Psych Exam 2

Central Nervous System

Spinal cord, brain: reflexes, brain to skeletomuscular system

Peripheral Nervous System

Somatic and automatic, CNS to organs/muscles

Somatic Nervous System

voluntary muscles to CNS

Automatic Nervous system

Sympathetic, parasympathetic

Sympathetic nervous System

Fight/flight/freeze

Parasympathetic NS

Calms

Automatic NS

Involuntary commands to blood/organs/glands

Glial cells

structure, support, communication, cleaning

Neurons

Process info/communicate

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals, transmit info between neurons

Soma

Body of neuron, “brain”

Dendrites

Branch off soma, communicate between soma and other neurons

Axon

Long tube off soma, communicates between soma and other neurons

Myelin Sheath

Fatty axon insulation, helps info transmit faster the thicker it is

Terminal Buttons

At end of axon, synaptic vesicles

Synaptic vesicles

tiny sacs of neurotransmitters

Synapse

connection between axon of one neuron and soma/dendrites of another

Types of Neurons

Sensory, motor, interneurons

Interneurons

Only communicate between other neurons, inhibit impulses, fine motor skills

Resting Potential

The difference in electrical charge between inside and outside of axon when neuron @ rest

Action potential

Positively charged impulse, moves one way down axon

Ion

Chemically charged, bodily fluids

Refractory Period

Time between potential and action, no new action generated

All or None Principal

Once crosses threshold, either action potential fires or it doesn’t

Presynaptic neuron

moves down axon to terminal buttons, stimulates neurotransmitters to synaptic vesicles

Postsynaptic neurons

neurotransmitters float across synapse, bind to receptor sites on dendrite of receiving neuron

Dopamine

Arousal, mood

Epinephrine

ANS, fight/flight/freeze

Norepinephrine

CNS, alertness

Serotonin

mood, sleep, eating, body temp

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

inhibitory, slows CNS

Glutamate

excitatory

Acetylcholine

Slows ANS, eating/learning/sleeping

Neuropeptides

amino acids, communicate between neurons

Chromosome

coiled DNA + proteins

Genome

DNA info

Genotype

Person’s unique genome

Proteins

made of amino acids

Genes

code proteins, bits of DNA

Polygenic

Many genes create characteristic

Monogenic

One gene creates characteristic

Alleles

Different forms of gene

Behavioral genetics

heredity in behavior

Heritability

How genes influence traits

Epigenetics

Genes/DNA/turned on and off

Mirror neurons

motor/sensory, activate both when observing and performing an action

Node of Ranvier

Gaps in myelin sheath across which action potential jumps

Graded potential

small changes in membrane potential. Alone insufficient to cause action potential.

Hindbrain

Oldest, basic survival

medulla

Hindbrain. involuntary, reflexes

Pons

Bridge between hindbrain and upper brain regions

Cerebellum

Hindbrain. Motor skills.

Midbrain

2nd oldest, senses and voluntary.

Reticular formation

Runs through midbrain and hindbrain. Sleepwake cycle.

Tectum

Midbrain. sensory, orientation to environment

Tegmentum

Midbrain. Sensation, sleepwake, mood

Forebrain

newest, bilateral, everything

Thalamus

Forebrain, sensory

Limbic system

Forebrain structures. Emotion

Hypothalamus

Forebrain. Drives.

Hippocampus

Forebrain. Learning

Amygdala

Forebrain. Strong emotions.

Cingulate Gyrus

Forebrain. Attention

Basal ganglia

Forebrain. Voluntary motor control

Cerebrum

Forebrain. Convolutions, each ½ of brain

Cerebral cortex

Forebrain. Thought/perception

Frontal lobes

Forebrain, cerebrum. Thinking.

Parietal lobes

Forebrain, cerebrum. Touch

Occipital lobes

Forebrain, cerebrum. Visual

Temporal lobes

Forebrain, cerebrum. hearing.

Somatosensory cortex

Parietal lobes. Sensory

Insula

Cerebrum, empathy/emotions/impulses

Corpus callosum

Forebrain. nerves, connect 2 hemispheres

Broca’s area

Left frontal lobe, speech production

Aphasia

Understanding/producing speech disorder.

Wernicke’s area

left temporal lobe, speech comprehension

Neuroplasticity

Brain flexibility

Neurogenesis

developing new neurons

Arborization

developing new dendrites

Synaptogenesis

Creating new synapses. Learning

EEG

electrodes

ERP

Analyze EEG data

MRI

magnetic. Static.

fMRI

Magnetic. Activity, non-static

PET

blood flow

Endocrine system

system of glands. hormones

Pituitary gland

master endocrine gland

Adrenal glands

stress/emotions

Catecholamines

hormones and neurotransmitters. ANS

Cortisol

Stress hormone. metabolism

CT scan

around head

DTI

MRI, white matter

Tectum

sleep, orientation to environment

Tegmentum

sensation, sleep/wake, mood

Sensation

Physical

Perception

psychological

Sensory Adaptation

noticing sensory less

Transduction

sensation → perception

absolute threshold

lowest amount of stimulation you notice 50% of time

Signal Detection Theory

stimulus intensity + decision making = perception