Physiological Psychology Exam #1

Neurons

The basic unit of the nervous system; have four functional zones.

Dendrites

Receive information from other cells.

Cell body

Integrates the information it receives.

Single Axon

Conducts output information away from the cell body as an electrical impulse.

Axon terminals

At the end of the axon communicates activity to other cells.

Motor Neurons

Large neurons with long axons that stimulate muscles.

Sensory Neurons

Neurons with various shapes that respond to specific environmental stimuli such as light, odor, and touch.

Interneurons

Make up the largest majority of cells and allow one cell to connect to another, facilitating communication and heavy processing.

Multipolar neuron

A neuron with lots of dendrites.

Bipolar neuron

A neuron where the cell body sits in the middle, with axons on top and axon terminals on the bottom, specialized for specific functions.

Unipolar neuron

A neuron with the cell body located out to the side and axon terminals at the body.

Presynaptic neuron

The cell that comes before the synapse.

Postsynaptic neuron

The cell that comes after the synapse; receives information from the presynaptic neuron.

Synaptic Vesicles

Contain neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.

Neurotransmitter release

Occurs when vesicles migrate to the terminal, fuse with the membrane, and dump neurotransmitters into the synaptic space.

Serotonin receptors

Bind with serotonin to either excite or inhibit the receptor.

Neurotransmitter absorption

Once activated, the receptor gets absorbed to be stored and released again.

Synapse activity frequency

Occurs 1000 times per second.

Environmental stimuli

Factors such as light, odor, and touch that sensory neurons respond to.

Neuronal communication

The process that allows interneurons to connect one cell to another.

Functional zones of neurons

Includes input (dendrites), integration (cell body), conduction (axon), and output (axon terminals).

Axon hillock

A cone shaped area of the cell body that gives rise to the axon.

Glial cells

Assist neuronal activity by providing raw materials, chemical signals, and participates in information processing.

Myelin

An insulation layer that wraps around axons.

Schwann cells

Provide myelin to neurons outside the brain and spinal cord.

Oligodendrocytes

Form the myelin sheaths in the brain and spinal cord.

Nodes of Ranvier

Help speed up the conduction of electrical activity in the axon and allow the neuron to conserve energy during electrical conduction.

Astrocytes

Star shaped cells that help the cells maintain their shape and secrete chemicals that support the life of the cell.

Microglial cells

Tiny glial cells that remove waste, dead or injured cells.

Central Nervous System

Consists of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System

All other parts of the nervous system, consisting of nerves or bundles of axons.

Motor nerves

Transmit information from the spinal cord and the brain to the muscles and glands.

Sensory nerves

Convey information from the body to the CNS.

Somatic Nervous System

Nerves that leave the brain and spinal cord and connect to the major muscles and sensory systems of the body.

Autonomic Nervous System

Leaves the spinal cord and connects with the organs, involved in fight, flight, fawn responses.

Cranial nerves

12 pairs that connect with areas above the neck.

Olfactory nerve

Responsible for the sense of smell.

Optic nerve

Responsible for vision.

Vestibulocochlear nerve

Responsible for hearing and balance.

Vagus nerve

Innervates the heart, liver, and intestines; connects with all the organs except the adrenal glands.

Spinal Nerves

31 pairs that leave the spinal cord and connect with different organs.

Gray matter

Contains more cell bodies and dendrites which lack myelin.

White matter

Consists mostly of axons with white myelin sheaths.

Cerebral hemispheres

The left and right halves of the brain.

Cerebral cortex

The outermost part of the brain.

Gyri

Rigid or raised portions of the cerebral cortex.

Sulci

Grooves in the cerebral cortex.

Pyramidal cells

The most prominent neurons in the cerebral cortex, involved in heavy cognitive processing.

Basal Ganglia

Involved in gross motor behavior and motivation.

Amygdala

The fear center of the brain that regulates emotions.

Hippocampus

Involved in learning and memory.

Limbic System

Where short term memory, working memory, and emotion come together.

Thalamus

Acts as the sensory switchboard, processing sensory information and sending it to the cortex.

Hypothalamus

Involved with basic life functions such as feeding, flight, fight, and fornication.

Meninges

Three protective membranes surrounding the brain.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Fluid that fills the spaces between the meninges.

Stroke

Caused by a rupture or blockage of blood vessels, leading to a lack of oxygen.

Somatic intervention

Manipulating the body may affect behavior.

Behavioral intervention

Manipulating behavior may affect the body and the brain.

Correlation

Measures how closely the body and behavior measures covary.