AP Psychology Unit 1A

Serotonin

Neurotransmitter

Function: Mood, Sleep, Appetite

Too Much: Headaches, Agitation, Insomnia

Too Little: Depression, Anxiety, OCD

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter

Function: Motor Movement, Attention, Pleasure/Rewarding Feelings

Too Much: Schizophrenia

Too Little: Parkinson’s disease

Acetylcholine

Neurotransmitter

Function: Memory, Learning, Motor Movement

Too Much: Depression

Too Little: Alzheimer’s Disease

Endorphins

Neurotransmitter

Function: Body’s natural painkiller

Too Much: Can’t feel necessary pain

Too Little: Chronic pain, Low pain tolerance

(Nor)Epinephrine

Neurotransmitter

Function: Energy, Attention, Metabolism, (Fight or Flight response)

Too Much: ADD, Anxiety, high blood pressure, hypertension

Too Little: Fatigue, Lethargy, Depression.

GABA (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid)

Neurotransmitter

Function: Slows/Blocks neurotransmission when necessary; Has a calming effect

Too much: Could create an imbalance by blocking certain neurons from firing

Too little: Insomnia, Inability to focus, Hyperactivity, Anxiety

Agonist

Medication that allows neurons to fire more and gain the chemical they lack by activating a receptor.

Antagonist

Medications that allow neurons to fire less or not at all by binding to a receptor and not activating it.

Central Nervous System

Made up of brain and spinal cord; transmits messages to and from the sensory neurons, motor neurons, and glands of the peripheral nervous system.

Peripheral Nervous System

Made up of sensory neurons and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

Somatic Nervous System

Division of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) that controls voluntary movement of the musculoskeletal system.

Autonomic Nervous System

Division of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) that controls unconscious movement of the body, such as heart rate.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Division of the Autonomic Nervous System that arouses the body for a “fight of flight” response

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Division of the Autonomic Nervous System that calms the body down after the fight or flight response is no longer necessary.

Endocrine System

The body’s second communication system that releases hormones, which control our metabolism, physical growth, reproduction, characteristics,, digestion, hunger, attraction, etc.

Pituitary Gland

-Master Gland that tells all the other glands what to do.

-Also controls the grown of the skeletal system with growth hormone

Parathyroids

-Regulates calcium levels in our blood

Adrenals

-Functions as the fight or flight hormone

-Produces adrenaline into the system when needed

-Emergency response system of the body

Pineal Body

-Functions to regulate melatonin for sleep patterns and the circadian rhythm.

Hypothalamus

-Links the nervous system to the brain and endocrine system

-All messages by the brain are coordinated by the hypothalamus

Thyroid

-Controls metabolism in the body and the production of protein.

-Can effect weight gain/loss and may accelerate the metabolic rate

Thymus

-Develops the immune system by producing white blood cells during infancy to fight off germs and bacteria.

Pancreas

-Functions to produce digestive enzymes, like insulin and glucose, which keep blood sugar levels balanced, and turn food into energy.

Ovaries

-Functions to produce estrogens, which result in wider hips, breast development, and body hair.

Testis

-Functions to produce androgens such as testosterone, which deepens the voice, enlarges muscles and bones, and produces body hair.

Negative Feedback System

-Operates much as a thermostat

-When the body gets too low or too high with any hormone, the pituitary gland sends a message to it to make more/less of the hormone

-Allows body to stay in a healthy state of homeostasis