Lecture Notes on Biology in Psychology II

A comprehensive set of flashcards summarizing key concepts and terms related to biology in psychology, focusing on brain structures, neurotransmitters, and their functions.

Neuron

The basic structural and functional unit of the nervous system.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter involved in motor control, attention, memory, learning, and sleeping.

Epinephrine

Also known as adrenaline, it is a neurotransmitter associated with energy.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter that affects arousal and alertness.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that influences emotional states, impulse control, and dreaming.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter linked to reward, motivation, and motor control over voluntary movement.

GABA

A neurotransmitter that inhibits action potentials and is involved in anxiety reduction.

Glutamate

A neurotransmitter that enhances action potentials and plays a role in learning and memory.

Endorphins

Neurotransmitters that promote pain reduction and feelings of reward.

Hindbrain

Part of the brain responsible for survival functions such as breathing and heart rate.

Midbrain

Part of the brain involved in reflexive movements and the initiation of voluntary motor activity.

Forebrain

The part of the brain that controls motivations, emotions, and complex mental activity.

Thalamus

A gateway to the brain for almost all incoming sensory information before it reaches the cortex.

Hypothalamus

A brain region involved in regulating bodily functions and influencing basic motivated behaviors.

Hippocampus

A structure associated with the formation of memories.

Amygdala

A brain structure involved in emotion processing and learning associations.

Cerebral cortex

The outer layer of the forebrain responsible for complex mental processes such as thought and planning.

Plasticity

The brain's ability to change in response to experience, drugs, or injury.

Parkinson’s Disease

A disease resulting from damage to the substantia nigra, leading to difficulty starting movements and rigid muscles.