Psychology module 9-16

Vocabulary

neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system, communication within brain

Multiple sclerosis

Communication to muscles slows with eventual loss of muscle control caused by myelin sheath degeneration

Action potential

electrical charge that travels down axon

resting potential

positive charge ions outside of axons membrane and negative inside

axon

The surface is selectively permeable. Can be depolarized when fired

Refractory period

Period of inactivity after a neuron has fired

Threshhold

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neutral impulse(action potential)

Order of lobes from front, over top

Frontal-parietal-occiputal- temporal

Frontal Lobe

Front of brain behind forehead. Functions: planning, voulantary movement, personality traits,

Motor Cortex

Rear of frontal lobes, control voluntary movement

Somatosensory cortex

Front of partial lobes, registers & processes body touch & movement sensations

Association areas

Most of brains cortex, involved in learning, remembering, thinking, & other higher level functions

Glial cells

support, nourish, & protect neurons. Role in learning & thinking. Glial cells make myelin sheath(fatty tissue layer that holds axons (transmission & growth)

Localization of functions

What parts of the brain do(function) branch off from phrenology.

Synapse

Space between neurons, synaptic gap in between cells

Myelin Sheath

Speed conduction of action potential(hopping of myelin sheaths gaps), protects neurons from electrical signals from other neurons from entering axon. Fatty cells.

Random Assignment

Assignment of sample into two groups(experimental & control) in experimental studies, By chance

Random sample

Gives all participants equal opportunity of participating in experiment, ind. from larger population to represent populaiton as a whole

Brain Stem

consists of medulla, controls basic functions such as breathing and heartbeat

Thalamus

Sesnory input system, ex smell

Cerebellum

involved with coordination, sends input to motor Cortex

Electroencephalagram(EEG)

Electrodes taped to the outer head, shown in graphs to show neuron firing/ electrical patterns. Neuronal activity

Areas of brain that affect language

Left hemisphere(Broca’s & Wernicke’s area)

Difference of Wernicks vs. Broca’s area

Broca’s produce speech & Wernicks comprehend speech. Damage can lead to aphasia

Lower parts of brain

Brain stem

contra lateral hemispheric organization

opposite brain hemisphere side for opposite body functions & visual fields

Kinds of inattention

Blindness, change blindness(not noticing changes of environment) & choice blindness(thinking two choices which are the same are different due to prior knowledge but not noticing)

Right hemisphere

involved in facial recognition, perception, cues, left body side movement,

Reticular activitation(formation)

Involved in arousal and consciousness within brain stem, filters relevant information, involved in sleep cycles

Neurotransmitters and their functions

ACh, dopamine, glutamate, endorphins, noneprphremine, epinephrine, serotonin, 

Ach(acytocline) function & malfunctions

Enables muscle action, learning, and memory. Malfunctions: ACh-producing neurons deteriorate, Alzheimer’s disease

Dopamine

Influenced movement, learning, attention, & emotion. Malfunctions: oversupply=schizophrenia; under supply=tremors & decreased mobility in Parkinson's disease

Seretonin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, & arousal. Malfunction: Under supply=depression, antidepressants raise serotonin levels

Norepinephrine

Helps control alertness & arousal. Malfunctions: undersupply=depressed mood

GABA(gamma-aminobutyric acid)

A major inhibitory transmitter. Undersupply=seizures, tremors, & insomnia

Glutamate

Exitatory neurotransmitter. Oversupply=overstimulate brain, producing migraines or seizures(MSG, monosodium glutamate in food)

Transduction

The transformation of one form of energy to another, typically stimuli signals into neutral impulses in our body. Three steps include receive, transform, & deiliver