Behavioral neuro psych chapters 1-3

Neuroscience

The study of the nervous system (NS).

Behavioral neuroscience

The study of biological bases of psychological processes and behavior.

Neuron

A nerve cell; the basic unit of the nervous system.

Synapse

An area where neurons make contact and communicate.

Axon

A neuron extension that sends information away from the cell body.

Dendrite

A neuron extension that receives information from other neurons.

Somatic intervention

Manipulating body structure or function to see how behavior changes.

Independent variable (IV)

The factor being manipulated in an experiment.

Dependent variable (DV)

What is measured in response to changes in the IV.

Behavioral intervention

Changing behavior to see how structure or function is altered.

Correlation

A measure of how much two variables vary together; it does not prove causation.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change due to environment and experience.

Levels of analysis

Ranges from social interactions down to the molecular level.

Reductionism

Breaking a system into smaller parts to understand it.

Nissl stain

A stain used to distinguish neurons and glia and view the cell soma.

Golgi stain

A stain showing the soma and neurites, including axons and dendrites.

Input zone

The dendrites; receives information from other neurons.

Integration zone

The soma; combines and transforms incoming electrical potentials.

Conduction zone

The axon; carries the action potential away from the cell body.

Output zone

The axon terminal; transmits activity across the synapse.

Axon collateral

A branch of an axon.

Soma

The cell body where inputs are combined and transformed.

Mitochondria

Organelles that create energy in the form of ATP.

Nucleus

Contains the cell's genetic information or DNA.

Ribosomes

Structures that translate genetic information into proteins.

Cytoskeleton

Filament system that supports and maintains cell structure.

Axonal transport

Movement of materials within an axon using motor proteins.

Active transport

Energy-requiring movement of materials within the neuron.

Multipolar neuron

A neuron with one axon and many dendrites.

Bipolar neuron

A neuron with one axon and one dendrite.

Unipolar neuron

A neuron with one receptive branch extending in two directions.

Astrocyte

Star-shaped glia that monitor activity and help remove excess ions and transmitters.

Microglia

Small glial cells that remove debris from injured cells.

Oligodendrocyte

Glial cell that forms myelin in the brain and spinal cord.

Schwann cell

Glial cell that provides myelin outside the brain and spinal cord.

Dendritic spines

Structures on dendrites involved in receiving neuronal input.

Myelin

A fatty sheath around axons that insulates them and speeds conduction.

Central nervous system (CNS)

The brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

All nervous system parts outside the skull and spinal column.

Efferent

Carries information from the CNS to muscles, organs, and glands.

Afferent

Carries information from the body to the CNS.

Dorsal root

Carries sensory information from the body to the spinal cord.

Ventral root

Carries motor information from the spinal cord to muscles.

Somatic nervous system

PNS division connecting the brain with muscles and sensory systems.

Autonomic nervous system

PNS division controlling viscera, smooth muscle, and glands; involuntary.

Sagittal plane

Divides the body into right and left halves.

Coronal plane

Divides the body into front and back regions.

Horizontal plane

Divides the brain into upper and lower parts.

Anterior

Toward the head or beak.

Rostral

Toward the head or beak.

Dorsal

Toward the spine or back.

Ventral

Toward the belly or front.

Posterior

Toward the tail end.

Caudal

Toward the tail end.

Medial

Toward the middle.

Lateral

Toward the side.

Ipsilateral

Located on the same side of the body.

Contralateral

Located on the opposite side of the body.

Sulcus

A furrow or groove on the convoluted brain surface.

Central sulcus

Divides the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.

Gyrus

A ridge or raised portion of the brain surface.

Precentral gyrus

Frontal-lobe strip important for motor control.

Postcentral gyrus

Cortical strip important for touch, pressure, temperature, and pain.

Cranial nerves

12 pairs of nerves directly connected to the brain.

Spinal nerves

31 pairs of nerves that enter or exit the spinal cord.

Basal ganglia

Structures important for controlling and coordinating movement patterns.

Substantia nigra

Midbrain structure involved with dopamine, reward, and Parkinson's disease.

Reticular formation

Network involved with sleep, arousal, temperature, and motor control.

Limbic system

Brain structures important for memory, learning, emotion, and related functions.

Amygdala

Limbic structure involved in emotional regulation and odor perception.

Hippocampus

Limbic structure that contributes to learning and memory.

Septal nuclei

Limbic structures involved in reward and reinforcement in learning.

Cingulate gyrus

Limbic structure involved in attention.

Olfactory bulb

Structure involved in the sense of smell.

Thalamus

Relays sensory information to the cortex and helps control transmission.

Hypothalamus

Regulates hormones, temperature, sleep, and emotions through pituitary connections.

Cerebellum

Involved in motor coordination, balance, muscle control, and learning.

Pons

Connects the cerebellum to the rest of the brain and relays messages.

Medulla

Regulates breathing and heart rate and marks the brain-spinal cord transition.

Corpus callosum

Myelinated axon bundle connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.

Frontal lobe

Most anterior cortical lobe.

Parietal lobe

Cortical region between the frontal and occipital lobes.

Occipital lobe

Posterior cortical lobe involved in visual processing.

Temporal lobe

Lateral cortical lobe involved in auditory processing.

Dura mater

Tough outermost meningeal layer.

Arachnoid membrane

Meningeal layer between dura and pia that surrounds CSF.

Pia mater

Delicate innermost layer that clings to the brain's surface.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Fluid that cushions the brain and spinal cord.

Ventricles

Hollow brain cavities that contain CSF.

Choroid plexus

Structure in the ventricular system where CSF is made.

CT scan

Uses X-ray absorption to map tissue density around the head.

MRI

Uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed 3D brain images.

PET scan

Detects blood-flow changes by measuring uptake of compounds like glucose.

fMRI

Measures brain activity indirectly through blood oxygen changes, including the BOLD signal.

Resting membrane potential

Electrical potential difference across a neuron membrane during inactivity.

Diffusion

Movement of ions from high concentration to low concentration.

Concentration gradient

Difference that drives ions from higher to lower concentration.

Electrostatic pressure

Force causing ions to move toward oppositely charged areas.

Equilibrium

State when diffusional and electrical forces are equal and opposite.

Ligand-gated channel

Ion channel that opens when a ligand binds to a receptor.