psych unit 2

oh no why are there so many terms

Central nervous system

Comprises the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system

Connects the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

Somatic nervous system

Controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.

Autonomic nervous system

Regulates involuntary functions such as heart rate and digestion.

Sympathetic nervous system

Prepares the body for stressful or emergency situations (fight or flight).

Parasympathetic nervous system

Calms the body and conserves energy (rest and digest).

Glial cell

Supportive cells in the nervous system that assist neurons.

Neuron

A nerve cell that transmits electrical signals in the body.

Reflex arc

The neural pathway that controls a reflex action.

Sensory neurons

Afferent neurons that carry signals to the central nervous system.

Motor neurons

Efferent neurons that carry signals away from the central nervous system to muscles.

Interneurons

Neurons that connect sensory and motor neurons within the central nervous system.

Neural transmission

The process through which neurons send signals to each other.

All-or-nothing principle

A neuron either fires an action potential or it does not.

Action potential

A sudden change in electrical charge that travels down the neuron.

Depolarization

The process by which the membrane potential becomes less negative.

Refractory period

The time following an action potential during which a neuron is unable to fire.

Resting potential

The stable, negative charge of a neuron when not firing.

Reuptake

The process by which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed into the presynaptic neuron.

Firing threshold

The level of stimulation required for a neuron to fire an action potential.

Multiple sclerosis

A disease that affects the central nervous system by damaging the myelin sheath.

Myasthenia gravis

An autoimmune disorder that weakens skeletal muscles.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter that affects attention and responding actions.

Glutamate

An excitatory neurotransmitter that plays a key role in brain function.

GABA

An inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces neuronal excitability.

Endorphins

Neurotransmitters that act to relieve pain and induce feelings of pleasure.

Substance P

A neurotransmitter associated with pain perception.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter involved in muscle movement and memory.

Hormones

Chemical messengers that are released into the bloodstream.

Adrenaline

A hormone that increases heart rate and energy in response to stress.

Leptin

A hormone that helps to regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger.

Ghrelin

A hormone that stimulates appetite.

Melatonin

A hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles.

Oxytocin

A hormone involved in social bonding and reproduction.

Agonist

A substance that activates a receptor to produce a biological response.

Antagonist

A substance that blocks or dampens the biological response of a receptor.

Reuptake inhibitors

Substances that prevent the reabsorption of neurotransmitters, increasing their availability.

Psychoactive drugs

Substances that alter mood, perception, or behavior.

Stimulants

Drugs that increase activity in the nervous system (e.g. caffeine, cocaine).

Depressants

Drugs that slow down neural activity (e.g. alcohol).

Hallucinogens

Drugs that cause alterations in perception, mood, and cognitive processes (e.g. marijuana).

Opioids

Drugs that relieve pain and can produce euphoria (e.g. heroin).

Tolerance

A diminishing response to a drug after repeated use.

Addiction

A psychological and physical dependence on a substance.

Withdrawal symptoms

Physical and mental symptoms that occur after stopping drug use.

Brainstem

The part of the brain that regulates basic life functions.

Medulla

Part of the brainstem that controls vital functions such as heartbeat and breathing.

Reticular activating system

A network of neurons involved in arousal and sleep-wake cycles.

Reward center

Brain areas that are activated by pleasurable stimuli.

Cerebellum

The part of the brain responsible for coordination and balance.

Cerebral cortex

The outer layer of the brain involved in complex functions like thought and perception.

Hemispheres

The two halves of the brain, left and right, that have specialized functions.

Limbic system

A group of structures involved in emotion, memory, and motivation.

Thalamus

The brain's relay station, directing sensory signals to the cortex.

Hypothalamus

Regulates bodily functions such as hunger and thirst.

Pituitary gland

The master gland that controls other endocrine glands.

Amygdala

Involved in emotional processing, particularly fear and pleasure.

Hippocampus

Important for memory formation and spatial navigation.

Corpus callosum

Connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Lobes of the cortex

Four regions of the cerebral cortex, each with specialized functions.

Occipital lobes

Brain areas responsible for processing visual information.

Frontal lobes

Involved in reasoning, planning, and movement.

Temporal lobes

Involved in processing auditory information and language.

Parietal lobes

Responsible for processing sensory information related to touch.

Split brain research

Studies involving patients with severed corpus callosum.

Specialization of right/left hemispheres

Different cognitive functions are more dominant in one hemisphere than the other.

Broca’s area

Brain region involved in speech production.

Wernicke's area

Brain region involved in understanding language.

Aphasia

Language impairment resulting from brain damage.

Test with split brain patients

Research methods used to study the functions of the left and right hemispheres.

Contralateral organization

The principle that each hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite side of the body.

Plasticity

The brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience.

EEG

A test that detects electrical activity in the brain.

fMRI

A brain imaging technique that measures and maps brain activity.

Case studies

In-depth investigations of a single person or group.

Lesioning procedure

Brain damage that is intentionally created to study the effects.