Unit 3: Biological Basis of Behavior

neuron

building blocks of information system

dendrites

recives messages

axon

sends messages

myelin sheath

fat that makes electrons move faster

action potential

communications along nerves

refractory period

period of time when a neuron cannot fire

threshold

level of stimulation required to trigger an impulse

all-or-none responce

a neurons reaction of firing or not

synapse

junction between axon tip and body recieving neuron

neurotransmitters

chemical messeges that cross synaptic gaps

reuptake

reabsorption by sending neuron

endorphines

neurotransmitters linked to pain control

agonist

stimulates response

antagonist

blocks response

nervous system

the bodys electrochemical communication network

central nervous system

brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

neurons that connect central nervous system

nerves

axons that connect with central nervous system

sensory (afferent) neurons

neurons that carry into to central nervous system

motor (efferent) neurons

neurons that carry information from central nervous system to muscles/glands

interneurons

neurons within central nervous system that communicate internally

somatic nervous system

division of peripheral nervous system

autonomic nervous system

controls glands and muscles

sympathetic nervous system

division of autonomic nervous system that arouses the body

parasympathetic nervous system

division of autonomic nervous system that calms the body

reflex

response to sensory stimulus

endocrine system

slow chemical communication system

hormones

chemical messengers that effect other tissues

adrenal glands

help arouse body in times of stress

pituitary glands

regulates growth

lesion

tissue distruction

EEG

measures electrical activity in the brain

CT scan

reveals layers of head/brain

PET scan

measures glucose

MRI

shows soft tissue

fMRI

series of MRI, allows us to see movement

brainstem

responsible for survival functions

medulla

controls breathing, heart beat, digestion

thalamus

makes sure bain sends signals to correct part

reticular formation

nerve network traveling the brainstem

cerebellum

stores memories

limbic system

system associated with emotions and drives

amygdala

responsible for intense “negative” emotions

hypothalamus

regulates all biological drives

cerebral cortex

information processing center

glial cells

support and protect neurons

frontal lobes

regulates decision making

parietal lobes

recieves sensory input for touch and body position

occipital lobes

area that gets information from visual fields

temporal lobes

recieves information from the opposide ear

motor cortex

controls voluntary movement

somatasensory cortex

registers/processes touch and movement sensations

association areas

involved in learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

plasticity

the brains ability to change

corpus callosum

allows 2 hemispheres of the brain to communicate

split brain

condition that isolates the brains 2 hemispheres

consciousness

awareness of ourselves and our environment

dual processing

information is processed on conscious and unconcious tracks

heritability

humans can atribute to genes

epigenetics

study of environmental changes on gene expression

evolutionary psychology

study of evolutionary behavior and mind

natural selection

reproduction and survival will be passed on

paul broca

brocas area- language production

carl wernicke

wernickes area- language comprehention

michael gazzaniga

the split-brain phenomenon

charles darwin

theory of evolution and natural selection