AP Psych 9/30 Test

Action potential

A brief electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron when it fires. It is an "all-or-none" signal.

Amygdala

Two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion, especially fear and aggression

Aphasia

Impairment of language, usually caused by damage to Broca's area (affecting speech production) or Wernicke's area (affecting language comprehension)

Association areas

Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; instead, they are involved in higher mental processes like learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

Autonomic nervous system

The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of internal organs (e.g., the heart). Its subdivisions are the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

Brainstem

The oldest part and central core of the brain, responsible for automatic survival functions. It includes the medulla, pons, and reticular formation.

Cerebral cortex

The intricate, wrinkled outer layer of the brain, composed of neural tissue. It is the ultimate control and information-processing center and is responsible for higher-order thinking

Corpus callosum

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

Evolutionary psychology

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

Excitatory impulse

Pushes the neuron's accelerator," increasing the chance it will fire

Inhibitory impulse

Pushes the neuron's brake," decreasing the chance it will fire

Glial cells (glia)

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning and thinking.

Hippocampus

A neural structure in the limbic system that is primarily involved in the formation of new memories

Hypothalamus

A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

Interneurons

Neurons within the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system) that communicate between sensory and motor neurons and are involved in internal processing

Lateralization

The tendency for some neural functions or cognitive processes to be specialized to one side of the brain or the other (e.g., language is lateralized to the left hemisphere in most people)

Limbic system

A neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives. Includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus

Medulla

The base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Motor cortex

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

Motor neurons (efferent)

Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system) to the muscles and glands

Nature vs. nurture

The longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes (nature) and experience (nurture) make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors

Neural networks

Interconnected neural cells that learn and strengthen with experience. With learning, the network builds and strengthens pathways

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released, they influence whether another neuron will generate an action potential

Parasympathetic nervous system

The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy ("rest-and-digest")

Pituitary gland

The endocrine system's "master gland." Under the influence of the hypothalamus, it regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

Plasticity

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

Refractory period

A brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur during this period

Reticular formation

A nerve network that travels through the brainstem and plays an important role in controlling arousal and filtering incoming stimuli

Resting potential

The state of a neuron when it is not firing a neural impulse. The inside of the neuron is negatively charged relative to the outside

Sensory cortex

The area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations. (Also called the somatosensory cortex)

Sensory neurons (afferent)

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

Somatic nervous system

The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles (voluntary movement)

Substance P

A neurotransmitter that is involved in the transmission of pain signals to the brain

Sympathetic nervous system

The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations ("fight-or-flight")

Synapse

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

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 (all senses except smell)

Threshold

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Frontal Lobes

Involved in speaking, muscle movements, planning, judgment, and executive functions

Parietal Lobes

Process sensory information related to touch and spatial awareness

Occipital Lobes

Process visual information

Temporal Lobes

Process auditory information and are involved in memory

PET Scan

Shows brain activity by tracking where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a task