cerebellum."

"Midbrain"

"The part of the brain involved in sensory reflexes, movement, and pain."

"Cerebellum"

"Part of the brain involved in skilled movement and complex cognitive processing; damage can lead to deficits in language, cognition, and perception."

“A part of the hindbrain that maintains balance and motor coordination."

"Reticular Formation"

"Located in the brainstem, it manages overall levels of arousal and consciousness."

"Thalamus"

"The 'gateway to the cortex'; nearly all sensory information passes through here before reaching the cerebral cortex."

"Basal Ganglia"

"A group of structures involved in voluntary movement; degeneration can lead to Parkinson's disease and contribute to psychological disorders."

"Hypothalamus"

"Regulates homeostasis and body functions such as thirst, temperature, and hunger; involved in the '4F' behaviors: feeding, fleeing, fighting, and fornication."

"Hippocampus"

"Essential for forming new long-term memories; involved in memory storage and retrieval, and plays a role in stress management."

"Cingulate Cortex"

"Forms a fold of tissue on the inner surface of each cerebral hemisphere; involved in controlling the autonomic nervous system and decision making."

"Autonomic Nervous System"

"Part of the nervous system that regulates involuntary body functions, such as heart rate and digestion."

"Memory Formation"

"The process of creating new long-term memories, primarily associated with the hippocampus."

"Parkinson's Disease"

"A neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement, often caused by degeneration of the basal ganglia."

"Complex Cognitive Processing"

"Advanced mental activities such as thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving, often associated with the cerebellum."

"Arousal Levels"

"The state of being awake and alert, managed by the reticular formation."

"Homeostasis"

"The body's ability to maintain stable internal conditions, regulated by the hypothalamus."

"Stress Management"

"The process of controlling stress levels, in which the hippocampus plays a significant role."

"Anterior Cingulate Cortex"

"The front part of the cingulate cortex, significant in decision making and emotion."

"Sensory Information"

"Data received from the senses that is processed by the thalamus before reaching the cerebral cortex."

"4F Behaviors"

"Feeding, fleeing, fighting, and fornication; behaviors regulated by the hypothalamus."

"Cognitive Deficits"

"Impairments in cognitive functions such as language and perception, which can result from cerebellum damage."

"Memory Retrieval"

"The process of recalling stored memories, in which the hippocampus is involved."

"Motor Structures"

"Neural circuits involved in movement, connected to the basal ganglia."

"Consciousness"

"The state of being aware of and able to think and perceive one's surroundings, managed by the reticular formation."

"Parietal Lobe"

"Home to the primary somatosensory cortex, processing touch, pain, and body position."

"Lateralization"

"The specialization of the right and left hemispheres of the brain."

"Corpus Callosum"

"A band of nerve fibers connecting the right and left hemispheres of the brain."

"Frontal Lobe"

"Responsible for voluntary movement and higher cognitive functions."

"Primary Motor Cortex"

"Located in the frontal lobe, responsible for voluntary movement."

"Broca's Area"

"Involved in the production of speech; damage causes difficulty in speaking."

"Prefrontal Cortex"

"Involved in planning behavior, attention, and judgment; linked to disorders like Schizophrenia."

"Alien Hand Syndrome"

"A condition where a patient loses control of a limb due to damage in the prefrontal cortex."

"Orbitofrontal Cortex"

"Plays a vital role in emotional lives and social behavior; damage affects decision-making."

"Antisocial Personality Disorder"

"Linked to a reduction in prefrontal cortex volume; characterized by preference for immediate rewards."

"Phineas Gage"

"A historical case study illustrating the effects of frontal lobe damage on personality."

"Frontal Lobotomy"

"A procedure that damaged frontal lobes to reduce anxiety, often leading to impulsive behavior."

"Occipital Lobe"

"Located at the back of the brain, responsible for visual processing."

"Primary Visual Cortex"

"Begins interpreting visual input by responding to borders, shading, color, and movement."

"Occipital to Temporal Pathway"

"Allows for the recognition of objects."

