Biological approach - The brain

amygdala

response to fear and emotion, forming emotional memories

nucleas accumbens

plays a role in motivation and action, having sense of reward

hypothalamus

regulates homeostatic processes, body temperature, appetite etc.

hippocampus

transfers STM to LTM.

Distributive processing

The theory that behaviour is the result of interaction between several parts of the brain and not strictly localized to a singular part of the brain.

Equipotentiality

the theory that the brain has the capacity in the case of injury to transfer functional memory from the damaged portion of the brain to other undamaged portions of the brain.

Localization of function

The theory that behaviors have their origin in specific areas of the brain. Damage to that part of the brain would result in an inability to carry out that behavior.

Relative localization

The theory that although one part of the brain may play a key role in a behavior, several parts of the brain also play a lesser role in that behavior.

Strict localization

The theory that behaviors can be attributed to a single area of the brain.

neuroplasticity

the idea that our brain can alter physically as a result of our environment

cortical remapping

the brain's ability to reorganize its neural connections and functions in response to changes in sensory input or injury

Basal ganglia

Plays a role in habit-forming and procedural memory.

Frontal Lobe

associated with executive functions – that is, planning, decision-making, and speech.

Parietal lobe

associated with the perception of stimuli

Occipital lobe

associated with visual processing

Temporal lobe

associated with auditory processing and memory

Synaptic pruning

when the brain removes unused connections.

neurotransmission

The process of neurons sending messages to the brain.

action potential

electrical impulse that travels along the body of a neuron

synapse

the gap between neurons where neurotransmitters are released

receptor sites

the space where neurotransmitters fit into after crossing the synapse

reputake

when neurotransmitters are broken down by an enzyme or reabsorbed by the terminal buttons

acetylcholine

plays a role in the consolidation of memory in the hippocampus

dopamine

controls the brains reward and pleasure centers, plays a key role in motivation, low levels are ssociated with addictive behavior

norepinephrine

associated with arousal and alertness

serotonin

associated with sleep, arousal levels and emotion

excitatory neurotransmitters

increase the likelihood of a neuron firing by depolarizing the neuron e.g. acetylcholine

inhibitory neurotransmitters

decrease the likelihood of a neuron firing by hyperpolarizing the neuron e.g. GABA

dendrite

part of the neuron that receives messages from other neurons or the environment and carries thw messages to the cell body

soma (cell body)

part of the neuron that contains genetic information & produces proteins needed by other parts of the neuron

axon

transports electrical signals that are received by other neurons

axon terminal

releases neurotransmitters that are sent to other neurons, allowing communication

dendritic branching

when there is an increase of neural density because synapses are strengthened

long term potentiation

when a skill is practiced a lot it results in neuroplasticity