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Psychology & Neuroscience Study Guide

1. Nervous System Basics

  • Two main divisions:

    • Central Nervous System (CNS): Brain + spinal cord.

    • Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): All other nerves connecting the CNS to the body.

  • Two types of nerves:

    • Afferent (Sensory) nerves: Carry info to the brain and spinal cord.

    • Efferent (Motor) nerves: Carry info from the CNS to muscles/glands.

  • Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): Controls involuntary functions.

    • Sympathetic: “Fight or flight” – activates body.

    • Parasympathetic: “Rest and digest” – calms body.

  • Neuron parts:

    • Dendrites: Receive signals.

    • Cell body: Processes signals.

    • Axon: Sends signals.

    • Terminal buttons: Release neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap.

  • Neural networks: Interconnected pathways that integrate sensory input and motor output.

  • Plasticity: Brain’s ability to adapt/change, affected by age, damage, stress.

2. Brain Structures

Hindbrain (basic survival)

  • Medulla: Connects to spinal cord; regulates breathing, heart rate.

  • Pons: Sleep, respiration, movement.

  • Cerebellum: Balance, coordination.

Midbrain (movement + sensory)

  • Substantia nigra: Movement control.

  • Reticular formation: Alerts and arousal.

Forebrain (thinking, emotion)

  • Thalamus: Relay station for sensory info.

  • Basal ganglia: Movement and reward.

  • Hypothalamus: Homeostasis, hormones.

  • Limbic system: Emotion and memory (amygdala, hippocampus).

  • Cerebral cortex: Thinking, perception, voluntary movement.

    • Lobes: Frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital.

    • Hemispheres: Left and right, specialized functions.

3. Neuron Communication

  • Action potential: Follows all-or-nothing principle – fires fully or not at all.

  • Synapse: Gap between neurons.

  • Neurotransmitters: Chemicals released by terminal buttons to communicate with other neurons.

4. EEG and Research Notes

  • EEG caps may not work well on coarse/curly hair, which can lead to bias in sampling.

  • EEG measures electrical activity in the brain.

5. Endocrine System

  • Communicates via hormones (chemical signals) rather than electrical signals.

  • Includes glands like thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, not sweat glands.

6. Genetics

  • Chromosomes: 46 per human cell, contain DNA.

  • Genotype: A person’s genetic heritage.

  • Phenotype: Observable traits.

  • Recessive traits: Show only if both genes in a pair are recessive.

  • Brain plasticity examples: Collateral sprouting, neurogenesis, substitution of function.

7. Stress

  • Definition: Response to environmental circumstances that tax coping mechanisms.

  • Can affect brain plasticity and overall health.