AP Psychology: Neurons & Brain Structures Study Set

AP Psychology

Dendrite

Neuron structure that receives the initial impulse/information

Axon

The tail that extends away from the cell body

Dendrite

Neuron structure that receives the initial impulse/information

Axon

The tail that extends away from the cell body

Myelin Sheath

Insulates axons and SPEEDS UP impulses

Axon Terminals

The ends (like fingertips) of an axon

Synapse

The gap in between 2 neurons

Resting Potential

A neuron's resting state

Refractory Period

"Recharging" time of a neuron after firing

All-or-none Principle

The principle that neurons will either fire or won't (Like a light switch)

Threshold

Minimum stimulation level needed to fire a neuron

Depolarization

Process that switches the charge all the way down the Axon (chain reaction)

Reuptake

Undocked neurotransmitters are reused/recycled

Dopamine and Serotonin

Two examples of Neurotransmitters

Afferent (Sensory) Neurons

Neurons that carry messages from body tissue & sensory receptors to brain and spinal cord

Efferent (Motor) Neurons

Neurons that carry messages from Central Nervous System to muscles and glands

Interneurons

Neurons in the brains and spinal cord (In between sensory and motor neurons)

4 Parts of the Peripheral Nervous System

Somatic, Autonomic, Sympathetic, and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems

Somatic NS

Enables voluntary control of skeletal muscles

Autonomic NS

Controls glands and internal organs muscles

Sympathetic NS

Changes body in alarming/stressful situations

Parasympathetic NS

Calms the body after stress (conserves energy)

Parts of the Central Nervous System

Neural Networks & Spinal Cord (Ascending & Descending Neural Fibers)

Neural Networks

"Work groups" of neurons that speed up connections

The Spinal Cord connects the ___ and the ___

Peripheral NS and the Brain

Ascending Neural Fibers

Fibers that send sensory information up to the spinal cord & brain

Descending Neural Fibers

Fibers that send back motor-control information to muscles from the spinal cord

Depression cause

Reuptake process occurs prematurely

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)

Depression treatment, slows down reuptake process

Parkinson's cause

Damage to dopamine cells

L-Dopa & DBS

Treatments for Parkinson's

Alzheimer's cause

Plaques and tangles block synapses

EEG

Device that measures brain wave activity

fMRI

Gives real-time images of a brain as it is functioning

Lesions

Surgical Removal of brain tissue

What part of Phineas Gage's brain was damaged in the explosion?

Phineas Gage's frontal lobe

Medulla

Breathing, heart rate, reflexive vomiting, BRAIN STEM (½)

Pons

Bridge; Connects Brain to spinal cord, BRAIN STEM (2/2)

Cerebellum

Coordination of movement, speech, and reflexive eye movements; (Impaired when drunk)

Reticular Formation

FILTER for all sensory information

Thalamus

Sensory relay station (EXCEPT SMELL) "Mailman"

Hypothalamus

"Animal Instincts" Trigger: Hunger, thirst, sex drive, body temp

Ventromedial Hypothalamus

Hypothalamus half that tells your body "I'm full"

Lateral Hypothalamus

Hypothalamus half that says "I'm hungry"

“Valkyrie Fights Left Handed”

Ventromedial: Full, Lateral: Hungry

Amygdala

Emotional center of the brain (intense emotions); FEAR, "Fight or flight"

Hippocampus

Stores long term memories

Henry Molaison (HM)

Lived 50+ years after brain surgery in 1952, but couldn't make new memories

Occipital Lobe

Controls vision, back of the brain

Temporal Lobe

Deals with hearing & smell, Lower middle brain

Parietal Lobe

Controls sense of touch (Somatosensory cortex)

Frontal Lobe

Motor area; reasoning & planning

Wernicke's Area

Area of the temporal lobe that controls language learning

Broca's Area

Area of the frontal lobe that deals with speech

Fusiform Gyrus

Area of the temporal and occipital lobes; deals with facial recognition

Motor Cortex

Controls voluntary movement, located at rear of frontal lobe

Somatosensory Cortex

Registers body touch and movement sensations, located at front of parietal lobes

Plasticity

Ability of a brain to change after damage or new experiences

Dual Processing

When a patient can simultaneously receive two separate sets of information: Conscious and unconscious

Corpus Callosum

Wide band of axon fibers that connects the two brains hemispheres

Information from the right field of vision is processed in the ____ ____

Left hemisphere

Information from the left field of vision is processed in the ____ ____

Right hemisphere

Which brain hemisphere controls speech?

The left hemisphere controls speech (Broca's Area).

From which field of vision will a split brain patient not be able to verbalize what they see?

Left field (Information can cross from right hemisphere to left due to severed corpus callosum)

The Left Brain hemisphere's specializations are...

Logical, Math/Science, Organizing, musical/technical, analytical, name recognition

The Right Brain hemisphere's specializations are...

Creative, Intuitive, Emotional, Artistic, Musical, Spatial Awareness, Facial recognition (fusiform gyrus)