psych ch 3: neurons and anatomy

neuron

cell that transmits nerve impulses

soma

cell body which contains nucleus

dendrites

branching extensions of the soma

axon

major extension that carries electrical signal away from soma

myelin sheath

lipid coatig around axon containing synaptic vesicles

synaptic vesicles

holders of neurotransmitters

general direction

DSAT

synapse

space between terminal button of one neuron and the dendrite of another where neurotransmitters are released

neurotransmitter

chemical messengers which send info between neurons by crossing the synapse, chemical communication between neurons

reuptake

moving a neurotransmitter from the synapse back into axon terminal from which it was released

cerebral cortex

surface of the brain

higher-level processes like consciousness, thought, emotion, reasoning, language, memory

grey matter

neuron somas and dendrites, mostly

white matter

axons, mostly

white because of myelin

gyri

folds/bumps of cerebral cortex

sulci

grooves of cerebral cortex

longitudinal fissure

splits brain into right/left hemispheres

lateralization

some processes are specialized to one hemisphere

corpus callosum

thick band of neural fibers connecting left and right hemispheres

frontal lobe

thinking, emotion, and movement

front

parietal lobe

bodily somatic sensations and information

top

temporal lobe

hearing and memory, language

bottom

occipital lobe

vision

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