U1P1 Test

Cerebral cortex

outermost part of forebrain; controls voluntary muscular movements as well as sensation, movement, memory, emotions, and executive function

Corpus callosum

a thick band of nerve fibers that connects large areas of the cerebral cortex on each side of the brain and supports communication of information across the hemispheres

Frontal lobes

a region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement

Motor cortex

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

Prefrontal cortex

part of frontal lobe responsible for thinking, planning, and language

Broca's area

the language expression area in the frontal lobe (usually in the left hemisphere) that directs the muscle movements involved in speech

Parietal lobes

upper middle part of the cerebral cortex lying behind the frontal lobe that is specialized for touch and perception

Temporal lobes

lower part of cerebral cortex involved in hearing, understanding language, and memory

Wernicke's area

part of the temporal lobe involved in understanding speech

Occipital Lobes

back part of cerebral cortex specialized in visual perception, including colour, form and motion

for vision

Limbic system

emotional center of brain that also plays roles in smell, motivation, and memory

Thalamus

a forebrain structure that processes sensory information for all senses, except smell, and relays it to the cerebral cortex

Hypothalamus

a structure below the thalamus responsible for maintaining a constant internal state

Amyglada

part of limbic system involved in

fear, excitement, and arousal

Hippocampus

a part of the brain that helps with learning, memory, and spatial navigation. It is a part of the limbic system, which regulates emotions, smells, and other behaviors.

memory

Cerebellum

part of the brain involved in balance for walking, standing, and other complex motor function

Brain stem

contains the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata; connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord and cerebellum

Reticular activating system (RAS)

network of neurons in the brain stem involved in mediation of behavior and arousal

Medulla

part of brain stem involved in basic functions, such as heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure

Pituitary gland

makes, stores, and releases several important hormones including those for growth and metabolism

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

a test that measures electrical activity in the brain. This may help diagnose brain conditions such as epilepsy and other seizure conditions.

surface of the skull

fMRI

a type of MRI scan that can show which areas of your brain are most active during specific functions

Split-brain research

study of patients with a severed corpus callosum; demonstrates right and left brain specialization; has been used to treat epilepsy

Brain stem

connection to spinal cord that filters information flow between peripheral nervous system and the rest of the brain

Reward center

a dopamine-rich pathway in the brain that produces feelings of pleasure when activated

Association areas

areas of the cerebral cortex responsible for the coordination and interpretation of information, as well as higher mental processing

Somatosensory cortex

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

Linguistic processing

when language areas of the brain connect meanings of words, grammar, and rules of language to put together an utterance

Higher order thinking

includes higher cognitive skills such as problem solving, thinking, reasoning, planning, and organizing

Executive functioning

a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control

Hemispheric specialization

each hemisphere of the brain handles specific tasks (left - logic, language; right - creativity, spatial reasoning, art, emotion)

Aphasia

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding).

Contralateral hemispheric organization

opposite side communication between the brain and the body (the left side of the brain controls the right side and vice versa)

Lesioning

damage to a part of the brain that results in destruction to the neurons; can be natural (like brain injury or disease) or deliberate (surgery)

Plasticity

ability of brain tissue to modify itself and take on new functions

Neuron

specialized nerve cell for sending messages all over the body

Excitatory neurotransmitter

"excites" the neuron to "fire off the message" to the next cell (includes glutamate, epinephrine and norepinephrine)

Inhibitory neurotransmitters

blocks/prevents the chemical message from being passed along (includes Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and serotonin)

Glial cells

play a role in the formation of myelin and the blood-brain barrier, response to injury, removal of debris, and enhancing learning and memory

Threshold

the membrane voltage that must be reached in an excitable cell (e.g., neuron or muscle cell) in order to generate an action potential

Action potential

a neural impulse (brief electrical charge) when a neuron sends information down an axon

Reuptake

reabsorption of a neurotransmitter by the sending neuron after it completes its work

Endorphins

natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters that help manage pain, pleasure, stress, mood

Glutamate

main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system; participates in relay of sensory information and learning

