Chapter 3: Biological Psychology

frontotemporal dementia

a disease that is associated with changes in artistic creativity

symptoms of frontotemporal dementia

deterioration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain’s cerebral cortex

nervous system

a collection of hundreds of billions of specialized cells that transmit information between different parts of the body

central nervous system (CNS)

the brain and the spinal cord

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

the neurons that link the CNS to the skin, muscles, and glands

endocrine system

the chemical regulator of the body, composed of the glands that secrete hormones

neuron

one of the more than 100 billion cells in the nervous system, whose function is to receive and transmit information

sensory neurons

neurons that send signals from the body to the brain

motor neurons

neurons that send signals from the brain to the muscles

interneurons

neurons that allow sensory and motor neurons to communicate with each other

cell body

contains the nucleus of the cell

dendrites

the parts of the neuron that collect information from other cells and send information to the cell body

axon

the part of the neuron that transmits information away from the cell body toward other neurons to muscles and glands

component A

cell body (soma)

component B

dendrites

component C

axon

component D

action potential

component E

myelin sheath

component F

terminal buttons

component G

dendrites

myelin sheath

a layer of fatty tissue surrounding the axon of a neuron that allows faster transmission of the electrical signal

axon terminals (or terminal buttons)

the branches at the end of axons

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that allow neurons to communicate with each other

synapse

the space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron

excitatory

make the cell more likely to fire

inhibitory

make the cell less likely to fire

reuptake

the process in which the neurotransmitters in the synapse are carried by transporters back in the transmitting axon terminals

agonist

a drug that has chemical properties similar to a particular neurotransmitter and thus mimics the effects of the neurotransmitter

antagonist

a drug that reduces or stops the normal effects of a neurotransmitter

reuptake inhibitors

drugs that work by blocking the reuptake of the neurotransmitter

enzyme inhibitors

these drugs stop certain enzymes from breaking down any neurotransmitter left in the synapse

acetylcholine (ACh)

A common neurotransmitter used in the spinal cord and motor neurons to stimulate muscle contractions. Also used in the brain to regulate memory, sleeping, and dreaming.

dopamine

Involved in movement, motivation, and emotion; produces feelings of pleasure when released by the brain’s reward system. Also involved in learning.

Endorphins

released in response to behaviors such as vigorous exercise, orgasm, and eating spicy foods

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain

glutamate

the most common neurotransmitter, it is released in more than 90% of the brain’s synapses

serotonin

involved in many functions, including mood, appetite, sleep, and aggression

placebo effect

our expectations of receiving a treatment can make us feel better or make us experience side effects

experimenter bias

researcher expectations of how a participant should feel or behave can inadvertently influence how the participant feels or behaves

double blind study

when both the participants and the researchers are blind to conditions

randomized controlled trial

an experiment where participants are randomly assigned to the levels of the independent variable (treatment or placebo) and the participants and researchers are both blind to conditions

component A

frontal lobe

component B

corpus callosum

component C

pituitary gland

component D

pons

component E

medulla

component F

parietal lobe

component G

thalamus

component H

occipital lobe

component I

cerebellum

component J

spinal cord

brainstem

the oldest and innermost region of the brain, it serves to control the most basic functions of life, including breathing, attention, and motor responses

medulla

the area of the brainstem that controls heart rate and breathing

pons

a structure in the brainstem that helps control the movements of the body, playing a particularly important role in balance and walking

reticular formation

a long, narrow network of neurons in the brainstem that runs through the medulla and the pons

thalamus

Acts as a relay station filtering information between the brain and body. Except for olfaction [sense of smell], every sensory system has [location in the thalamus] that has a [location in the thalamus] that receives, processes, and sends information to the cerebral cortex

cerebellum

two wrinkled ovals located behind the brain stem that function to coordinate voluntary movement and balance

component A

hypothalamus

component B

amygdala

component C

hippocampus

component D

pituitary gland

limbic system

a brain area located between the brain stem and the two cerebral hemispheres that governs emotion and memory

amygdala

plays important roles in aggression and in regulating our experience of emotions, particularly fear and anxiety

hypothalamus

a brain structure that performs a variety of functions, including the regulation of body temperature, hunger, sleep/wake cycles, and sexual behavior, as well as linking the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland

hippocampus

a limbic system brain structure important in storing information in long-term memory

cerebral cortex

the outer, bark-like layer of our brain that plays an important role in higher cognitive functions, such as planning, perception, and language

frontal lobes

part of the cerebral cortex; plays an important role in our sense of taste, judgement, planning, organizing, decision-making, controlling emotions, and personality

motor cortex

area at the back of the frontal lobe responsible for voluntary muscle movement

parietal lobes

part of the cerebral cortex that allows us to feel sensations on our skin and know the position of our body

occipital lobes

part of the cerebral cortex; important for vision, including detecting color, shapes, and motion, as well as reading

temporal lobes

part of the cerebral cortex: important for our sense of hearing, sense of smell, and facial recognition

association areas

brain regions in which incoming information is combined and associated with stored knowledge

neuroplasticity

the brain’s ability to change its structure and function to experience or damage

neurogenesis

the forming of new neurons

brain lateralization

the idea that the left and the right hemispheres of the brain are specialized to perform different functions

corpus callosum

the region that connects the two halves of the brain and supports communication between the hemispheres

electroencephalography (EEG)

A technique that records the electrical activity produced by the brain’s neurons through the use of electrodes placed around the research participant’s head

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

a neuroimaging technique that uses a magnetic field to create images of brain structure and function

nerves

a bundle of interconnected neurons that fires in synchrony to carry messages

spinal cord

the long, thin, tubular bundle of nerves and supporting cells that extends down from the brain

reflux

an involuntary and nearly instantaneous movement in response to a stimulus

autonomic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that governs the internal activities of the human body, including heart rate, breathing, digestion, salivation, perspiration, urination, and sexual arousal

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the external aspects of the body, including the skeletal muscles, skin, and sense organs

parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system

tends to calm the body by slowing the heart and breathing, and by allowing the body to recover from the activities that the sympathetic system causes

sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system

involved in preparing the body for behavior, particularly in response to stress, by activating the organs and the glands in the endocrine system

homeostasis

the natural balance in the body’s systems

gland

a group of cells that functions to secrete hormones

hormone

a chemical that moves throughout the body to help regulate emotions and behaviors

pituitary gland

a small pea-sized gland located near the center of the brain and controlled by the hypothalamus is responsible for controlling the body’s growth

adrenal glands

produce hormones that regulate the balance of salt and water in the body, and they are involved in metabolism, the immune system, and sexual development and function

ovaries

the female sex glands

testes

the male sex glands

testosterone

the male sex hormone