AP Pysch Unit 2 Vocab

Neuroanatomy

the study of the structure of the nervous system

Trepanning

the process of cutting holes into the skull of a living person

Phrenology

A now defunct theory that specific mental abilities and characteristics, ranging from memory to the capacity for happiness, are localized in specific regions of the brain.

Neuron

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

Dendrites

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

Soma

cell body

Axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass 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 node to the next

terminal buttons

Small knobs at the end of axons that secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters

synaptic vesicles

Membrane-bounded compartments in which synthesized neurotransmitters are kept.

action potential

the change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell.

resting potential

the state of the neuron when not firing a neural impulse

Depolarization

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

receptor sites

Locations on a receptor neuron into which a specific neurotransmitter fits like a key into a lock.

neural firing

electrochemical process where electricity travels within the cell and neurotransmitters travel between cells and the synapse.

refractory period

a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

excitaory neurotransmitters

cause depolarization and promote the generation of action potentials

inhibatory neurotransmitters

chemicals released from the terminal buttons of a neuron that inhibit the next neuron from firing

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

all-or-none response

a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing.

Synapse

Gap between neurons

neaurotransmitter

a chemical substance produced by a nerve cell that can stimulate or inhibit another cell

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with movement, attention and learning and the brain's pleasure and reward system.

Serotonin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal. Undersupply linked to depression.

GABA

An inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. slows things down in the body

Glutamate

A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory

Norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal; undersupply can depress mood

Epinephrine

Neurotransmitter secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress. Also known as adrenaline.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction

Endorphins

"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.

Agonists

drugs that increase the action of a neurotransmitter

Antagonist psychology

a chemical or drug that binds to receptors in the brain and prevents an agonist from having a reaction

blood-brain barrier

Blood vessels (capillaries) that selectively let certain substances enter the brain tissue and keep other substances out

glial cells

support, nourish, and protect neurons

terminal branches

Branched endings of an axon that transmit messages to other neurons

long-term potentiation

an increase in a synapse's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation. Believed to be a neural basis for learning and memory.

afferent neurons

Nerve cells that carry impulses towards the central nervous system

efferent neurons

neurons that take information from the brain to the rest of the body

Interneurons

any neuron that is neither sensory nor motor but connects other neurons within the CNS

fight or flight response

an emotional and physiological reaction to an emergency that increases readiness for action

CNS (central nervous system)

brain and spinal cord

spinal cord

Nerves that run up and down the length of the back and transmit most messages between the body and brain

PNS (peripheral nervous system)

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body

somatic nervous system

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

autonomic nervous system

A subdivision of the peripheral nervous system. Controls involuntary activity of visceral muscles and internal organs and glands.

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

endocrine system

Consists of glands that control many of the body's activities by producing hormones.

Pancreas

An organs in the abdominal cavity with two roles. The first is an exocrine role: to produce digestive enzymes and bicarbonate, which are delivered to the small intestine via the pancreatic duct. The second is an endocrine role: to secrete insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream to help regulate blood glucose levels.

pineal gland

produces melatonin

pituitary gland

The endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

thyroid gland

produces hormones that regulate metabolism, body heat, and bone growth

Hormones

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

adrenal glands

a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. the adrenals secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress.

Hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

EEG (electroencephalography)

the recording of brain activity by the detection of electrical activity in specific areas on the surface of the cortex by several surface electrodes placed on a person's scalp. Brain activity is recorded as waves, which are identified on the basis of the speed of the rhythmic activity.

CT scan

a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body

PET

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

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

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)

A type of MRI that reveals which parts of the brain are most active during various mental activities.

prefontal lobotomy

surgical procedure that severs fibers connecting the frontal lobes of the brain from the underlying thalamus

Lesioning

removal or destruction of part of the brain

medulla oblongata

the posterior part of the brain that controls the rate of breathing and other autonomic functions

Pons

A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain. sleep and arousal

reticular formation

a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus and plays an important role in controlling arousal

Midbrain

Region between the hindbrain and the forebrain; it is important for hearing and sight.

forebrain

The part of the brain that develops from the anterior section of the neural tube in the embryo, containing the cerebrum and diencephalon. Also called the prosencephalon

Hindbrain

An area of the brain that coordinates information coming into and out of the spinal cord

Thalamus

the brain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

Cerebellum

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

basal ganglia

structures in the forebrain that help to control movement

limbic system

neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions, learning and memory.

Hippocampus

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

Amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

cerebral cortex

outer region of the cerebrum, containing sheets of nerve cells; gray matter of the brain

Fissures and gyri

A cleft; groove, or indentation in a surface, especially any of the deep grooves in the cerebral cortex.

Gyrus- a ridged or raised portion of the cerebral cortex, bounded on either side by a sulcus

fissures/sulci

grooves in the cerebral cortex

right hemisphere of brain

The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for control of the left side of the body, and is the more artistic and creative side of the brain.

left hemisphere of brain

The left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for control of the right side of the body, and is the more academic and logical side of the brain.

frontal lobe

associated with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, problem solving, and personality.

parietal lobe

occipital lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information

temporal lobe

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

motor cortex

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

somatosensory cortex

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

association cortex

Cortical regions throughout the brain that combine information from various other parts of the brain.

aphasia

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

Aphasia (expressive)

Affects the Broca's area. Cannot produce language

aphasia receptive

this is where people do not understand or comprehend what you are saying (Wernicke's area)

Broca's area

Controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

Wenicke's area

controls language reception - a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe

Apraxia

inability to perform particular purposive actions, as a result of brain damage.

Agnosia

loss of ability to recognize importance of sensory impressions

Alexia

inability to understand written words

angular gyrus

transforms visual representations into an auditory code

brain plasticity

the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

Hemispherectomy

the radical removal of half of a person's brain in the treatment of extreme cases of brain seizures