AP Psychology pg.76-93

biological psychology

the scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes

neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

dendrities

a neuron’s bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

axon

the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

myelin sheath

a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one sausage-like node to the next

action potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

refractory period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

threshold

a level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse (combined signals trigger an action potential)

all-or-none response

a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full strength response) or not firing

synaspse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, ________ travel across the synapse and bind to the receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

reuptake

a neurotransmitter’s re-absorption by the sending neuron

acetylcholine

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

serotonin

affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid)

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter

glutamate

a major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory

endorphins

“morphine within” - natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

agonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response (ex. some opiate drugs)

antagonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or block a response

nervous system

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

central nervous system (CNS)

the brain and spinal cord (body’s decision maker!)

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

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

nerves

bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

sensory (afferent) neurons

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

motor (efferent) neurons

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

interneurons

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles (skeletal nervous system)

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscle of the internal organs. its parasympathetic division calms (does on its own).

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

reflex

a simple automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

endorine system

the body’s slow chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

hormones

a chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissue

adrenal glands

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress

pituitary gland

the endocrine system’s most influential gland. under the influence of the hypothalamus, it regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands