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Freud
studied the unconscious - Along with other psychoanalysis, he theorized that the unconscious level is an invisible force deep within our minds
Circadian Rhythm
the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms
suprachiasmatic nucleus
each of a pair of small nuclei in the hypothalamus of the brain, above the optic chiasma, thought to be concerned with the regulation of physiological circadian rhythms.
Beta
awake, alert, anxious - quick, rapid
Alpha
relaxed, ready for sleep (may see hallucinations just before falling asleep)
Theta
stages 1 and 2 of NREM sleep
Delta
deep sleep; stage 3 of NREM -- At some point we shift from being awake to sleep, but we do not perceive that moment
Sleep Pattern
Roughly 90-minute segments and you have about 4-6 cycles per night
NREM 1
½ awake / ½ asleep
NREM 2
light sleep - associated with sleep talking
Sleep Spindles
K-complexes - large, high-voltage waves that often appear in response to such outside stimuli as sounds
NREM 3
Deep Sleep
REM Sleep
a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur
REM
rapid eye movement
Sleep Deprivation
occurs when an individual fails to get enough sleep. Can cause memory loss, weak immune system, weight gain, reduced energy, etc
Dreams
include all images, events, sounds, and other sensations experienced during sleep
Manifest content
what we recall from the "storyline" of our dreams
Latent content
underlying meaning of the dream
Wishful Fulfillment Theory
Dreams are the key to understanding our inner conflicts.
Information Processing Theory
Dreams act to sort out and understand the memories that you experience that day.
Problem Solving Theory
Dreamers sort through and accept emotions associated with yesterday's misfortunes.
Activation Synthesis Theory
During the night our brain stem releases random neural activity, dreams may be a way to make sense of that activity.
Insomnia
Inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Treatment include reduction of caffeine, set sleep schedule, etc
Narcolepsy
Sudden & irresistible onsets of sleep during normal waking periods. Treatments include medication, changing sleep patterns, and introduction of naps during the day
Sleep Apnea
a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings. Treatments include respiration machine
Night Terrors
a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified, occurs during NREM-3 sleep, within 2-3 hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered
Endocrine System
the collection of glands that produce hormones that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep, and mood, etc
Hypothalamus
brain region controlling the pituitary gland
Pituitary Gland
the "master control gland" controls other glands and makes the hormones that trigger growth
Pineal Gland
produces melatonin which affects sleep
Adrenal Glands
produce hormones that help regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, response to stress and other essential functions (Cortisol, Adrenaline, etc)
Parathyroid gland
help regulate the level of calcium in the blood
Thyroid Gland
affects metabolism
Pancreas
regulates the level of sugar in the blood
Testis
secretes male sex hormones -- linked with aggressive behavior
Ovary
secretes female sex hormones
Nervous System
The body's electrochemical communications network.
Central Nervous System
The brain & spinal cord, which distribute & process messages.
Spinal Cord
nerves that form the connections between the brain and the peripheral nervous system and are encased in the spine
Peripheral Nervous System
A branch of the human nervous system that includes all components except the brain and spinal cord
Somatic Nervous System
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movements
Autonomic Nervous System
A part of the peripheral nervous system that regulates bodily processes such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion
Sympathetic nervous System
branch of the autonomic nervous system that excites body by preparing it for action (increased heartbeat, pupils dilate, lungs increase oxygen, relax bladder, etc) FIGHT OR FLIGHT
Parasympathetic Nervous System
branch of the autonomic nervous system that restore the body's energy sources once they have been depleted (pupils constrict, heart beat slows, constrict airways, stomach contraterm-37ct, etc), REST AND DIGEST
Sensory or afferent neurons
neurons that take information from the senses to the brain
Motor or efferent neurons
neurons that take information from the brain to the rest of the body
Interneurons
in the brain or spinal cord, neurons that take messages and send them elsewhere in the brain or spinal cord
Mirror Neurons
neuron that play role in action understanding, imitation learning, and language processing. Enables use to recreate and embody intentions of others.