Gamma-aminobutyricvcacidc (GABA)

main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system

Acetylcholine (ACh)

neurotransmitter released by motor neurons to activate muscles; plays a role in arousal, attention, memory, and motivation

Norepinephrine (NE)

neurotransmitter that regulates brain arousal and other functions like mood, memory, hunger, and sleep

Dopamine

neurotransmitter involved in motor function, pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation

Serotonin

a neurotransmitter related to things such as mood, sleep, temperature regulation, memory, pain, and sexual activity

Interneurons

neurons that transfer messages to other neurons nearby

Hormones

chemicals released into the bloodstream that help to control many body functions, such as growth, repair and reproduction

control many body functions, such as growth, repair and reproduction

All-or-nothing principle

a neuron can release all of its neurotransmitters or none

Antagonists

bind to receptors and block a neurotransmitter's functioning

Agonists

these mimic a neurotransmitter and stimulate an action (e.g., morphine mimics endorphins)

Reflex arc

a relatively direct connection between a sensory neuron and a motor neuron that allows an extremely rapid response to a stimulus, often without conscious brain involvement

Sensory neurons

neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

Motor neurons

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

Neural transmission

electrochemical communication within and between neurons and the final destination

Depolarization

a rapid rise in potential in a neuron triggered by the opening of sodium ion channels within the plasma membrane (a positive value)

Refractory period

after a neuron has fired; the time following an action potential during which a new action potential cannot be initiated

Resting potential

the state of the neuron when not firing a neural impulse

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

a degenerative disease caused by destruction of the myelin sheath on neurons in the CNS characterized by sclerotic patches along the brain and spinal cord

Myasthenia gravis

a chronic autoimmune disorder in which antibodies destroy the communication between nerves and muscle, resulting in weakness of the skeletal muscles

Substance p

a neurotransmitter that is involved in the transmission of pain messages to the brain

Adrenaline

a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, especially in conditions of stress, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing, and carbohydrate metabolism and preparing muscles for exertion

Leptin

hormone that signals the hypothalamus and brain stem to reduce appetite and increase the amount of energy used

Ghrelin

a hunger-arousing hormone secreted by an empty stomach

Melatonin

a hormone manufactured by the pineal gland that produces sleepiness.

Oxytocin

a hormone released by the pituitary gland that stimulates contraction of the uterus during labor and stimulates lactation after child birth

Psychoactive drugs

chemical substances that alter perception, mood, consciousness, perception, etc.

Reuptake inhibitors

drugs that interfere with the reabsorption of neurotransmitters in the synapse so that a greater amount remains in the synapse

Stimulants

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

Caffeine

a stimulant drug found in coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, and many over-the-counter medications

Cocaine

a powerful and addictive stimulant, derived from the coca plant, producing temporarily increased alertness and euphoria

Depressants

drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

Alcohol

a psychotropic drug (ethanol), usually consumed in a beverage, that slows brain activity, impacting cognition, emotions, and perception

Hallucinogens

psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input

Marijuana

a drug, often smoked, causing euphoria, impairment of judgment and concentration and occasionally hallucinations

Opioids

synthetic opiates that are prescribed for pain relief

Heroin

narcotic drug derived from opium (an opioid) that is extremely addictive

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

Addiction

A physiological or psychological dependence on a drug

Withdrawal

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug

Central nervous system

consists of the brain and spinal cord; takes in sensory information, processes information, and sends out motor signals

Peripheral nervous system

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

Autonomic nervous system

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart)

Sympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

Parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

Somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles

Heredity

characteristics and traits passed on from parents to their offspring

Nature

the influence of inherited characteristics on personality, physical growth, intellectual growth, and social interactions

Nurture

the influence of environment (including relationships and experiences) on a person's development

Genetic predisposition

a tendency for certain traits to be inherited, including physical and mental conditions and disorders

Evolutionary perspective

the assumption that many core behaviors and ways of processing information are a result of natural selection (evolution)

Natural selection

genetically determined behavior that enhances the ability to survive and reproduce will continue in future generations, thereby changing the nature of the population over successive generations