AP Psychology BOE Quiz - Biological Bases

Neurons

Individual cells in the nervous system that receive, integrate, and transmit information.

Axon

Long fiber that transmits impulses and messages away from the cell body of a neuron

Soma

Cell body of a neuron

Dendrites

a neuron's bushy extensions that receive messages and send impulses and sensations toward the cell body

Action potential

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Myelin sheath

an insulating material that encases some axons and helps to speed up neural transmission

Reuptake

The process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the synaptic vesicles

Endorphins

Neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure

Endocrine system

Consists of glands that secrete chemicals into the bloodstream that help control bodily functions

Pituitary gland

The endocrine system's most influential gland that regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

Hormones

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

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

Glutamate

excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory

Dopamine

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

Acetycholine

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

Norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

GABA

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that affects hunger,sleep, arousal, and mood.

Cerebral cortex

Outer layer of interconnected neural cells; The biggest part of the brain

Corpus collosum

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

Thalamus

Part of the brain stem that regulates all the brain's senses except for smell

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

Reticular formation

A part of the brain stem responsible for controlling alerts and arousal

Medulla

The base of the brain stem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Spinal cord

a major part of the central nervous system which conducts sensory and motor nerve impulses to and from the brain

Cerebellum

A large structure of the hind brain that controls complex and skilled motor skills.

Hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that is associated with learning memory

Amygdala

two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

Central nervous system

A sensory system that consists of the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body