Unit 1 AP Psychology

Sensory Neurons

Carry information from sensory systems to the brain.

Motor Neurons

Carry information from the brain to the body.

Interneurons

Carry information between other neurons; signals that stay inside the brain and spinal cord.

Nervous System

Controls and coordinates all body and brain functions using nerve cells called neurons.

Central Nervous System

Made up of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System

Made up of sensory and motor neurons; goes out to the tips of our fingers and toes.

Somatic Nervous System

Controls voluntary movements.

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls automatic functions such as heart rate, breathing, body temperature, and blood pressure.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Speeds up functions except digestion; known as 'Fight or Flight.'

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Calms the body down by slowing functions except digestion; known as 'Rest and Digest.'

Reflex Arc

A rapid, automatic, involuntary response to a stimulus (often to pain).

Dendrites

Tree-like branches that take information in from other neurons and send it to the soma.

Soma

Cell body that contains the nucleus and decides if information should be passed on.

Axon

Carries information from the soma to the terminal buttons.

Myelin Sheath

Insulates the axon and speeds up the neural impulse.

Terminal Buttons

Send chemical messages from one neuron to another.

Glial Cells

Cells that insulate and support neurons; create the myelin sheath.

Action Potential

When a neuron is activated, an electrical charge is sent down the axon.

Refractory Period

A neuron’s recovery period after firing.

Resting Potential

The resting state before a neuron receives a signal.

All-or-Nothing Principle

If the nucleus decides to react, it sends a full-strength charge down the axon.

Threshold

The minimum level of stimulation a neuron needs to generate an action potential.

Depolarization

Shift in a neuron’s electrical charge that allows an action potential to occur.

Reuptake

Reabsorption of a neurotransmitter back into the sending neuron.

Multiple Sclerosis

Disease caused by the deterioration of the myelin sheath, affecting communication in the nervous system.

Myasthenia Gravis

Disorder that reduces acetylcholine, leading to muscle weakness.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messages passed between neurons through the synapse.

Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Activate an action potential.

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Prevent an action potential, so the second neuron is not activated.

Cerebral Cortex

The outer edge of the cerebrum, responsible for the highest levels of thinking.

Cerebellum

Responsible for balance and coordination; located in the back of the head.

Frontal Lobe

Involved in speaking, muscle movements, planning, judgment, and personality.

Motor Cortex

Responsible for voluntary movements, located at the back of the frontal lobes.

Prefrontal Cortex

Responsible for alertness and focus, located at the front of the frontal lobe.

Parietal Lobe

Responsible for touch, pain, temperature, and body awareness.

Somatosensory Cortex

Processes incoming sensory information such as touch and pain.

Occipital Lobe

Processes visual information; located in the back of the head.

Temporal Lobe

Involved in hearing, smell, recognizing faces, and language.

Broca’s Area

Allows us to talk; located in the left hemisphere.

Wernicke’s Area

Allows us to understand spoken words; located in the left hemisphere.

Aphasia

Inability to produce or understand speech.

Corpus Callosum

Connects the two hemispheres of the brain.

Contralateral Hemispheric Organization

Left hemisphere controls right side of the body; right hemisphere controls left.

Plasticity

The brain’s ability to change and reorganize itself.

Split Brain Patients

Some people have their corpus callosum cut to stop seizures.

Brainstem

Responsible for automatic survival functions; the oldest part of the brain.

Medulla

Controls heartbeat and breathing.

Reticular Activating System

Controls sleep cycles, awareness, and alertness.

Limbic System

Associated with emotions like fear and aggression; includes thalamus and amygdala.

Thalamus

The brain’s sensory switchboard; receives and relays sensory information.

Hypothalamus

Regulates eating, drinking, and body temperature.

Ventromedial Hypothalamus

Helps stop hunger.

Lateral Hypothalamus

Helps trigger hunger.

Hippocampus

Processes memories.

Amygdala

Controls fear and aggression.

Endocrine System

Slow chemical communication system; includes glands that secrete hormones.

Pituitary Gland

Tells glands when to secrete hormones; the 'boss' of the endocrine system.

Hormones

Slow chemical messengers regulating body functions.

Adrenaline

Released in response to stress; increases energy and focus.

Leptin

Decreases feelings of hunger.

Ghrelin

Increases feelings of hunger.

Melatonin

Promotes sleep.

Oxytocin

Associated with trust and social bonding.

Lesion

Damage to specific brain tissue; used to study brain function.

E.E.G. (Electroencephalogram)

Records brain’s electrical activity; used for sleep studies.

f.M.R.I. (Functional MRI)

Reveals brain activity and blood flow by comparing MRI scans.

Acetylcholine

Excitatory; Helps control muscles, voluntary movement, learning, memory

LOW Level: Alzheimer’s Diseas

HIGH Level: Muscle Spasms

Dopmaine

Inhibitory; Assists with movement, learning, attention, emotions, MOOD

LOW Level: Parkinson’s Disease, Depression

HIGH Level: Schizophrenia

Serotonin

Inhibitory; Involved in Mood, Sleep, Impulsiveness

LOW Level: Depression, Anxiety,OCD, Insomnia
Positive Correlation with Autism Spectrum

Noepinephrine

Excitatory; Enables Alertness, Affects Mood, Regulates Heart rate

LOW Level:Depression

HIGH Level: Anxiety, Insomnia

Gaba (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

The most Inhibitory of all; Regulates sleep; keeps neurons in control

LOW Level: Seizures, Anxiety, Sleeping disorders

HIGH Level: Memory issues, Loss of focus

Glutamate

The most Excitatory of all; Activates other neurons Memory, Learning, Helps thicken myelin sheath

LOW Level: Multiple Sclerosis

HIGH Level: Migraines, Seizures

Endorphins

Inhibitory; Helps relieve pain and stress, Released during exercise

LOW Level: Fatigue, Depression, Mood swings

HIGH Level: Compulsive behavior, injuries going undetected

Substance P

can be both excitatory and inhibitory; Sends pain signals from the body to the brain

LOW Level:Impaired healing

HIGH Level: Increased pain sensitivity, digestive issues