Psych 2: Biology of psychology

Left Hemisphere

language and logic side of brain, controls movement on the right side of the body

Right Hemisphere

Spacial and perceptual tasks, controls movement on the left side of the body

Cerebellum

allows smooth motor movement and balance, non-verbal learning

Medulla

base of brainstem, controls heartbeat and breathing

Pons

Controls sleep

Reticular Formation

directs stimuli to relevant brain areas, controls arousal

Thalamus

Processes information from all senses except smell and sends them to correct brain areas

The Limbic System

involved in behavioral and emotional responses

Amygdala

processes fear and threatening stimuli

Hippocampus

learning and memory

Hypothalamus

keeps the body in stable homeostasis by managing hormones and the automatic nervous system

Cerebrum

The 2 hemispheres which control perception, thinking, and speaking

Cerebral Cortex

controls higher levels of function like language, memory, intelligence, decision making, emotion, and personality

Corpus Callosum

Connects the left and right brain and allows them to communicate with each other

Motor Cortex

directs bodily movement

Sensory Cortex

receives and processes sensory information from skin senses and movement senses

Brocas Area

Motor speech, controls speaking and breathing

Wernickes Area

Speech comprehension, language, and understanding

Temporal Lobes

left and right lobes process auditory information and memory

Occipital Lobes

left and right lobes responsible for visual perception like color, form, and motion

Parietal Lobes

left and right lobes that process touch, body position, pain

Frontal Lobes

left and right lobes responsible for speaking, muscle movements, planning, and judgment

Prefrontal Cortex

controls emotions, decision making, and personality

CAT Scan

sees brain structure

PET Scan

sees brain function

MRI Scan

a better resolution of brain structure

fMRI

sees brain structure and function

Dendrites

part of neuron that recieves communication from other cells

Cell Body (Soma)

contains nucleus of neuron and controls the cell

Axon

part of neuron that carries information away from cell body

Axon Terminals

Change electrical impulses within a neuron into chemical messages in the form of neurotransmitters

Resting potential

neurons negative charge at rest

Excitatory Signals

generates and promotes action potential in a neuron

Inhibitory Signals

Prevents action potential in a neuron

Threshold

Neuron reaches this energy level before going from negative to positive charge

Action Potential

Neurons "fire" when they reach a threshold and become positively charged

All-or-None Law

Neurons either fire or they dont, theres no in between

Synaptic Cleft

the space between a neurons and its target cell

Absolute Refractory Period

neurons need time to reset in between firing

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers of neurons carrying information between neurons

Reuptake

neurotransmitters reabsorption by the sending neuron

Endorphins

pain-reducing neurotransmitter

Acetylcholine (ACh)

learning, memory, muscle movement neurotransmitter

Dopamine

reward or pleasure neurotransmitter

Serotonin

mood neurotransmitter

Norepinephrine

alertness and arousal neurotransmitter

GABA

Calming, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, slows down brain activity

Glutamate

excitatory neurotransmitter, increases brain activity, linked to memory

Central Nervous System

brain and spinal cord, quickly transfers information

Cerebrospinal fluid

nourishes/protects the brain

Blood-Brain Barrier

cells that stop chemicals from entering the brain from the bloodstream

Peripheral Nervous System

peripheral nerves all over the rest of the body

Somatic nervous system

a conscious system for sensory input and motor output

Autonomic nervous system

unconscious system, self-regulated internal organs and glands

Sympathetic Division

arousing system, heart beating faster

Parasympathetic Division

calming system, heart slowing down

Hormones

chemical messengers for bloodstream and tissues

Pituitary Gland

regulates bodily functions and growth through hormones

Thyroid

produces hormones to regulate metabolism

Adrenal Glands

release adrenaline

Gonads

part of the reproductive system that produces eggs and sperm

Pancreas

makes enzymes to break down food