Neuroanatomy, Brain Scans, and Sensory Processing: Key Concepts for Psychology

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.

CT Scan

A medical imaging technique that uses X-rays to create detailed images of the body's internal structures.

PET Scan

A type of imaging test that helps reveal how your tissues and organs are functioning by using a radioactive substance.

MRI Scan

A non-invasive imaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of organs and tissues.

Medulla

The part of the brainstem that controls vital functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Thalamus

A brain structure that acts as a relay station for sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex.

Cerebellum

A brain region that coordinates voluntary movements and maintains posture and balance.

Amygdala

An almond-shaped cluster of nuclei in the temporal lobe involved in emotion regulation and memory.

Hippocampus

A brain structure critical for the formation of new memories and spatial navigation.

Frontal Lobe

The part of the brain associated with reasoning, planning, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.

Parietal Lobe

The brain region responsible for processing sensory information related to touch, temperature, and pain.

Temporal Lobe

The brain area involved in processing auditory information and is important for memory and language.

Association Areas

Regions of the cerebral cortex that integrate sensory and motor information and are involved in higher-level functions.

Circadian Rhythm

The physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a daily cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness.

Alpha Waves

Brain waves that are present during relaxed, calm, yet alert states, typically occurring when a person is awake but relaxed.

Delta Waves

Slow brain waves associated with deep sleep, crucial for restorative sleep processes.

Insomnia

A sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early.

Narcolepsy

A chronic sleep disorder that causes overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep.

Sleep Apnea

A serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.

Bottom-Up Processing

A type of information processing that starts with sensory input and builds up to perception.

Top-Down Processing

A cognitive process that starts with a larger concept or idea and works down to the details.

Transduction

The process of converting one form of energy into another, such as converting sensory stimuli into neural signals.

Absolute Threshold

The minimum intensity of a stimulus that can be detected 50% of the time.

Priming

A technique in psychology used to train a person's memory in which exposure to one stimulus influences the response to another stimulus.

Weber's Law

A principle stating that the change needed to notice a difference is a constant proportion of the original stimulus.

Rods

Photoreceptor cells in the retina that are responsible for vision in low light conditions.

Cones

Photoreceptor cells in the retina that are responsible for color vision and function best in bright light.

Retina

The light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye that converts light into neural signals.

Gate-Control Theory

A theory that explains how the nervous system can block or allow pain signals to reach the brain.

Kinesthesis

The sense that provides information about the position and movement of body parts.

Vestibular Sense

The sense that helps with balance and spatial orientation, located in the inner ear.