Ap psych unit 1 part 1

natural selection

traits that better enable living things to survive and reproduce are more likely to be passed down, “survival of the fittest”

eugenics

selective breeding to promote traits

epigenetics

environments can turn on or off genetic expression without dna change

neuron

nerve cell, basic building block of our nervous system

glial cells

they support the functioning of neurons:

• transport nutrients to neurons

• provide myelin insulation to neurons

• help neurons line up closely with each other for neural communication

• clean up waste

soma (cell body)

contains nucleus and serves as neuron’s life support center

dendrites

recieve signals from other cells, signals are transmitted across soma and down axon

axon

transmitting electrical impulses throughout nervous system

axon terminal buttons

small sacs that contain neurotransmitters that help pass on signal to neareby neurons

myelin sheath

coats axon and acts as insulator, increasing speed at which the signal travels

multiple sclerosis

dimished muscle control and impaired cognition due to deterioration of sheath

action potential (step 1 in neural firing)

brief electrical pulse that travels down neuron (dendrites to terminal buttons)

neurotransmitters (step 2 in neural firing)

chemicals (neurotransmitters) are released into synapse, potentially stiumlating nearby neuron to fire action potential

action potential definition

brief electrical charge that travels down its axon

resting potential

(-70mv) stable positive outside/negative inside state where positive ions are outside the axon, and negative inside

depolarization

first step in neuron firing; positive sodium ions flood into the cell making more positive toward action potential threshold

threshold of excitation

neuron has to reach a certain “threshold of excitation” in order for an action potential to be triggered (-55mv)

excitatory neurotransmitters

increase likelihood that neuron fill fire

inhibitory neurotransmitters

decrease likelihood that neuron will fire

failed initations

instances where some excitatory signals were recieved and cell depolarized a little bit, but wasn’t enough to trigger action potential

refractory period

brief period where neuron is not able to fire again

reuptake

when neurotransmitters get reabsorbed by axon terminal

acetylcholine

neurotransmitter that enables muscle action

malfunctions of acetylcholine

with alzhiemers disease, ach producing neurons deteroriate

if ach transmittion blocked, muslces cannot contract (myasthenia gravis)

dopamine

neurotransmitter that influences reward system

malfunctions of dopamine

overuspply = schizophrenia, undersupply = mobility in parkinsons disease

serotonin

neurotransmitter that effects mood, hunger, sleep

malfunctions of serotonin

undersupply = depression

norepinephrine

helps control alertness

malfunctions of norepinephrine

undersupply can depress mood

gaba

major inhibatory neurotransmitter

malfunctions of gaba

undersupply leads to seizures, tremors, and insomnia

glutamate

involved in memory, major excitatory neurotransmitter

malfunctions of glutamate

oversupply can overestimate the brain, producing migraines or seizures

endorphins

neurotransmitters that influence perception of pain or pleasure

malfunctions of endorphins

oversupply with opoid drugs can surpress the body’s natural endorphin supply

substance p

involved in pain perception and immune response

malfunctions of substance p

oversupply can lead to chronic pain

central nervous system (cns)

info sent to brain and spinal cord to be processed and acted on

peripheral nervous system (pns)

parts of nervous system that are not housed in bone; sensory and motor neurons that connect cns to body

sensory neurons

carries messages from body’s tissues and sensory receptors inward to brain and spinal cord for processing

motor neurons

carries instructions from cns outward to the body’s muscles and glands

interneurons

(in central nervous system), neurons that process information between sensory input and motor output

long term potentiation

increased efficiency in neural firing which can result from repeated connections between neurons

spinal cord

neural fibers in spinal cord serve as 2 way information highway; brain communicates with rest of body through pns

reflex

simple automatic response to sensory stimulus

reflex arc

composed of single sensory neuron and a single motor neuron, often communicate through interneuron in spinal cord

somatic nervous system

• carries messages from senses to the cns and from cns to muscles

• enables voluntary control of skeletal muscles

autonomic nervous system

• controls internal organ muscles and glandular activity

• controls activities that are normally outside of conscious control (ex: heartbeat)

what are the two subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system

sympathetic and parasympathetic

sympathetic system

(fight or flight) arouses body and mobilizes energy in the face of stress

parasympathetic system

calms body, conserving energy

endocrine system

body’s “slow” chemical communication system; set of glands + fat tissue that secrete hormones into bloodstream

hormones

chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands in body that travel bloodstream to target tissues and organs

adrenaline

hormone involved in fight or flight, beneficial in short bursts

oxytocin

hormone enables orgasm and lactation; promotes social bonding

leptin

hormone involved in turning off hunger (lean)

ghrelin

hormone involved in turning on hunger

melatonin

hormone helps turn on sleeping process

pituary gland

directs other endocrine glands to release hormones, controlled. by hypothalamus

agonists

chemicals that increase a neurotransmitter’s action, may increase production/release of them

antagonists

chemicals that decrease a neurotransmitter’s action by blocking production or release

reuptake inhibitors

blocks reuptake of neurotransmitter, leaves it in the synapse for longer which increases its effects

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

prevent reuptake of serotonin, treats depression, gives it more time to interact with serotonin receptors

substance use disorder

disorder characterized by continued substance use despite resulting life disruption

symptoms of substance use disorder

• craving

• continued use despite significant life disruption

• tolerance

• withdrawal

tolerance

needing more for desired effect

withdrawal

symptoms when one tries to cut back use of substance

categories of psychoactive drugs

• depressants

• stimulants

• hallucinogens

depressants

drugs that calm neural activity and slow body functions

stimulants

excite neural activity and speed up body functions

hallucinogens

drugs that distort perceptions

opioids

used for pain and anxiety relief, users pupils constrict, breathing slows

alcohol

• depressant

• pros: initial high followed by relaxation and disinhibition

• cons: depression, memory loss, organ damage, impaired reactions

heroin

• depressant

• pros: rush of euphoria, relief from pain

• depressed physiology, loss of natural endorphin function

caffeine

• stimulant

• pros: increased alertness/wakefulness

• cons: anxiety, restlelessness, insomnia in high doses

nicotine

• stimulant

• pros: arousal, relaxation, sense of well being

• cons: heart disease, cancer

cocaine

• stiumlant

• pros: rush of euphoria, confidence, energy

• cons: cardiovascular stress, suspiciousness, depressive crash

marijuana

• mild hallucinogen

• pros: enhanced sensation, relief of pain, distortion of time, relaxation

• cons: impaired learning and memory, increased risk of psychological disorders