Psychology - Neuroscience and Behavior

Aphasia

Difficulty speaking or understanding language due to brain damage.

Pituitary gland

Master gland that controls other endocrine glands and regulates growth.

Occipital lobe

Brain lobe responsible for processing vision.

Neuron

Nerve cell that receives and sends information throughout the body.

Sensory cortex

Processes touch sensations such as pressure, temperature, and pain.

Dendrite

Branch-like part of a neuron that receives messages.

Adrenal glands

Glands above the kidneys that release stress hormones like adrenaline.

Axon

Part of a neuron that carries messages away from the cell body.

Frontal lobe

Controls planning, decision-making, personality, and voluntary movement.

Myelin sheath

Fatty covering around the axon that speeds up neural messages.

Broca's area

Brain area responsible for producing speech.

Synapse

Tiny gap between neurons where messages are transmitted.

Plasticity

The brain's ability to change and form new neural connections.

Neurotransmitter

Chemical messenger that carries signals between neurons.

Motor cortex

Controls voluntary movements of the body.

Parietal lobe

Processes touch, pressure, temperature, and body position.

Endorphins

Natural chemicals that reduce pain and create feelings of pleasure.

Hormones

Chemical messengers released into the bloodstream by endocrine glands.

Nervous system

The body's communication network that receives and responds to information.

Corpus callosum

Bundle of nerve fibers connecting the brain's two hemispheres.

Central nervous system

Brain and spinal cord; processes information and directs responses.

Endocrine system

Network of glands that release hormones into the bloodstream.

Peripheral nervous system

All nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.

Temporal lobe

Processes hearing, language, and memory.

Sensory (afferent) neurons

Carry sensory information from the body to the central nervous system.

Interneurons

Neurons that connect sensory and motor neurons and process information within the CNS.

Wernicke's area

Brain area responsible for understanding language.

Motor (efferent) neuron

Carries commands from the CNS to muscles and glands.

Limbic system

Group of brain structures involved in emotions, motivation, and memory.

Thalamus

The brain's sensory relay station that sends information to the cerebral cortex.

Reflex

Automatic, involuntary response to a stimulus.

Somatic nervous system

Controls voluntary movements and carries sensory information.

Glial cells

Cells that support, protect, and nourish neurons.

Brain stem

Controls basic survival functions like breathing and heartbeat.

Brain

Organ that controls thoughts, emotions, movements, and body functions.

Hypothalamus

Regulates hunger, thirst, temperature, and helps control the endocrine system.

Medulla

Part of the brain stem that controls heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure.

Cerebral cortex

Outer layer of the brain responsible for higher-level thinking and processing.

Amygdala

Processes emotions, especially fear and aggression.

Sympathetic nervous system

Activates the fight-or-flight response.

Parasympathetic nervous system

Activates the rest-and-digest response.

Lesion

Damage to a specific area of the brain.

Cerebellum

Controls balance, coordination, and learned movements.

Autonomic nervous system

Controls involuntary functions like heartbeat and digestion.

Reticular formation

Brain stem network that controls alertness, attention, and arousal.