Chapter 2: The Biological Perspective

Glutamate

________- Major inhibitory neurotransmitter; involved in sleep and inhibits movement.

Positron Emission Tomography

________: brain- imaging method in which a radioactive sugar is injected into the subject and a computer compiles a color- coded image of the activity of the brain.

Neuroplasticity

________: the ability within the brain to constantly change both the structure and function of many cells in response to experience or trauma.

Antagonists

________: chemical substances that block or reduce a cells response to the action of other chemicals or neurotransmitters.

Reticular Formation

________ (RF): An area of neurons running through the middle of the medulla and the pons and slightly beyond that is responsible for general attention, alertness, and arousal.

Agonists

________: chemical substances that mimic or enhance the effects of a neurotransmitter on the receptor sites of the next cell, increasing or decreasing the activity of that cell.

Sympathetic Division

________: part of ANS that is responsible for reacting to stressful events and bodily arousal;"fight- flight system.

Cerebrum

________: the upper part of the brain consisting of the two hemispheres and the structures that connect them.

Hypothalamus

________: small structure in the brain located below the thalamus and directly above the pituitary gland, responsible for motivational behavior such as sleep, hunger, thirst, and sex.

Acetylcholine

________ (ACh)- Excitatory or inhibitory; involved in arousal, attention, memory, and controls muscle contractions.

Electroencephalogram

________ (EEG): a recording of the electrical activity of large groups of cortical neurons just below the skull, most often using scalp electrodes.

Soma

________: the cell body of the neuron responsible for maintaining the life of the sell.

Serotonin

________ (5- HT)- Excitatory or inhibitory; involved in sleep, mood, anxiety, and appetite.

Reflex

________: an involuntary response, one that is not under personal control or choice.

Interneurons

________ also make up the bulk of the neurons in the brain.

Norepinephrine

________ (NE)- Mainly excitatory; involved in arousal and mood.

Endorphins

________- Inhibitory neural regulators; involved in pain relief.

Tomography

Computed ________ (CT) Scan: brain- imaging method using computer- controlled X- rays of the brain.

RTMS

________ and tDCS are noninvasive methods for stimulating the brain 2.9 Neuroimaging Techniques.

Spinal Cord

________: A long bundle of neurons that carries messages between the body and the brain and is responsible for very fast, lifesaving reflexes.

receptor sites

The neurotransmitter molecules fit into ________ on the next cell, stimulating or inhibiting that cells firing neurotransmitters may be either excitatory or inhibitory.

Pancreas

________: endocrine gland; controls the levels of sugar in the blood.

Dendrites

________: branchlike structures of a neuron that receive messages from other neurons.

Diffusion

________: the process of molecules moving from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration.

Corpus Callosum

________: a thick band of neurons that connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres.

Spatial Neglect

________: condition produced most often by damage to the parietal lobe association areas of the right hemisphere, resulting in an inability to recognize objects or body parts in the left visual field.

Reuptake

________: Process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the synaptic vesicles.

Dopamine

________ (DA)- Excitatory or inhibitory; involved in the control of movement and sensations of pleasure.

Epigenetics

________: the interaction between genes and environmental factors that influence gene activity; environmental factors include diet, life experiences, and physical surroundings 2.5 The Peripheral Nervous System: Nerves on the Edge.

Ovaries

________: the female gonads or sex glands.

Neurogenesis

________: the formation of new neurons; occurs primarily in prenatal development but may also occur at lesser levels in some brain areas during adulthood.

Amygdala

________: brain structure located near the hippocampus, responsible for fear responses and memory of fear 2.12 The Cortex.

Cerebral Hemisphere

________: the two sections of the cortex on the left and right sides of the brain.

Synapse

________ (synaptic gap): microscopic fluid- filled space between the axon terminal of one cell and the dendrites or soma of the next cell.

Pons

________: the larger swelling above the medulla that relays information from the cortex to the cerebellum, and that plays a part in sleep, dreaming left- right body coordination, and arousal.

Medulla

________: the first large swelling at the top of the spinal cord, forming the lowest part of the brain, which is responsible for life- sustaining functions such as breathing, swallowing, and heart rate.

Parasympathetic Divisions

________: part of ANS that restores the body to normal functioning after arousal and is responsible for the day- to- day functioning of the organs and glands;"eat- drink- and- rest system "2.6 The Pituitary: Master of the Hormonal Universe.

Afferent

________ (sensory) neuron: a neuron carries information from the senses to the central nervous system.

Neuroscience

________: a branch of life science that deals with the structure and function of neurons, nerves, and nervous tissue.

Enzymatic Degradation

________: Process by which the structure of a neurotransmitter is altered so it can no longer act on a receptor 2.4 The Central Nervous System: The "Central Processing Unit.

Cerebellum

________: part of the lower brain located behind the pons that controls and coordinates involuntary, rapid, fine motor movement, and may have some cognitive functions 2.11 Structures Under the Cortex: The Limbic System.

Interneuron

________: a neuron found in the center of the spinal cord that receives information from the afferent neurons and sends commands to the muscles through the efferent neurons.

Oxytocin

________: hormone released by the posterior pituitary gland that is involved in reproductive and parental behaviors 2.7 Other Endocrine Glands.

Neurotransmitters

________: a chemical found in the synaptic vesicles that, when released, has an effect on the next cell.

Nerves

________: bundles of axons coated in myelin that travel together through the body 2.2 Generating the Message within the Neuron: The Neural Impulse.

Adrenal Glands

________: endocrine glands located on top of each kidney that secrete over 30 different hormones to seal with stress, regulate salt intake, and provide a secondary source of sex hormones affecting the sexual changes that occur during adolescence 2.8 Methods for Studying Specific Regions of the Brain.

Thalamus

________: part of the limbic system located in the center of the brain, this structure relays sensory information from the lower part of the brain to the proper areas of the cortex and processes some sensory information before sending it to its proper area.

Hippocampus

________: curved structure located within each temporal lobe, responsible for the formation of long- term declarative memories.

Efferent

________ (motor) neuron: a neuron that carries messages from the CNS to the muscles of the body.

Occipital Lobe

________: section of the brain located at the rear and bottom of each cerebral hemisphere containing the primary visual carters of the brain.