Psychology Brain, Nervous System, and Memory Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering brain regions, neuronal mechanisms, neurotransmitters, stress models, learning principles, and memory systems based on the lecture notes.

Hindbrain

The oldest part of the brain that controls basic features and motor functions such as breathing, blinking, walking, coughing, sneezing, and the sleep cycle.

Midbrain

A brain region that controls fine motor skills, pupil dilation, and regulates body temperature.

Forebrain

The top area of the brain and the last area to develop; it processes and regulates blood pressure, heart rate, and other internal functions.

Neurons

Cells used to communicate and transmit messages by converting information into chemical messages that travel to other neurons.

Axon

The portion of a neuron that sends information.

Axon Terminal

The structure at the end of a neuron that transmits information to other neurons.

Myelin Sheath

A protective coating that covers the axon of a neuron.

Developmental Plasticity

Changes in neural connections that occur as a result of aging, environmental and social interactions, and learning from a young age.

Adaptive Plasticity

The brain's ability to compensate for lost functionality caused by brain or body damage.

Synaptogenesis

The process occurring when learning something new, where axon terminals grow and connect with other neurons or dendrites.

Synaptic Pruning

The process of removing less active connections between neurons based on the 'use it or lose it' principle.

Myelination

The process of forming and developing myelin around the axon of a neuron.

Attribution

Explaining behavior or determining the why behind someone's actions.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The major division of the nervous system comprising the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The division of the nervous system containing the autonomic nervous system and somatic nervous system.

Autonomic Nervous System

A division of the PNS that regulates non-skeletal muscles, internal organs, and glands, transmitting neural messages to the CNS about their activity.

Somatic Nervous System

A division of the PNS consisting of sensory receptors and muscle nerves.

Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters that stimulate the postsynaptic neuron to increase the likelihood or probability that it will fire an action potential.

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters that suppress neurotransmission and decrease the likelihood or probability that the postsynaptic neuron will fire an action potential.

Glutamate

The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, involved in learning and memory.

GABA

The main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, which counterbalances the excitatory activity of glutamate to prevent overexcitation.

Neuromodulators

A subclass of neurotransmitters that bind to metabotropic receptors to alter the strength of neural transmission across multiple postsynaptic neurons by modifying their responsiveness.

Serotonin

An inhibitory neurotransmitter and neuromodulator primarily responsible for regulating mood, sleep, appetite, memory, and attention, with 90% located in the gut.

Dopamine

A neurochemical responsible for regulating movement, reward-motivated behavior, and reinforcement learning.

Synaptic Plasticity

Specific physical or structural changes, such as strengthening or weakening, occurring within the synapse between neurons in response to activity or experience.

Long Term Potentiation (LTP)

The relatively permanent strengthening of synaptic connections.

Long Term Depression (LTD)

The relatively permanent weakening of synaptic connections as a result of repeated low-level activation.

Sprouting

The growth of axon terminals on the presynaptic neuron and/or dendrite branches on the postsynaptic neuron at the synapse during LTP.

Rerouting

The formation of new neural connections to establish alternative neural pathways when a damaged or less-used pathway is replaced.

Stress

A psychobiological process caused by a stressor perceived as dangerous or threatening, which activates a biological response.

Gut Microbiota

Microorganisms in the gut that produce and release neurotransmitters including GABA, serotonin, and dopamine, influencing stress levels and psychological processes.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

A biological model describing three stages of physiological reactions (Alarm reaction, Resistance, Exhaustion) experienced in response to a persistent stressor.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process in which the likelihood of a voluntary behavior is determined by its consequences.

A-B-Cs of Operant Conditioning

The three-part framework consisting of Antecedent (event), Behavior (reaction), and Consequence (outcome).

Observational Learning

A type of social-cognitive learning occurring when a learner observes a model's actions and their consequences to guide future behavior.

Implicit Memory

Memory that is unconsciously or unintentionally recalled, including procedural memories and classically conditioned responses.

Explicit Memory

Memory that is consciously or intentionally recalled, including facts or general knowledge (semantic memory) and personal experiences (episodic memory).

Hippocampus

A structure located deep within the temporal lobe that encodes, consolidates, retrieves, and transfers new explicit memories to the neocortex.

Neocortex

The cerebral cortex comprising the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, responsible for storing long-term explicit memories across multiple brain regions.

Basal Ganglia

A brain structure involved in encoding and storing implicit memories, specifically related to habit formation, procedural movement sequences, and reward pathways.

Cerebellum

A cauliflower-shaped structure at the base of the brain involved in encoding and storing implicit memories related to unconscious habits, simple reflexes, balance, and coordination.

Mnemonics

Techniques used to improve or enhance memory by organizing and providing structure to information for easier encoding, storage, and retrieval.