AP Psychology: Neurotransmitters, Brain & Nervous System, Nature vs. Nurture, and Endocrine System

Flashcard practice deck generated from AP Psychology lecture notes covering neurotransmitters, nature vs. nurture, neural structure and firing, nervous system divisions, and endocrine glands/hormones.

What overall psychological function is serotonin generally associated with, and what artificial form of it is prescribed for depression?

Serotonin is generally associated with overall mood, and Prozac is an antidepressant that serves as an artificial form of serotonin.

What medical condition characterized by tremors is caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain?

Parkinson's disease.

What physical and neurological symptoms can occur when the body does not produce enough GABA?

Seizures, tremors, and insomnia.

A drop in levels of which neurotransmitter is linked to Alzheimer's disease and dementia in aging individuals?

Acetylcholine.

What is the function of histamine when an allergen affects a specific area of the body?

Histamine boosts blood flow in the area of your body that the allergen has affected.

Elevated levels of which neurotransmitter are associated with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia?

Dopamine.

How do endorphins function in the body during painful or high-stress situations like athletic endurance or physical injury?

Endorphins act as natural opiates to control/reduce pain and produce euphoria, helping the body continue functioning.

What happens when there is too much GABA in the brain's nerves creating a depressed response?

The body converts the excess GABA into glutamate.

What hormone sleep aid is taken when decreased GABA levels disrupt sleep?

Melatonin.

What is epinephrine typically called when referred to within the endocrine system?

Adrenaline.

Who was John Locke, and what concept did he propose in 'An Essay Concerning Human Understanding'?

John Locke was a British political philosopher who argued that the human mind at birth is a blank slate (tabula rasa) with no innate ideas.

What is the literal definition and psychological meaning of 'tabula rasa'?

Literally means 'blank slate'; it refers to a young mind not yet affected by experience.

How does contemporary psychological science resolve the Nature vs. Nurture controversy?

Today's science views psychological traits and behaviors as arising from the interaction of both nature (genes) and nurture (experience).

How is maturation defined in psychological terms?

Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience.

What is the core emphasis of the biological perspective in psychology?

It emphasizes the influence of biology on behavior, viewing humans as heavily dictated by their biological makeup.

How did Charles Darwin define natural selection, and what was his lifespan?

Charles Darwin (1809–1882) formulated natural selection as a process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.

What is a mutation?

A change in a DNA sequence that affects genetic information.

Why are twin studies commonly used in psychology?

Twin studies are a common method of investigating whether nature or nurture affects behavior.

What is the difference between causation and correlation?

Causation means one event caused another ($X$ led to or is responsible for $Y$), whereas correlation means two events are associated or often seen at the same time.

What are dendrites, and what toilet tool analogy is used to describe them?

Dendrites are rootlike parts of a neuron that stretch out from the cell body to grow and make synaptic connections with other neurons; they are analogized to toilet brush bristles.

What is the cell body (soma) of a neuron?

The part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and other structures needed to sustain its life.

What is the axon of a neuron?

A wirelike structure ending in terminal buttons that extends from the cell body.

What is the myelin sheath, and what disease results from its breakdown?

A fatty covering around the axon of some neurons that speeds up neural impulses; its breakdown is linked to Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.).

What are terminal buttons on a neuron?

The branched end of the axon that contains neurotransmitters.

What is the synapse?

The space or gap between the terminal buttons of one neuron and the dendrites of the next neuron.

What is reuptake in neural transmission?

The process where neurotransmitters jump across the synaptic gap and are taken back up by the sending neuron.

Which two ions fire during neural firing?

Sodium and potassium.

What is the all-or-none principle of neuron firing?

It states that a neuron must either fire completely or not at all; a neuron cannot fire a little or a lot, as the impulse strength is identical every time.

What is the refractory period of a neuron?

The time following an action potential during which a new action potential cannot be initiated.

What is the function of afferent (sensory) neurons?

They carry nerve impulses from sensory stimuli towards the central nervous system and brain.

What is the role of interneurons?

They take messages from afferent neurons in the brain or spinal cord and send them elsewhere in the brain or on to efferent neurons.

What is the function of efferent (motor) neurons?

They take information from the brain to the rest of the body.

What structures comprise the Central Nervous System (CNS)?

The brain and spinal cord (all nerves housed within bone).

What constitutes the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), and how is it divided?

It consists of all nerves not encased in bone, and it is divided into the somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system.

What is the distinction between the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system?

The somatic nervous system controls voluntary muscle movements, while the autonomic nervous system controls automatic body functions.

What are the roles of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?

The sympathetic nervous system mobilizes the body to respond to stress (fight or flight), whereas the parasympathetic nervous system slows down the body after a stress response.

What is the physiological role of noradrenaline in the body?

It affects attention and responding actions in the brain by contracting blood vessels to increase blood flow.

How is glutamate characterized in terms of abundance and function?

Glutamate is the most common neurotransmitter and acts as a major excitatory (stimulating) neurotransmitter involved in thinking, learning, memory, and regulating nerve contact creation.

What are endocrine glands?

Ductless glands that secrete hormones (chemical messengers) directly into the bloodstream to carry messages to specific organs or tissues.

Which hormone does the pituitary gland secrete, and what are its primary functions?

It secretes Growth hormone, which regulates growth and controls the functioning of other endocrine glands.

Which hormone is secreted by the thyroid gland, and what does it control?

Thyroxine; it controls the metabolism rate and brings about balanced growth.

What hormone is produced by the parathyroid gland and what function does it serve?

Parathormone; it controls the calcium balance of the body.

Which gland secretes insulin, and what role does insulin play?

The pancreas secretes insulin, which controls the glucose level of the blood.

Which hormone is secreted by the testes, and what does it control?

Testosterone; it controls the growth and development of the male reproductive system.

Which hormones are secreted by the ovaries, and what are their functions?

Oestrogen and progesterone; they control the growth and development of the female reproductive system.