"Occipital to Parietal Pathway"

"Allows for the processing of movement."

"Temporal Lobe"

"Responsible for processing auditory information and higher visual tasks."

"Primary Auditory Cortex"

"Processes incoming sounds."

"Wernicke's Area"

"Involved in language comprehension."

"Visual Functions"

"Processes higher visual tasks like recognizing objects and familiar faces."

"Damage to Temporal Lobe"

"Can result in inability to recognize loved ones by sight."

"Damage"

"A condition where patients speak fluently but make no sense, cannot comprehend speech, and are often unaware of their deficit."

"Parietal Lobe"

"A region of the brain that processes sensory information and is involved in spatial awareness."

"Primary Somatosensory Cortex"

"A part of the parietal lobe that helps localize touch, pain, skin temperature, and body position."

"Spatial Awareness"

"The ability to understand where one's body is in time and space."

"Neglect Syndrome"

"A condition caused by damage to the parietal lobe, where patients have difficulty paying attention to the space opposite the side of brain damage."

"Taste Processing"

"A function of the parietal lobe that involves processing input about taste."

"Vision Coordination"

"The ability to coordinate vision and movement, such as inserting a credit card into a reader."

"Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)"

"The part of the nervous system that transmits commands for voluntary movement and brings sensory input back to the CNS."

"Somatic Nervous System"

"A component of the PNS that transmits commands for voluntary movement to muscles."

"Autonomic Nervous System"

"A part of the PNS that controls involuntary functions such as glands and smooth muscles."

"Sympathetic Nervous System"

"A division of the autonomic nervous system that coordinates arousal and the fight-or-flight response."

"Parasympathetic Nervous System"

"A division of the autonomic nervous system associated with rest, repair, and energy storage."

"Enteric Nervous System"

"A network of nerve cells in the gastrointestinal system, often referred to as the 'second brain'."

"Hormones"

"Chemical messengers released by the endocrine system into the bloodstream to coordinate various bodily functions."

"Pituitary Gland"

"A gland controlled by the hypothalamus that releases oxytocin, linked to human bonding."

"Adrenal Glands"

"Glands that release hormones in response to stress."

"Pineal Gland"

"A gland that releases melatonin, important for maintaining sleep-wake cycles."

"Islets of Langerhans"

"Clusters of cells in the pancreas that produce hormones essential for digestion, including insulin."

"Neurons"

"Specialized cells that send and receive messages in the nervous system."

"Cell Body"

"The central mass of a neuron that contains the nucleus and is responsible for housekeeping functions."

"Dendrites"

"Extensions of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons."

"Glia"

"Supportive cells in the nervous system that maintain the structure of neurons and assist in their function."

"Myelin"

"An insulating layer formed by glia that wraps around axons to enhance the speed and efficiency of neural signaling."

"Action Potential"

"The electrical signal that travels down the axon, occurring as an all-or-none event when a neuron reaches its threshold."

"Resting Potential"

"The electrical charge across a neural membrane when the neuron is not actively processing information."

"Synapse"

"The tiny gap between neurons where they communicate chemically using neurotransmitters."

"Neurotransmitters"

"Chemical messengers stored in synaptic vesicles that transmit signals across synapses."

"Acetylcholine (ACh)"

"A neurotransmitter involved in movement and memory, with circuits that deteriorate in Alzheimer's disease."

"Dopamine"

"A neurotransmitter linked to movement, planning, and reward, implicated in addiction and Parkinson's disease."

"Serotonin"

"A neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, sleep, and aggression, targeted by SSRI antidepressants."

"Endorphins"

"Natural opioids produced by the body that modify the response to pain."

"Norepinephrine"

"A neurotransmitter associated with arousal and vigilance."

"Glutamate"

"A neurotransmitter that excites brain activity."

"GABA"

"A neurotransmitter that inhibits brain activity."

"Reuptake"

"The process by which neurotransmitter molecules are returned to the axon terminal for reuse or deactivation."

"Receptor"

"A special channel in the neuron's membrane that interacts with neurotransmitters released by other neurons."