ap psychology unit 2

Thalamus

The body's relay station that processes sensory information (except smell) before sending it to the cerebral cortex.

Cerebellum

Responsible for muscle control, balance, and cognitive functions such as language processing and memory.

Hypothalamus

Regulates homeostasis by controlling blood pressure, temperature, sleep, mood, hunger, and thirst.

Amygdala

Processes emotions and links them to memories, learning, and senses.

Hippocampus

Involved in memory, learning, emotion, and transfers short-term memories to long-term storage.

Pituitary gland

Regulates bodily functions and hormone production, known as the "master gland."

Cerebral cortex

Responsible for higher-level processes such as language, memory, reasoning, thought, and emotion.

Frontal lobe

Controls speaking, muscle movements, and planning.

Parietal lobe

Interprets sensory information and provides sensory input for touch and body position.

Occipital lobe

Receives information from visual fields.

Temporal lobe

Manages emotions, processes sensory information, stores and retrieves memories, and understands language.

Motor cortex

Sends messages to direct muscle movements.

Somatosensory cortex

Processes sensory information from the five senses.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Consists of the brain and spinal cord, responsible for receiving, processing, and responding to sensory information.

Peripheral Nervous System

Network of nerves that carries messages to and from the CNS throughout the body.

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls automatic physiological processes in internal organs.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Activates in response to dangerous or stressful situations, preparing the body for fight or flight.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Predominates in restful conditions, responsible for rest, digestion, and relaxation.

Thyroid

Regulates metabolism.

Parathyroid

Regulates calcium levels in the blood.

Pancreas

Regulates blood sugar levels.

Adrenal glands

Involved in the fight or flight response.

Serotonin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal; imbalance can lead to depression or other symptoms.

Norepinephrine

Helps with focus and alertness; imbalance can cause anxiety or symptoms of depression.

Dopamine

Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion; imbalance can be linked to schizophrenia or Parkinson's disease.

Endorphins

Brain chemicals that help cope with pain and stress; imbalance can lead to body aches, sleep difficulties, or addiction.

Agonist

Substance that mimics the actions of a neurotransmitter or hormone to produce a response.

Antagonist

Substance that blocks neurons from entering the receiving cell.