AP PSYCH Unit 1 Vocab part 1

tolerance

the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's effect

substance use disorder

a disorder characterized by the continued substance use despite resulting in life disruption

addicton/dependence

an everyday term for compulsive substance use (and sometimes for dysfunctional behavior patterns, such as out of control gambling) that continue despite harmful consequences

withdrawal

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or behavior

biological psychology

the scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes.

brainstem

the central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; responsible for automatic heartbeat and breathing

medulla

the hindbrain structure that is the brainstem's base; controls heartbeat and breathing

reticular formation

a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; it filters information and plays an important role in controlling arousal

reward center (p.68)

a general dopamine-related reward system and specific center associated with the pleasures of eating, drinking, and sex

cerebellum

the hindbrain's "little brain";at the rear of the brainstem; its functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory

cerebral cortex

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the forebrain's cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center

hemispheres (p.68)

The two halves of the brain (left and right) that control opposite sides of the body and specialize in different functions—left for language and logic, right for creativity and spatial skill

limbic system

neural system located mostly in the forebrain, below the cerebral hemispheres, that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, thalamus, and pituitary gland; associated with emotions and drives

thalamus

the forebrain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

hypothalamus

a limbic system neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion and reward

pituitary gland (p36)

most influential endocrine gland; a pea sized structure located in the core of the brain, where it is controlled by an adjacent brain area, the hypothalamus

amygdala

two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories of facts and events for storage.

corpus callosum (p 69)

connects the two brain hemispheres

occipital lobes

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; it includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

frontal lobes

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead. They enable linguistic processing, muscle movements, higher-order thinking, and executive functioning (such as making plans and judgements)