Physiological Psychology (easy)

Neuron

little cell that sends messages in your body

Nerve

group of neurons bundled together

Sensory Neuron

brings messages from eyes, ears, skin into brain

Interneuron

helps brain talk to itself inside brain and spinal cord

Motor Neuron

sends brain’s orders to muscles to move

Cell Body

neuron’s main part with the “boss” (nucleus) inside

Dendrites

branches that catch messages from other cells

Axon

long tail that carries the message away

Axon Terminals

tips that pass the message to the next cell

Myelin Sheath

fatty coat on axons that makes messages go faster

Multiple Sclerosis

sickness where myelin gets hurt, slowing signals

Action Potential

tiny zap of electricity that carries the message

Resting Potential

neuron waiting, charged up but quiet

Depolarization

when sodium (Na+) goes in and neuron zaps

Repolarization

when potassium (K+) leaves to reset the zap

Hyperpolarization

when too much leaves, neuron gets extra quiet

Refractory Period

time when neuron rests before next zap

All-or-None Principle

neuron zaps all the way or not at all

Synapse

tiny gap where neurons pass messages

Neurotransmitter

chemical that carries the message across the gap

Acetylcholine (ACh)

helps muscles move, memory, learning; too little = Alzheimer’s

Dopamine

controls movement, feelings, attention; too much = schizophrenia, too little = Parkinson’s

Serotonin

helps mood and sleep; too little = depression

Norepinephrine

helps wakefulness and alertness; too little = sadness

Endorphins

body’s “happy” chemicals that stop pain

SSRI

medicine that helps serotonin stay longer (like Prozac)

Central Nervous System (CNS)

brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

all other nerves in body

Somatic Nervous System

controls muscles you move on purpose

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

controls things you don’t think about, like heartbeat

Sympathetic Nervous System

makes you ready to fight or run away

Parasympathetic Nervous System

calms you down after danger

Endocrine System

glands that send messages with hormones in blood

Hormones

chemicals that tell body parts what to do

Broca’s Area

part of brain that helps you talk

Phineas Gage

man who had brain injury that changed his personality

Lesion

part of brain destroyed to see what happens

Electrode Stimulation

shocking brain parts to see what they do

EEG

records brain’s electricity with wires on head

CAT Scan

picture of brain using X-rays

MRI

picture of brain using magnets

PET Scan

picture of brain activity using sugar with tracer

Medulla

controls breathing, heartbeat, coughing

Pons

helps with sleep and passes messages in brain

Reticular Formation

helps you wake up, focus, or sleep

Cerebellum

helps balance and coordination

Thalamus

relay center that sends senses to the right brain part

Amygdala

controls fear and anger

Hippocampus

helps make new memories

Hypothalamus

controls hunger, thirst, body temp, and the “four Fs” (fighting, fleeing, feeding, sex)

Cerebral Cortex

outer brain layer for thinking and language

Occipital Lobe

part of brain that sees

Temporal Lobe

part of brain that hears and remembers

Parietal Lobe

part of brain that feels touch and space

Frontal Lobe

part of brain that plans, talks, and decides things

Motor Cortex

sends orders to muscles

Somatosensory Cortex

receives feelings from skin and body

Association Cortex

handles thinking and problem-solving

Left Hemisphere

controls language, logic, math

Right Hemisphere

controls pictures, music, faces

Corpus Callosum

bridge that connects left and right brain sides

Split Brain

when the bridge is cut, sides act alone

Broca’s Aphasia

trouble talking but can understand

Wernicke’s Aphasia

trouble understanding, speech doesn’t make sense

Neglect Syndrome

person ignores one side of space

Plasticity

brain can change and grow with experience

Phantom Limb

feeling a missing arm or leg is still there

Neurogenesis

brain makes new cells

Neural Graft

putting brain tissue from one animal into another