psych unit 1 terms

medulla

hind, brainstem, controlling involuntary life support such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure

pons

hind, brainstem, regulating sleep, breathing, and facial expressions

cerebellum

hind, coordinates voluntary movement, balance, and posture

reticular formation

mid, the brain’s master volume control center and wake up swtich

thalamus

fore, brains ultimate grand central section or air traffic controller

hypothalamus

fore, limbic system, brain’s thermostat and hormone control center

hippocampus

fore, limbic system, brain’s chief processing center for long term memory

amygdala

fore, limbic system, brain’s alarm center, and emotional threat center

frontal lobes

very front of the brain, and helps with executive functioning, personality, impulse control, voluntary movements, speech production

temporal lobes

sides of the brain, helps with hearing and processing audio

parietal lobes

top and back of the brain, the brain’s sensory coordinator, and touch coordinator

occipital lobes

in the very back of the brain, the visual processing center

motor cortex

strip of brain tissue at the back edge of the frontal next to parietal. master executioner for voluntary movement

somatosensory cortex

a strip of brain tissue at the very front edge of the parietal lobe already behind motor cortex, master control center for physical sensations.

association areas

located throughout the cerebral cortex, the ultimate integration and interpretation zones

broca’s area

in the left frontal lobe, helps with speech and motor coordination of language

wernicke’s area

located in the left temporal lobe, working as the language translation and the comprehension dictionary

carpus callosum

the “bridge” of the brain. located in the deep center of the brain, working as the ultimate communications highway

central nervous system

The brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord

autonomic nervous system

regulates involuntary bodily functions

sympathetic nervous system

responsible for activating the body’s “fight or flight”

parasympathetic nervous system

responsible for promoting relaxation and restoring the body to calm state after stress/danger

somatic nervous system

division of the peripheral nervous system, responsible for controlling voluntary movements and relaying sensory information

neurons

specialized cell that serves as building block of the nervous system

gilial cells

the “support cell“

motor neurons

aka efferent neurons (SAME), nerve cells that transmit signals from the CNS to muscles, glands, and organs

sensory neurons

aka afferent neurons (SAME), cells that transmit sensory information from sensory receptors

reflex arc

a neural pathway that controls reflex actions

endocrine system

a system of glands and organs that produce hormones and release them into the bloodstream to control body functions

hormones

chemical messengers produced by glands in the endocrine system that travel through the blood stream to target cells or organs

melatonin

hormone that regulates the sleep wake cycle and circadian rhythms in the body

oxytocin

hormone and neurotransmitter that plays a key role in social bonding

adrenaline

hormone and neurotransmitter that plays a key role in the body’s stress response

norepinephrine

neurotransmitter that functions as both a hormone and a neurotransmitter in the body.

neurotransmission

the process by which neurons communicate with each other through electrical and chemical signals

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger an action potential in a neuron

action potential

brief electrical impulse that travels along the axon of a neuron

all or nothing principle

once a neuron reaches its threshold of excitation, it will fire an action potential at full strength.

resting potential

the stable, negative electrical charge that exists across the cell membrane of a neuron when it is at rest

depolarization

phase of action potential where positive ions rush into the cell altering it from its negatively charged resting state

refractory period

brief period following an action potential during which a neuron is unable to generate another action potential.

synapse

region where the presynaptic neuron’s axon terminals almost touch the postsynaptic neuron’s dendrites

reputake

process in which neurotransmitters that have been released into the synapse are reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron from which they were originally released

multiple sclerosis “MS”

chronic autoimmune disease that affects the CNS

myasthenia gravis

chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the neuromuscular junction, where nerve impulses are transmitted to muscles

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that transmit signals between neurons

glutamate

primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, playing a key role in synaptic transmission and neuronal communications. It is involved in various brain functions, including learning, memory, and neural plasitcity

GABA

a neurotransmitter that acts as the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS. Promotes relaxations and reduces anxiety

dopamine

neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in regulating mood, reward, motivation, and movement

serotonin

neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in regulating mood, sleep, appetite, and stress

endorphins

neurotransmitters that act as natural pain relievers and mood enhancers

substance p

neurotransmitter involved in transmitting pain signals in the nervous system

acetylcholine

involved in various functions, including muscle contraction, memory, and learning

norepinephrine

neurotransmitter that functions as both a hormone and a neurotransmitter in the body. Involved in fight or flight, regulating arousal, and stress

consciousness

the state if being aware of and able to perceive one’s thoughts, feelings, sensations, and surroundings.

Circadian rhythm

The natural, internal process that regulates the sleep wake cycle and repeats about every 24 hours.

NREM 1

the first stage of non rapid eye movement sleep. Drifting in and out of sleep, lasting only a few mins. hypnic jerks and hallucinations.

NREM stage 2

the second stage of non rapid eye movement sleep. light sleep lasting about 20 minutes. sleep spindles and K-complexes.

NREM stage 3

the deepest stage of non rapid eye movement sleep. Presence of predominantly delta waves and restoration of resources.

REM sleep

rapid eye movements, vivid dreams, and muscle paralysis. increased brain activity.

REM rebound

The phenomenon where the body increases the time spent in REM sleep after a period of REM deprivation.

Activation synthesis

a theory proposing that dreams are a result of neural activity in the brainstem during REM sleep, which is then interpreted and synthesized by the cerebral cortex into a story.

Consolidation theory

a theory suggesting that dreams play a role in the memory consolidation and processing of memories. During sleep, the brain organizes and integrates information throughout the day contributing to memory storage and learning.

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder that causes you to pause in breathing or shallow breathing during sleep

REM sleep behavior disorder

A sleep disorder where individuals physically act out their dreams during REM sleep

Somnambulism

a sleep disorder commonly known as sleepwalking