Ps101 1st midterm Laurier

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy.

EEG (electroencephalogram)

shows brain's electrical activity by positioning electrodes over the scalp

PET scan (positron emission tomography)

A brain-imaging technique that reveals activity in various parts of the brain, based on patterns of blood flow, oxygen use, and glucose consumption.

Neuron

A nerve cell

Sensory system

Gathers sensory information

Interneuron system

Carries information between neutrons in the brain and spinal cord

glial cells

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

Astrocytes

form blood brain barrier and helps heal Brain damage

cell body

the cell's life support center

Dendrites

Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.

Axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

neural impulse (action potential)

electrical signal traveling down the axon

myelin sheath

A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.

terminal buttons (axon terminals)

ends of axons that secrete neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers

Synapse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

action potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. Occurs when excitatory signals outweigh the number of inhibitory signals

all-or-none principle

The principle that when a neuron fires, it fires with the same potency each time; a neuron either fires or not—it cannot partially fire, although the frequency of firing can vary.

Nodes of Ranvier

Gaps in the myelin sheath to which voltage-gated sodium channels are confined.

An action potential

Triggers the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse, the space between neurons

lock and key mechanism

Neurotransmitters bind to the receptors of the neuron in a lock-key mechanism

Glutamate

Function: learning, movement. Drug: Ketamine

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

Function: learning, anxiety regulation. Drugs: Valium, Ativan

Acetylcholine

Function: learning and attention. Drugs: Nicotine

Dopamine

Movement, reward learning. Drugs: cocaine, heroine, meth

Serotonin

Function: mood regulation. Drugs: MDMA, LSD, Monamine Oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), SSRIs

Norepinephrine

Function: attention, arousal. Drugs: adderall

Neural Networks

neurons that operate together to perform complex functions and communicate among different Brain regions

Stem cells

can divide and remain undifferentiated; gives rise to a variety of more-specialized cells

Neuroplasticity

The brains ability to make neural connection or to reorganize in response to reorganize in response to injury or changes in the environment

afferent neurons

Nerve cells that carry impulses towards the central nervous system (CNS) from the PNS

efferent neurons

Nerve cells that conduct impulses away from the central nervous system to the PNS

Interneurons

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

Hindbrain

Function and Location: regulates basic life functions, closest to the spinal cord

reticular formation

regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal. Main source of serotonin, which is important for mood and activity levels

Pons

Send signals to and from the forebrain and cerebellum. Important for sleep, breathing, swallowing, eye movements, and facial sensation and expression

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Cerebellum

A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills.

substantia nigra (midbrain)

The nucleus from which dopamine neurons send their axons to the striatum(forebrain). Involved in movement control (damaged in Parkinson's disease).

Thalamus (forebrain)

sensory relay station

Hypothalamus (forebrain)

Important for motivation, basic drives, and the control of the endocrine system

pituitary gland

Regulates hormones

limbic system

Involved in the regulation of motivation, emotions, and learning and memory

The limbic system includes

Amydala and the hippocampus

Amydala

This structure is located on the ends of the hippocampus and is related to the emotions of fear and anger.

Hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

The basal Ganglia includes the

Striatum and Nucleus Accumbens

Striatum

Produces fluid movements and helps with learning and memory that does not require conscious awareness.

nucleus accumbens

important for experiencing reward and motivating behaviour and addiction

Structure of the Cortex

Frontal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe, parietal lobe

frontal lobe

associated with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving. Right side controls left side of body

parietal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch.

temporal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language.

prefrontal cortex

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

occipital lobe

visual processing

sensory cortex

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

motor cortex

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

association cortex

regions of the cerebral cortex that integrate simpler functions to perform more complex functions

parallel processing

Reaction to an array of sensory stimuli and quick decision. Communication within and between the lobes of the brain allows us to perform such complex functions simultaneously

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

Children exposed to alcohol in utero will not develop properly

corpus callosum

Connects the two brain hemispheres. Dense bundles of neural fibres (axons) that allow communication of information from one side of the brain to the other

frequency distribution

an arrangement of data that indicates how often a particular score or observation occurs. Table or graph, always shows the categories and the number of individuals in each category

grouped frequency distribution

a distribution used when the range is large and classes of several units in width are needed. However information is lost when categories are grouped

standard deviation

a measure of variability that describes an average distance of every score from the mean

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)

the WAIS is the most widely used intelligence test; contains verbal and performance (nonverbal) subtests

DTI (diffusion tensor imaging)

an imaging method that uses a modified MRI scanner to reveal bundles of myelinated axons in the living human brain

astroglial cells

Play critical role in in the creation of blood-brain barrier. All glial cells are essential for brain function

Cytoplasm

intracellular fluid containing organelles. Ratio of positive to negative ions is different than the ratio in extracellular fluid(surrounds neurons)

resting potential

The difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a neuron's cell membrane

concentration gradient

The difference in concentration of sodium ions inside or outside of the neuron

ion channels

Pores in the cell membrane that can open and close to allow certain ions into and out of the cell

4 main types of ions that contribute to the resting potential

Positive sodium, positive potassium, negative chloride and negative proteins (anions)

sodium-potassium pump

Protein molecules in the membrane of cells that push out sodium ions and push in potassium ions

threshold of excitation

the value of the membrane potential that must be reached to produce an action potential

Depolarization

The process during the action potential when sodium is rushing into the cell causing the interior to become more positive.

Hyperpolarization

an increase in the membrane potential of a cell, relative to the normal resting potential. Becomes more negative relative to the outside

Myelin

fatty white substance that surrounds the axon of some nerve cells, forming an electrically insulating layer. Formed from glial

absolute refractory period

a very brief period of time after an action potential during which a neuron is completely unable to fire again

synaptic vesicles

Membrane-bounded compartments in which synthesized neurotransmitters are kept before their release

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction. Plays a part in REM

Glutamate

A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory

parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy. Active during restful times

somatic nervous system

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

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms. Activated under conditions of stress. Divided into sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system

peripheral nervous system

Made up of the somatic nervous system and the autonomic system

sympathetic nervous system

Part of autonomic nervous system that is activated under stress.

endocrine system

The system that controls levels of hormones throughout the body

parietal lobe

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position (location)

Somasensory strip

An area of the parietal cortex that processes tactile information coming from our body parts

Broca's area

A brain region located in the frontal lobe that is important for speech production

Hindbrain

medulla, pons, cerebellum

reticular formation

A complex neural network extending from the hindbrain into the midbrain that plays a central role in regulating consciousness and arousal

Pons

A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain. Includes the local coeruleus

limbic system

A group of neural structures at the base of the cerebral hemispheres that is associated with emotion and motivation

The basal ganglia

a group of structures linked to the thalamus in the base of the brain and involved in coordination of movement.

corpus callosum

Bundle of acorns that allows communication from one side of the cortex to the other

Phylogeny

Evolutionary history of a species

convergent evolution

The development of similar physical characteristics or behaviour in different species that do not share a common ancestor; occurs because of exposure to similar environmental conditions for different species

psychoanalytic theory

A theory developed by Freud that attempts to explain personality, motivation, and mental disorders by focusing on unconscious determinants of behavior

Behaviorism

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).