Neurons
individual nerve cells that make up our entire nervous system
Dendrites
receive neural messages
Cell body (Soma)
contains the nucleus and other parts of the cell needed to sustain its life
Axon
wirelike structure ending in the terminal buttons that extends from the cell body -- passes the messages along
Myelin Sheath
a fatty covering around the axon of some neurons that speeds neural impulses (lack of it can cause Multiple Sclerosis)
Terminal Buttons (Axon Terminals)
branched end of the axon that contains neurotransmitters
Synapse
space between the terminal buttons of one neuron and the dendrites of the next neuron
Glial cells
provide nutrition and protection for the neurons
Schwann Cells
Supporting cells of the peripheral nervous system responsible for the formation of myelin.
Node of Ranvier
Tiny gaps within the myelin sheath covering a nerve cell; may help speed impulses
Excitatory neurotransmitters
send signals that stimulate the brain
Inhibitory neurotransmitters
send signals to calm the brain down and create balance.
Reuptake inhibitors
drugs that prevent the axon terminals from engaging in the reuptake of neurotransmitters.
Brainstem
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; this part is responsible for automatic survival functions
Medulla
controls heartbeat, blood circulation, breathing, muscle maintenance, regulation of reflexes like sneezing/coughing.
Reticular Formation
plays an important role in controlling arousal (waking)
Pons
plays a role with sleep and dreaming
Cerebellum
the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory
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
Limbic System
neural system (includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives
Hippocampus
vital to our memory system
Amygdala
the center of emotion and is responsible for fear and aggressive responses
Hypothamalus
regulates the autonomic nervous system (flight or fight), temperature, hunger, and sex.
Cerebrum
the largest part of the brain. Made up of 2 cerebral hemispheres (the left and the right hemispheres), separated by a large groove; the medial longitudinal fissure. Control muscle functions, speech, thought, emotions, reading, writing, and learning.
Left Hemisphere
specializes in language, speech, handwriting, calculation, sense of time and rhythm. controls the right side of the body
Right Hemisphere
specializes in processing involving perception, visualization, recognition of faces & emotions
Hemisphere
the brain has two, the left and the right. The left controls the right side of the body and the right controls the left side of the body.
Corpus Callosum
the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
Cerebral Cortex
the outer layer of tissue of the hemispheres, and smaller subcortical structure
Frontal Lobe
portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
Prefrontal cortex
located at the very front of the frontal lobe, controls executive functions or a set of abilities that are needed to control cognitive behaviors. These behaviors include attention, inhibition, working memory, problem-solving and planning.
Parietal Lobe
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position
Occipital Lobe
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields, contains the visual cortex
Temporal Lobe
portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas and helps with hearing and meaningful speech, contains the primary auditory cortex
Motor Cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
Sensory Cortex
area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
Auditory Cortex
the part of the temporal lobe that processes auditory information in humans and many other vertebrates.
Visual Cortex
the primary cortical region of the brain that receives, integrates, and processes visual information relayed from the retinas
Association Areas
areas in the cerebral cortex involved in higher mental function.
Basal ganglia
group of nuclei that function as a unit. plays a role in the goal-directed control of voluntary movements and routine behaviors.
Broca's area
located in the left hemisphere in the frontal lobe. This area is responsible for speech production and language comprehension. Damage to this area can result in Broca's aphasia.
Wernicke's area
located in the back of the temporal lobe near the occipital lobe of the left cerebral hemisphere and is involved in understanding written and spoken language. Damage to this area is called Wernicke's Aphasia.
Behavioral genetics
focuses on discovering how genes and experiences interact and lead to specific behaviors and mental abilities
Molecular Genetics
The study of chromosomes and gene expression of an organism can give insight into heredity, genetic variation, and mutations
DNA
a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
Genes
segments of DNA that contain instructions to make proteins - building blocks of life
Heritability
a measure of how well differences in people's genes account for differences in their traits
Dominant Alleles
show their effect even if the individual only has 1 copy of the allele
Recessive Alleles
only show their effect if the individual has 2 copies of the allele
Genome
the entirety of that individual's hereditary information
Genotype
the collection of genes responsible for the various genetic traits of a given organism
Phenotype
the visible or observable expression of the results of genes, combined with the environmental influence on an organism's appearance or behavior (blue eyes)