Biological psychology

Neurons

nerve cells specialized in communicating with each other

Glial cells

support role, psychological functioning

myelin sheath

fatty insulation from glial cells surrounding axons

Multiple sclerosis

loss of myelin; erratic signals, mobility issues

Resting potential

neuron is negative inside, positive outside

action potential

electrical charge travels down neuron; cell becomes depolarized

all or none

signal transmission between neurons is not dependent on the strength of the stimuli but, rather, only that the initial threshold is met

Refractory period

neuron will not fire no matter how much stimulation

excitatory

messages that make it more likely a neuron will fire

inhibitory

message that make it less likely that a neuron will fire

neurotransmitter

chemical messengers that help neurons communicate

Agonist

mimic or enhance the effect of a NT; more NT available

antagonist

block or impedes the normal activity of NT

Glutamate

excitatory; increases the chance neurons will communicate

GABA

inhibitory; dampening neural activity

Acetylcholine

selective attention, MEMORY, arousal, muscle movement

dopamine

plepleasure and reward, voluntary movement, attention anticipating reward

parkinsons

dopamine deficit

schizophrenia

excess dopamine

alzhimers

neurons containing acetylcholine are destroyed

serotonin

made from tryptophan; mood regulation, sleep wake regulation, satiety, pain perception

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

blocks reuptake of serotonin; AGONIST

Central nervous system

Brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

autonomic and somatic

Neural plasticity

brain is adaptable and can change, myelination; neurons faster and brain regions more efficient, pruning; removal of synaptic connections

Hindbrain

primitive, basic functioning

medulla

vital functions

pons

sleep and arousal

cerebellum

motor coordination

reticular activating system

directing attention

midbrain

controls movement and transmits info that enables seeing and hearing

forebrain

manages complex activities, sensory and associative functions and voluntary motor activities

cerebral cortex

higher mental processing

left hemisphere

fine tuned language skills, actions; facial exp and motion detection

right hemisphere

coarse language skills; simple speech and writing, tone, visuospatial skills; perceptual grouping, face perception

frontal lobe

planning, exceutive functions, motor

brocas area

language PRODUCTION; frontal lobe

`Motor cortex

responsible for body movement; frontal lobe

prefrontal cortex

thinking, planning and language, CEO; frontal lobe

pseudopsychopathy

reduction of activity in PFC; changes in moral judgement, deficits in guilt, impulsive

parietal lobe

sensation, somatosensory cortex; sensitive to pressure, pain and temp

temporal lobe

hearing, UNDERSTANDING language, autobiographical memories

wernickes area

language COMPREHENSION; temporal lobe

occipital lobe

vision processing, high order visual functions

prosopagnosia

face blindness

visual agnosia

inability to recognize visual input

limbic system

emotional center

amygdala

key role in fear

hippocampus

new long term memories

hypothalamus

body thermostat; homeostasis, emotions to physical reactions

thalamus

sensory relay

toxoplasmosis

amygdala damage; reduction of fear responses

sympathetic

AUTONOMIC INVOLUNTARY; fight or flight

parasympathetic

AUTONOMIC INVOLUNTARY; rest and digest

neuropsychology tests

assess cognitive function

CT SCAN

X-rays, created image of brain

positron emission tomography scan

shows BRAIN ACTIVITY, mildly radioactive substance, monitors blood flow

MRI

magnetic fields used to produce pic of tissue

FMRI

shows changes in metabolic activity over time

EEG

electrical ACTIVITY OF BRAIN recorded via electrodes on scalp

MEG

measures tiny magnetic fields generated by the brain 

deep brain stimulation

modify brain function through implanted electrodes

transcranial magnetic stimulation

applies strong and quickly changing magnetic fields to the surface of skill; enhance or interrupt brain function