ap psychology unit 2

thalamus: The body’s relay station, All information from your body's senses (except smell) must be processed through your thalamus before being sent to your brain's cerebral cortex for interpretation. Your thalamus also plays a role in sleep, wakefulness, consciousness, learning and memory. It is located in the center of the brain above the brainstem.

cerebellum: The cerebellum is primarily responsible for muscle control, including balance and movement. It also plays a role in other cognitive functions such as language processing and memory. Is located at the bottom back of the brain

hypothalamus: Receives chemical messages from nerve cells in your brain and from nerve cells in your body. The hypothalamus is a small region located in the base of the brain just above the brainstem. It performs the critical function of maintaining homeostasis by regulating blood pressure, temperature, sleep, mood, hunger, and thirst.

amygdala: amygdala is a small part of the brain, it’s a major processing center for emotions. It links emotions to memories, learning, and senses. It can contribute to our disruptive feelings and symptoms. Located in the medial temporal lobe, just anterior to (in front of) the hippocampus

hippocampus: Involved in memory, learning, and emotion. Its largest job is to hold short-term memories and transfer them to long-term storage in our brains. It also plays a role in emotional processing, including anxiety and avoidance behaviors. Located deep in the temporal lobe of each cerebral cortex.

pituitary gland: pituitary gland is referred to as the “master gland” because it monitors and regulates many bodily functions through the hormones that it produces, including: Growth and sexual/reproductive development and function. Glands (thyroid gland, adrenal glands, and gonads) Located at the base of your brain below your hypothalamus

cerebral cortex: Your cerebral cortex is responsible for the higher-level processes of the human brain, including language, memory, reasoning, thought, learning, decision-making, emotion, intelligence and personality. 

frontal lobe: The frontal lobes control speaking, muscle movements, and in making plans and judgement

parietal lobe: parietal lobes interpret sensory information, such as taste, temperature and touch. sensory input for touch and body position

occipital lobe: recieve information from visual fields

temporal lobe: auditory areas, next to ears, receive info from opposite ear, managing your emotions, processing information from your senses, storing and retrieving memories, and understanding language

motor cortex: sends the message that directs the muscles in your arm and hand

somatosensory cortex: helps you process information that is picked up by your five senses

Discuss what makes up the central nervous system. What is its role?: The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord. Its responsibilities consist of receiving, processing, and responding to sensory information

peripheral nervous system: Peripheral nervous system is a network of nerves that runs throughout the head, neck, and body. It carries messages to and from the Central Nervous system 

autonomic nervous system: operates automatically, physiological processes like glands and muscles of internal organs

sympathetic nervous system: sympathetic nervous system is best known for its role in responding to dangerous or stressful situations. In these situations, your sympathetic nervous system activates to speed up your heart rate, deliver more blood to areas of your body that need more oxygen or other responses to help you get out of danger.

parasympathetic system: The parasympathetic nervous system predominates in quiet “rest and digest” conditions. Responsible for the body’s rest and digestion. The PNS stimulates the production of saliva, which contains enzymes to help food digest. The body also produces tears, playing an important role in emotional crying and release of stress. opposite of sympathetic

thyroid: metabolism

hypothalamus: controls pituitary region

pituitary: master gland, secreted many different hormones some affecting other glands,

parathryoid: regulate level of calcium in the blood

pancreas: regulates the level of sugar in the blood

adrenal glands: fight or flight response

serotonin: The function of serotonin is that it affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal. Having too little can lead to depression . Having too much though can lead to shivering, diarrhea, muscle rigidity, seizures and death if not treated properly. 

norepinephrine: Norepinephrine is a chemical created in your nerve endings that helps you stay focused and alert. With noradrenaline, you want a "Goldilocks" amount that's just enough to keep you going. Too much can cause anxiety while too little brings on symptoms of depression.

dopamine:  The function of dopamine is that it influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion. Having too much dopamine can be linked to having schizophrenia and having too little can be linked to tremors and Parkinson's disease.

endorphins: Endorphins are a type of brain chemical that helps people cope with pain and stress. Healthy levels of endorphins can help people deal with physical pain, moodiness, and symptoms of anxiety or depression. Low endorphin levels may increase a person's risk of body aches and pains, sleep difficulties, and addiction. Excess endorphin can cause addiction

agonist: An agonist is a substance that mimics the actions of a neurotransmitter or hormone to produce a response when it binds to a specific receptor in the brain. Opioids (heroin and methadone) is an example of a agonist 

antagonist: An antagonist blocks neurons from entering the receiving cell, an example would be botox