NEURON: Basic cell of the NS
Dendrites: Receive incoming signal from Soma
Cell body (includes nucleus)
Axon: AP travels down this
Myelin Sheath: speeds up signal down axon
Terminals: release NTs - send signal onto next neuron
Synapse: gap b/w neurons, releases NT
Action Potential: movement of sodium and potassium ions across a membrane sends an
electrical charge down the axon
All or none law: stimulus must trigger the AP past its threshold, but does not increase
the intensity of the response (flush the toilet)
Refractory period: neuron must rest and reset before it can send another AP (toilet
resets)
Sensory neurons - receive signals
Motor neurons - send signals
Efferent neurons - signal Exits
CENTRAL NS: Brain and spinal cord
PERIPHERALNS: Rest of the NS
Somatic NS: Voluntary movement
Autonomic NS: Involuntary (heart, lungs, etc)
NEUROTRANSMITTERS (NTS): Chemicals released in synaptic gap, received by
neurons
GABA: Major inhibitory NT
GlutamatE: Major Excitatory NT
Dopamine: Reward & movement
Serotonin: Moods and emotion
Acetylcholine (ACh): Memory
Epinephrine & Norepinephrine: sympathetic NS arousal o Endorphins: pain control,
happiness
Oxytocin: love and bonding
Agonist: drug that mimics a NT
Antagonist: drug that blocks a NT
Reuptake: Unused NTs are taken back up into the sending neuron.
SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) block reuptake - treatment for depression
Hindbrain: oldest part of the brain o Cerebellum - movement, balance
Medulla - vital organs (HR, BP)
Pons - sleep/arousal (Ponzzzzzz)
Midbrain Reticular formation: attention (if you can't pay attent on., Ya R. F'
Forebrain: higher thought processes
Limbic System
Amygdala: emotions, fear
Hippocampus: memory
Thalamus: relay center
Hypothalamus: Reward/pleasure center, eating behaviors
Broca's Area: Inability to produce speech (Broca
- Broken speech)
Wernicke's Area: Inability to comprehend speech (Wernicke's what?)
Cerebral Cortex: outer portion of the brain - higher order thought processes
Occipital Lobe: located in the back of the head - vision
Frontal Lobe: decision making, planning, judgment, movement, personality
Parietal Lobe: located on the top of the head - sensations
Temporal Lobe: located on the sides of the head (temples) - hearing and face
recognition
Somatosensory Cortex: map of our sensory receptors -in parietal lobe
Motor Cortex: map of our motor receptors - located in frontal lobe
Corpus Callosum: bundle of nerves that connects the 2 hemispheres - sometimes
severed in patients with severe seizures - leads to "split-brain patients"
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM: sends hormones throughout the body
Pituitary Gland: Controlled by hypothalamus. release growth hormones
Adrenal Glands: related to sympathetic NS: releases adrenaline
ABSOLUTE THRESHOLD: detection of signal 50% of time
DIFFERENCE THRESHOLD (also called a just noticeable difference (JND) and
follows WEBER'S LAW: two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum proportion.
Sensory Adaptation: diminished sensitivity as a result of constant stimulation
Perceptual Set: tendency to see something as part of a group
- speeds up signal processing Inattentional Blindness: failure to notice something b/c you're so focused on another task (gorilla video)
Cocktail party effect: notice your name across the room when its spoken, when you
weren't previously paying attention