Psych Exam The Biologcal Perspective

What is the Nervous system

A network of cells that brings and delivers info to all parts of the body

What are the 2 main divisions of the nervous system

Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

What are the 2 components of the Central Nervous system

The brain and the spinal chord

What is the main function of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Connects the Central Nervous System to the rest of the body (muscles, organs, senses)

What is the neuron made up of

dendrites, axon, glial cells, myelin, nerves

What do dendrites do

branchlike structure that recieves messages from the neurons

What does the axon do

Carries out messages through axon terminals to other cells

What do clial cells do

deliver nutrients that support the Neuron to grow

what does myelin do

protect the axon and speed up nerual impulses

How do neurons communicate within a single cell?

Through signals transmitted with action potentials (rapid electrical signal that travels down a neuron's axon to transmit information to other cells.)

what is a neurotransmitter?

A chemical messenger

Acetylcholine (ACh) Primary functions

Muslce action, learning, and memory

Dopamine primary functions

Reward, motivation, pleasure

Serotoning primary functinos

mood, sleep, hunger

Endorphins Primary function

Pain control and pleasure

GABA primary functions

Calms the neurotransmitters

Glutamate primary function

excites the brain

EEG (Electroencephalogram) purpose

Records electrical activity (brain waves)

CT/CAT scan purpose

X rays used to show 3D pic of the brain

MRI (Magnetic Resonance imaging) purpose

magnetic fields to create pics of brain tissue

fMRI (functional MRI)

tracks blood flow in brain

PET Scan (Positron Emission Tomography) purpose

tracks injected Glucose solution to see which brain areas are active

Cerebral Cortex (surface of the brain) def

The wrinkled, outer layer of gray matter responsible for complex thinking and processing

Why is the cerebral cortex wrinkled?

Gyri (bumps) and sulci (grooves) fold inward to pack more neurons into the skull. More wrinkles = More smarter

Corpus Callosum function

A thick band of nerve fibers connecting left and right hemisphers, allowign them to communicate

Thalamus function

Sensory switchboard. Sens all sensory info to cortex

Hypothalamus function

Controls maintenence duties, Fighting, fleeing, feeding, and mating

Hippocampus function

essential for processing and making new explicit memories

Amygdala function

Controls emtion, like fear or anger

Medulla function

controls automatic life functions like heartbeat and breathing

cerebellum function

coordinates voluntary movement, balance, and posture

Frontal lobe functions

Decision-making, problem-solving, and motor control

Parietal lobe functions

process sensory input for touch and body position

Occipital Lobe function

Processes visual information from the eyes

Temporal Lobe Functions

Processes auditory information and language comprehension

Brocas Area function and location

located in the left frontal lobe and control speech production

Wernicke’s Area function and location

Control language comprehension and is located in the left temporal lobe

Plasticity (neuroplasticity) def

brain’s ability to modify, change, and reorganize itself after damages

Agonist vs. Antagonist drugs

Agonist: Mimics or intensifies a neurotransmitter’s effect

Antagonist: Blocks or inhibits a neurotransmitter’s effect