Chapter 2: The Role of Biology in Psychology Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering biological psychology, nervous system divisions, neuronal communication, neurotransmitters, brain imaging tools, and brain anatomy.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The body's decision maker, consisting of the brain and the spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The part of the nervous system that gathers information from the body and sends central nervous system decisions out to the body.

Somatic Nervous System

A division of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.

Autonomic Nervous System

A division of the peripheral nervous system that controls self-regulated actions of internal organs and glands.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body and mobilizes its energy in fight-or-flight situations.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy in rest and digest situations.

Neuron

Nerve cells that serve as the basic building blocks of the nervous system.

Dendrites

Branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.

Axon

The extension of a neuron that passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands.

Myelin Sheath

A layer of fatty tissue covering the axon of some neurons that helps speed neural impulses.

Action Potential

A neural impulse consisting of a brief electrical signal traveling down an axon.

Presynaptic Neuron

The sending neuron that releases neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap.

Postsynaptic Neuron

The receiving neuron that absorbs neurotransmitters across the synaptic gap.

Threshold

The level of stimulation required to trigger an action potential, occurring when excitatory signals outweigh inhibitory signals by a specific amount.

All-or-None Response

A neuron's reaction principle of either firing completely at full strength or not firing at all.

Synapse

The tiny junction or gap between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

Reuptake

The reabsorption of excess neurotransmitter molecules by the sending neuron after stimulating the receiving neuron's receptors.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter located in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system that regulates muscle movement, arousal, attention, and memory.

Norepinephrine

An excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord that increases alertness.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter in the brain involved in motor control and feelings of pleasure and reward.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of sleep, mood, anxiety, and appetite.

GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid)

The major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord that slows central nervous system function.

Glutamate

The primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord involved in learning and memory.

Endorphins

Inhibitory neurotransmitters produced in the brain and spinal cord that assist in pain relief and feelings of pleasure.

Oxytocin

A neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord involved in love, emotional bonding, and lactation.

Agonists

Drugs or chemicals that bind to receptors and mimic the effects of a neurotransmitter.

Antagonists

Drugs or chemicals that bind to receptors and block a neurotransmitter's effect.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A recording of the electrical wave activity sweeping across the brain's surface, useful for studying sleep and seizures.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

A visual brain scan technique that tracks where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a specific task.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A brain imaging technique that uses magnetic fields to align atomic spins and produce detailed images of brain tissue.

Functional MRI (fMRI)

A brain imaging technique that tracks brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans to observe blood oxygen level changes.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

A brain stimulation technique that uses a rapid and powerful magnetic field to momentarily disrupt activity in a targeted brain region.

Medulla

A structure located at the base of the brainstem that controls critical life support functions such as heartbeat and breathing.

Pons

A structure in the brainstem involved in sleep, arousal, and coordinating left-right body movements.

Thalamus

The brain's sensory switchboard that relays incoming sensory messages (except smell) to higher cortical regions.

Cerebellum

Structure known as the 'little brain' that coordinates voluntary movement, balance, and nonverbal motor learning.

Limbic System

A neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres associated with emotions, memory, and basic drives.

Hippocampus

A seahorse-shaped limbic structure responsible for processing conscious, episodic memories and spatial navigation.

Amygdala

Two almond-sized neural clusters in the limbic system that process emotional reactions, particularly fear and aggression.

Hypothalamus

A limbic structure lying below the thalamus that regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sex drive, while directing the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.

Cerebral Cortex

The intricate outer grey layer of interconnected neural tissue covering the cerebral hemispheres, responsible for body control and higher-level information processing.

Frontal Lobes

Cortical lobes involved in speaking, muscle movement, planning, and making judgments.

Parietal Lobes

Cortical lobes that receive sensory input for touch and body position.

Occipital Lobes

Cortical lobes located at the back of the head that process visual information from the opposite visual field.

Temporal Lobes

Cortical lobes responsible for auditory processing and hearing.

Plasticity

The brain's ability to adapt and modify its neural connections following experience or injury.

Neural Pruning

The process by which weak neural connections are eliminated to allow stronger connections to flourish.

serotonin pathways

Networks of neurons that communicate with ______ help regulate mood.

Dopamine Pathways

Networks of neurons that communicate with ______ are involving in focusing attention and controlling movement.