Ap Psych Domain 1 Biological bases

Consciousness

Awareness of yourself ( internal state) & your environment

Dendrite

Branching extension receives messages from other neurons

Soma

Cell body(contains nucleus) & other parts that maintain cell

Axon

Carries neural impulse away from soma

Receptors

Receives neurotransmitters from another neuron

Myelin Sheat

Fatty tissue insulates & speeds up transmission of neural signals

Axon terminal

End point neurotransmitters are stored

Endorphins

-pain relief, positive emotions (neurotransmitter regulates pain)

Repítale

Process by which sending neuron reabsorbs neurotransmitter

Genes

Segment of DNA that influence traits

Chromosomes

Structure made of DNA that contains genes

Plasticity

Brains ability to change and reorganize itself

Evolutionary psychology

The study of evolution of the mind & behavior using principles of natural selection

Cognitive neuroscience

Studies how brain structures & activity are connected to thinking and behavior

Types Of Neurons

Sensory

Interneurons

Motor

Effects of multiple sclerosis On Neurons

Degeneration of myelin sheath, slower transmission of neural messages

Neural transmission

Neurons communicate using electrical impulses within the neuron & neurotransmitters between neurons

Atagonist

Drug that blocks the effects of a neurotransmitter

Agonist

Drug that boosts the effects of a neurotransmitter

Reuptake

Process by which sending neurons reabsorb the neurotransmitters

Rules for transmitting

All or none: neurons always fires with same intensity as long as there is enough energy to trigger it

• neurons communicate in one direction

• Neurotransmitters have certain receptors

CT(CAT) Scan

(Shows structure) x-ray technology, produces images of brain structures

MRI

(Shows detailed structure) detailed image of brain structure

PET Scans

(Shows functions) shows brain activity by tracking glucose metabolic activity

MEG

(Shows functions detailed) measures magnetic fields when brain activity occurs

fMRI

( shows functions and structure) shows brain activity by measuring change in blood flow

EEG

(Shows functions) measures electrical activity in the brain

Why are twins important in psychology

Helps psychologists examine how much genes or environment influence behavior & traits

Behavior Genetics

Study of the relative power & limits of genetic & environmental influences on behavior

Brocas Área

• Speech production

• control language expression by directing muscle movement involved with speech

Wernickes Area

• language comprehension & expression

• Damage can make understanding language difficult

Thalamus

• Sensory control center

• Sends sensory info to appropriate areas of the brain

Amygdala

Processes fear and other emotions, emotional responses to threats

Frontal lobes

• Linguistic processes

• Decision making

• Muscle movements

• Higher order thinking

• personality

• Executive functioning

• Judgment

Cerebellum

“Little Brain”

• balance, coordination, & fine motor movement

Occipital Lobes

• processes visual information

• Lying at the back of the head, receives information from visual fields

Hypothalamus

• Regulates hunger, thirst, body temperature, sex drive, hormones

Hippocampus

Process explicit )conscious) memories, forming new memories

Temporal lobes

• Above the ears

• Hearing, language, & memories

Parietal Lobes

• Top of head & towards the rear

• Receives sensory input touch, spatial awareness

Left hemisphere

• Speech

• Math

• Hearing

• Literal interpretation of language

Right hemisphere

Perceptual tasks

• making inferences

• Self awareness

• Modulate language for meaning

Peripheral Nervous system

Sensory & motor connect to central nervous system

Central nervous system

The brain and spinal chord process information

Autonomic nervous system

Controls automatic functions

• breathing

• Blood pressure

• Digestion

Somatic nervous system

Motor nerves use to move muscles and allow for sensory input

Sympathetic division

Arousal. Controls fight or flight

Parasympathetic division

Opposite of sympathetic, calms you down

• rest and digest

Endocrine system

Set of glands that produces hormones, chemical messengers that circulate in the blood

Pituitary gland

Master gland controls other glands

Thyroid gland

Helps regulate energy

Adrenal gland

Helps around body during stress

How does heritability work

Refers to how much differences among groups are due to genes

Sensory neurons

Carry incoming info from body tissue to brain and spinal chord

Motor neurons

Nerves carry information to muscles and glands from the brain and spinal chord

Interneurons

Nerve celas inside spinal chord and brain responsible for processing sensory input and motor output

Substance P

• Pain perception & immune response

• Brain & spinal chord neuropeptide associated with pain

Seretonin

• Mood, emotional stability

• Regulation of mood, sleep, wakefulness, eating aggressive behaviors

Norepinephrine

• Arousal, energy

• Fight and flight (when in danger), stress, arousal, eating

Acethycholine

• Movement, memory

• Muscle action & contractions, involved in memory formation learning, intellectual functioning

Glutamate

• Learning, memory

• Enhances transmission of information to brain

GABA

• Relaxation, sleep

• Regulates sleep wake cycles

Dopamine

Rewarding sensation