AP Psych Unit 1A

central nervous system

brain and spinal cord

spinal cord

connects brain and peripheral nervous system (connector)

peripheral nervous system

somatic and autonomic nervous system

somatic nervous system

Controls voluntary muscles and transmit sensory information to the CNS

autonomic nervous system

Controls involuntary body functions

sympathetic nervous system

Arouses body to expand energy

parasympathetic nervous system

Calm spot to conserve and maintain energy

neuron

A specialized cell in the nervous system, that processes and transmit information through electrical and chemical signals

glial cell

Maintain homeostasis, form myelin, and provide support and protection for neurons (dirty work)

sensory (afferent) neuron

input from sensory organs to the brain and spinal cord

motor (efferent) neuron

Output from the brain and spinal cord, to the muscles and glands

interneuron (association)

carry information between other neurons, only found in the brain and spinal cord

the reflex arc

A simple automatic inborn response to a sensory stimulus

the action potential

depolarization of the neuron (N.a.+ enters…)

reuptake

process where transmitters that were released into the synapse are reabsorbed by the sending neuron

multiple sclerosis (MS)

myelin sheath is attacked by the immune system, neural messages, slow down or get interrupted (slower, less effective neural transmission)

myasthenia gravis (MG)

The immune system attacks, Ach receptor site of the neuromuscular junction, Ach can’t effectively bind so muscles don’t get the message to contract.

neurotransmitter

Chemical messengers used by neurons and signals to each other or to other cells in the body

excitatory message

most neural signals, increases likelihood that the neuron will fire

inhibitory message

decreases likelihood that neuron will fire

dopamine

Influences voluntary movement, learning attention, and emotion

serotonin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal

norepinephrine

Helps control, alertness, and arousal

glutamate

major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory

GABA

A major inhibitory neurotransmitter; natural tranquilizer involved in calming you down

Endorphins

Neo transmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure

substance P

Involved in pain perception and immune response

acetylcholine (ACh)

Enables muscle action, learning and memory

Presynaptic neuron

sends message

synaptic vesicle

stores neurotransmitters

synaptic gap (space)

Point of communication in neural transmission

postsynaptic neuron

receives message

endocrine system

regulates and releases hormones (chemical messengers in the endocrine system) in the body

adrenaline

“flight or fight” hormone

leptin

regulates energy balance and appetite

ghrelin

hunger hormone

melatonin

regulates sleep-wake cycles

oxytocin

love/bonding hormone

psychoactive drugs

Chemical substances that work at the synapse by stimulating inhibiting or replicating the activity of neurotransmitters

agonist

Fit receptor well and act like the neurotransmitter

antagonist

Fit receptor poorly, and block the neurotransmitter

Reuptake inhibitor

Block the uptake process leaving drug/neurotransmitter in the synaptic gap longer

stimulant

increases brain activity

depressant

inhibits brain activity

hallucinogens

distort sensory perceptions

opioids

pain relief and euphoria

brainstem

Lower part of the brain, connecting the cerebrum with the spinal cord and regulating vital functions such as breathing, heart rate and consciousness

Medulla

Controls heartbeat and breathing

cerebellum

coordinated, rapid voluntary movements, balance (playing piano, kicking..) (motor info)

reticular activating system

network of neurons that extends from spinal cord to thalamus; regulation of consciousness/alertness

limbic system

bordering the brain stem, the limbic system is responsible for behaviors related to emotions, motivation encoding of memories, and our sense of smell

brain’s reward center

crucial for motivation, desire, and the regulation of pleasure; involves structures in the limbic system and frontal lobes

thalamus

Relay station in the brain; receives info from all senses except smell; brain sensory control center

hypothalamus

regulates vital bodily functions and behaviors: motivation, sexual behavior, hunger, thirst body temperature

pituitary gland

Regulates growth, metabolism, reproductive processes; releases hormones controlling bodily functions, relay signals from hypothalamus

hippocampus

responsible for long-term memory; save button

amygdala

emotional memories, aggression and fear, response to threats

The cerebral cortex

The outer layer of the brain cerebrum involved in complex functions such as thought, memory awareness, language, and consciousness. divided by the left and right hemispheres

corpus Calossum

Link the left and right hemispheres of the cerebral cortex together

occipital lobe

Visual information

temporal lobe

auditory or hearing information

parietal lobe

Receive info from senses about pressure, texture, temperature, and pain

frontal lobe

Largest lobe, produces voluntary muscle movements, involved in thinking, planning, emotional control

specialized areas of the brain

Located on the cerebral surface, responsible for complex processing that goes on between the arrival of input in the primary sensory court and the generation of behavior

prefrontal cortex

decision-making impulse control, organization, working memory; higher level thinking, and control; manage thoughts, actions emotions to lineup with long-term goals

motor cortex

Responsible for muscle movements

somatosensory cortex

Responsible for bodily senses

broca’s area

speech production

wernicke’s area

understanding speech

aphasia

damage to speech centers

split brain procedure

treatment for severe epilepsy; surgically severing the corpus callosum

laterization

Notion that different functions are processed primarily on one side of the brain or the other

contralateral hemispheric organization

Each hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite side of the body; applies to sensory processing as well

functional plasticity

The brain’s ability to shift functions from damage areas to undamaged areas

structural plasticity

The brain’s ability to physically change its structure and response to learning experience or injury; involves neurogenesis (production of new neurons)

neurogenesis

production of new neurons

fMRI

magnetic field around head, result, and detailed picture; measuring blood flow

EEG

measures brain electrical wave (ex. beta)

lesioning

destruction of brain tissue; laser

Phineus Gage

that one guy with the hot pipe in his brain; case study involving brain research

consciousness

The awareness of internal and external stimuli

wakefulness

Observant and attentive; not asleep

sleep

Conscious activity, but we are not fully aware of what is happening in and around us

adaptive perspective

On the outlook for possible danger

circadian rhythm

Our biological clock; regular bodily rhythms on a 24 hour cycle

restorative theory

Physical and mental recovery, repair and regenerate tissue, strength, and immune system

adaptive theory

evolutionary; survival strategy, conserve energy, and avoid danger when we are most vulnerable (night)

activation – synthesis theory

Brain activity (in pons) produces images which are combined into a dream story (no latent content)

memory consolidation theories

Dreams reprocess info gathered during day; during REM convert STM to LTM

Freud

the interpretation of dreams; unconscious wishes/desires in a safe way; wishful fulfillment

manifest content

the “storyline”

latent content

what the dream actually means

insomnia

inability to fall asleep or stay asleep

narcolepsy

overpowering urge to fall asleep that may occur while talking/standing up

REM sleep behavior disorder

Physically and vocally act out vivid often unpleasant dreams during REM sleep (muscles aren’t paralyzed)

sleep apnea

failure to breathe (interruptions)

somnambulism

talking, eating, night terrors (stage 3); includes undesirable actions, such as walking, that occurred during abrupt but limited arousal from NREM slow wave sleep

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

basically more/less melatonin produced; more awake when light out type shi