final 12-14 terms

Amnesia

memory loss

classical conditioning

type of conditioning produced by the pairing of two stimuli, one of which evokes an automatic response

consolidate

to strengthen a memory and make it more long-lasting

instrumental conditioning

a type of condition in which reinforcement or punishment changes the future probabilities of a given behavior

engram

physical representation of what has been learned

equipotentiality

concept that all parts of the cortex contribute equally to complex behaviors; any part of the cortex can substitute for any other

lateral interpositus nucleus (LIP)

a nucleus of the cerebellum that is essential for certain conditioned responses

mass action

concept that the cortex works as a whole and the more cortex, the better

tau protein

part of the intracellular support structure of axons

working memory

storage of memory while one is working with it

anterograde amnesia

inability to form memories for events that happened after brain damage

retrograde amnesia

loss of memory for events that occurred before brain damage

semantic memories

memories of factual information

episodic memory

memories of personal events

explicit memory

explicit memory

deliberate recall of information that one recognizes as a memory

implicit memory

an influence of experience on behavior, even if the influence is not recognized

procedural memory

the development of motor skills and habits; a special kind of implicit memory

Morris water maze

a procedure used to test for spatial memory in nonhumans

Hebbian synapse

a synapse that increases in effectiveness because of simultaneous activity in the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons

long term potentiation (LTP)

a long-lasting increase in synaptic strength following high-frequency stimulation of a synapse, believed to be a cellular mechanism underlying learning and memory.

specificity

property that highly active synapses become strengthened and less active synapses do not

cooperativity

tendency for nearly simultaneous stimulation by two or more axons to produce long-term potentiation much more effectively than stimulation by just one

associativity

property that pairing a weak input with a stronger input enhances its later response

long term depression (LTD)

a prolonged decrease in response at a synapse that occurs when axons have been less active than others

AMPA receptor

A type of glutamate receptor in the brain that mediates fast synaptic transmission and is involved in synaptic plasticity.

NMDA receptor

A subtype of glutamate receptor that plays a key role in synaptic plasticity and memory function, allowing for calcium ion influx when activated.

lateralization

divisions of labor between the two brain hemispheres

planum temporale

section of the temporal cortex that is larger in the left hemisphere

visual field

what is visible at any moment

split brain people

condition characterized by a cluster of neurological abnormalities arising from the partial or complete severing or lesioning of the corpus callosum,

interpreter

tendency of the left hemisphere to invent an explanation for an action when the true cause was unconscious

productivity

ability of language to produce new signals to represent new ideas

williams syndrome

condition in which the person has relatively good language abilities in spite of impairments in other regards

brocas aphasia (nonfluent)

brain damage that causes impaired language

brocas area

portion of the brain that is associated with language production

aphasia

language impairment

wernickes area

portion of the brain located near the auditory cortex, associated with language comprehension

wernickes aphasia

condition characterized by poor language comprehension and impaired ability to remember the name of objects

dualism

philosophical concept positing that mind and body are distinct entities.

mentalism

view that only the mind really exists and that the physical world could not exist unless some mind were aware of it

materialism

the belief that only physical matter exists and that mental states are a result of physical processes.

identity position

view that mental processes and certain kinds of brain processes are the same thing, described in different terms

inattentional blindness

tendency to ignore most changes in a scene that occur slowly or during an eyeblink

spatial neglect

a tendency to ignore the left side of the body or the left side of objects

frontotemporal dementia

intellectual deficit caused by gradual deterioration of the frontal and temporal cortices

affinity

tendency of a drug to bind to a receptor

efficacy

a drugs tendency to activate the receptor

self stimulation of the brain

behavior that is reinforced by electrical stimulation of a brain area

nucleus accumbens

brain area that is rich in dopamine and is central to the brain’s reinforcement system

tolerance

antagonist

a drug that blocks a neurotransmitter

agonist

a drug that mimics or enhances the effects of a neurotransmitter

methadone

drug similar to heroin and morphine that is taken orally

monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

drugs that block the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO), a presynaptic terminal enzyme that metabolizes catecholamines and serotonin into inactive forms

tricyclics

antidepressant drugs that block the reuptake of catecholamines and serotonin by presynaptic terminals

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

drugs that block the reuptake of serotonin in the presynaptic terminal

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

a treatment for depression by electrically inducing a seizure

positive symptoms

hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking commonly associated with schizophrenia.

negative symptoms

deficits in emotion, motivation, and social functioning often observed in schizophrenia.

season-of-birth effect

tendency for people born in winter to have a slightly greater probability of developing schizophrenia than people born at other times of the year

chlorpromazine

a first-generation antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and other mental disorders, primarily by blocking dopamine receptors.

dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia

idea that schizophrenia results from excess activity at dopamine synapses in certain brain areas

mesolimbocortical system

a major neural pathway involved in the regulation of dopamine release, playing a crucial role in reward, motivation, and the symptoms of schizophrenia.

DISC1

a gene associated with an increased risk of developing schizophrenia and other mental disorders, influencing neural development and signaling.