PSYCHOLOGY Chapter 3 Biopsychology: Neurons and Brain Structures

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering neurons, neurotransmitters, nervous system divisions, hindbrain and forebrain structures, and the cerebral cortex.

Neuron

The basic unit of the nervous system; a cell that transmits information via electrical and chemical signals.

Resting potential

Electrical charge of a neuron at rest, typically about -70 millivolts (mV).

Action potential

A rapid change in membrane potential that travels along the axon; an all-or-none neural impulse.

Axon

The long fiber that conducts neural impulses away from the cell body toward other neurons or muscles.

Synapse

The junction between two neurons where neurotransmitters are released and bind to receptors.

Neurotransmitter

Chemical messenger released by neurons to transmit signals across a synapse.

Agonist

A substance that increases or mimics the effect of a neurotransmitter.

Antagonist

A substance that blocks or reduces the effect of a neurotransmitter.

Acetylcholine

Neurotransmitter involved in muscle action and memory.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter involved in mood, reward, and movement; linked to schizophrenia and movement disorders.

Norepinephrine

Neurotransmitter involved in alertness and arousal.

Serotonin

Neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep, and appetite.

GABA

Primary inhibitory neurotransmitter; helps reduce neuronal excitability and anxiety.

Beta-endorphin

Neuropeptide involved in pain relief and feelings of pleasure.

Central nervous system

Brain and spinal cord; the body’s main information-processing center.

Peripheral nervous system

Nerves outside the CNS; connects the CNS to the limbs and organs.

Somatic nervous system

Subdivision of the PNS that controls voluntary movement and transmits sensory information.

Autonomic nervous system

Subdivision of the PNS that regulates involuntary functions; splits into sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.

Sympathetic nervous system

Part of the autonomic system that prepares the body for stress (fight-or-flight), increasing arousal.

Parasympathetic nervous system

Part of the autonomic system that promotes rest and digestion and conserves energy.

Medulla

Hindbrain structure that regulates breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Pons

Hindbrain structure involved in regulating brain activity during sleep.

Cerebellum

Hindbrain structure important for balance, coordination, movement, and some memory processing.

Thalamus

Forebrain structure that acts as a sensory relay station to the cortex.

Amygdala

Limbic-system structure involved in emotion and linking emotion to memories.

Hippocampus

Limbic-system structure essential for learning and memory.

Hypothalamus

Forebrain structure regulating homeostasis (temperature, appetite, sleep, blood pressure).

Cerebral cortex

The outer layer of the brain; responsible for higher mental processes; organized into two hemispheres and four lobes.