AP Psychology Unit 2: Brain and Behavior Vocabulary 💡 

@@The Brain’s Structures:@@

Brainstem: central trunk of the brain connecting to the spinal cord; consists of the medulla, pons, and midbrain, controlling mostly automatic functions

Medulla: contains the cardiac, respiratory, vomiting and vasomotor centers and therefore deals with the autonomic functions of @@breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure@@

Thalamus: large mass of gray matter with several functions such as relaying of sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex, and the @@regulation of consciousness, sleep, and alertness@@

Hypothalamus: controls @@body temperature, hunger, important aspects of parenting and attachment behaviors, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and circadian rhythms@@

Limbic System: @@set of brain structures@@ that includes the olfactory bulbs, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and amygdala

Hippocampus: important roles in the @@consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory@@, and in @@spatial memory that enables navigation@@

Olfactory Bulbs: @@perceive@@ information dealing with @@olfaction (smell)@@

Amygdala: primary role in the processing of @@memory, decision-making, and emotional reactions@@

Cerebral Cortex: two hemispheres are joined beneath the cortex by the corpus callosum; plays a key role in @@memory, attention, perception, awareness, thought, language, and consciousness@@

Reticular Formation: a set of interconnected nuclei that are located throughout the brainstem playing a crucial role in @@maintaining behavioral arousal and consciousness@@

Pons: deals primarily with @@sleep, respiration, swallowing, bladder control, hearing, equilibrium, taste, eye movement, facial expressions, facial sensation, and posture@@

Cerebellum: plays an important role in motor control, and it may also be involved in some cognitive functions such as @@attention and language@@ as well as in @@regulating fear and pleasure responses@@

Motor Cortex: the region of the cerebral cortex involved in the @@planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements@@

Somatosensory Cortex: middle of parietal lobe, deals with sensory information (soft, hot, cold, etc.)

Corpus Callosum: white matter at the center of the brain connecting the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex

Frontal Lobe: lobe dealing with @@speaking, planning, logic, personality, abstract thinking, problem solving@@

Parietal Lobe: lobe dealing with @@sensory: touch and body position@@

Occipital Lobe: lobe dealing with @@vision@@

Temporal Lobe: lobe dealing with @@audition (hearing)@@

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^^Nervous Systems, Neurons, and Neuroimaging:^^

Central Nervous System: nervous system that runs through the spine and neck, relaying all messages to the brain

Peripheral Nervous System: nervous system that covers the rest of your body beyond the spine to the extremities of your body and its tissues

Somatic Nervous System: nervous system, in two parts, that controls ^^voluntary movement and sensory neurons^^

Autonomic Nervous System: nervous system that ^^maintains heartbeat, breathing, and organs^^

Sympathetic Nervous System: nervous system that ^^increases heart rate, breathing, and glucose levels^^

Parasympathetic Nervous System: nervous system that ^^decreases heart rate, breathing, and glucose levels^^

Neurons: official name for ^^nerve cells^^

Dendrite: the part of the nerve cell that ^^receives signals^^

Axon: the part of the nerve cell that ^^sends signals^^

Soma: the part of the nerve cell that ^^contains the nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria, etc.^^

Synapses: the part of the nerve cell that ^^transfers neurochemicals to the next neuron^^

Reuptake: the part of neurotransmission at the synapse that ^^sends neurochemicals back to the original neuron after activating receptors^^

Sodium (Na+) ion: the primary ion outside the axon’s membrane that provides a polarized positive charge

Potassium (K+) ion: the primary ion inside the axon’s membrane that, along with proteins, provide a polarized negative charge

Neurochemicals: the name for ^^chemicals that cause us to feel happy, sad, alert, etc.^^

Sodium-Potassium Pump: the mechanism that ^^re-polarizes axons by moving ions outside the membrane once the charge has evened^^

Electroencephalogram (EEG): type of scan that ^^targets the electrical waves in one’s brain^^, down to a specific stimulus

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan: type of scan that ^^uses x-rays to reveal brain damage^^

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan: type of scan that ^^shows brain consumption of chemical fuel, such as glucose^^

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan: type of scan that ^^puts one’s head in a strong magnetic field that aligns spinning electrons of brain molecules^^, then disorients them with a radio wave; when they return to normal, it gives a detailed picture of the soft tissues

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}}The Endocrine System:}}

Endocrine System: system that %%uses the bloodstream and hormones to send messages%%

Pituitary Gland: the master gland that %%controls growth and other organs%%

Thyroid: organ that %%controls metabolism%%

Pancreas: organ that %%manages blood sugar and insulin%%

Ovaries: organ %%responsible for sex hormones in women%%

Testes: organ %%responsible for sex hormones in men%%

Adrenal Gland: organ that %%releases adrenaline in fight or flight situations%%