AP Psych U1

Peripheral Nervous System

Everything outside of the brain and spine

Central Nervous System

brain and spine

Somatic

conscious

Autonomic

unconscious

Sympathetic

fight or flight

Parasympathetic

rest and digest

Afferent

PNS to CNS

Efferent

CNS to PNS

Glial Cells

Cells that work in tandem with neurons; send nutrients and remove waste; do not communicate with electricity

Sensory Neurons

transmit signals from the CNS to report

Motor Neurons

transmit signals from the PNS to react

Soma

protects the nucleus

Dendrites

receives messages

Axon

tube where messages go

Myelin Sheath

fatty coating that protects the axon and speeds up neural firing

Synapse

gap where neurons communicate through axon terminals

Nodes of Ranvier

gaps between myelin sheaths

Nociceptors

Pain receptors in the skin

All or none threshold

if a neuron reaches threshold it will fire with the same intensity every time

Action potential

electrical pulse that fires down the axon

Reuptake

extra neurotransmitters are reabsorbed into the neuron

Excitatory

increase likelihood that a neuron will fire

Inhibitory

decrease the likelihood that a neuron will fire

Hyperpolarization

when the inside of a neuron becomes more negative, bringing it further from its threshold

Glutamate

main excitatory neurotransmitter; long term memory and learning

Gaba

main inhibitory neurotransmitter; sleep and slowed nervous system

Multiple Sclerosis

damaged myelin sheath, results in muscle weakness, coordination problems, and fatigue

Myasthenia Gravis

autoimmune disorder that affects communication between nerve and muscle, causes muscle fatigue

Acetylcholine

muscle action, learning, memory

Substance P

transmits pain signals from sensory neurons to CNS

Dopamine

movement, learning, attention, emotions

Serotonin

hunger, sleep, arousal, mood

Endorphins

pain control & tolerance

Norepinephrine

blood pressure, heart rate, alertness, fight or flight

Adrenaline (epinephrine)

body’s response to highly emotional situations; forms memories, fight or flight

Leptin

balances energy by inhibiting hunger

Ghrelin

hunger, growth hormones

Melatonin

circadian rhythm, produced by pineal gland

Oxytocin

love hormone, produced by the hypothalmus and released by the pituitary gland

Agonist

boosts the production of neural transmitters

Antagonist

slows the production of neural transmitters