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Unit 2a: Biological (Does not include sleep / drugs)

Terms in this set (78)

Phrenology
The belief, started in the 1800s by Franz Gall, that bumps on a person's head revealed aspects of their personality or intelligence.
A cell used in the nervous system to send and receive messages.
Neuron
Sensory Neuron
Neurons that send messages from the body to the brain
Motor Neuron
Neuron that sends messages from the brain to the body
Interneuron
Neurons located in the brain which communicate with other brain neurons
Dendrite
The "arms" branching from the body of a neuron that receive information from other neurons
Cell Body
The body of a cell
Nucleus
The "brain" of the cell, located in the very center of the body
Axon Hillock
The area immediately before the axon that initially begins an action potential
Axon
The long "arm" of a neuron which sends a message (length can range from less than a millimeter, to several feet)
Myelin Sheath
The fatty tissue which insulates the axon
Schwann Cell
The cell that produces the fatty tissue that makes up the myelin sheath
Action Potential
The electro-chemical charge that travels across the axon
Axon Terminal / Terminal Button / Terminal Branches (All words for the same thing)
The "arms" extending at the end of the axon, which send messages to other neurons
Synaptic Gap (or Synaptic Cleft)
The extremely small gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of another
Threshold
The minimum electrical stimulation required by the axon hillock to send an action potential
Refractory Period
The period of time after an action potential is sent that the axon is unable to accept another action potential
Acetylcholine
Neurotransmitter whose main use is movement
Serotonin
Neurotransmitter whose main purpose is mood (have enough, GREAT! - don't have enough? depressed / anxious)
Dopamine
Neurotransmitter - too much? SCHIZOPHRENIA, too little? PARKINSON'S DISEASE
Agonist
Mimics a neurotransmitter well enough to bind to the receptor site and fire
Antagonist
Mimics a neurotransmitter well enough to bind to the receptor site and clog the site, so that actual neurotransmitters can not fire
Reuptake
The process of neurotransmitters going back into the axon terminal from the synapse after "firing"
Reuptake inhibitor
A drug that works by preventing neurotransmitters from reentering the axon terminal from the synapse
Too little serotonin
Oh crap, I am depressed, what happened?
Too much dopamine
Dang, I have schizophrenia, what is going on?
Too little dopamine
I'm all shaky from Parkinson's, what's happening?
Too little Acetylcohline (or presence of ACh (Acetylcholine) antagonist)
I can't move, I'm completely paralyzed, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!?!
Too much Acetylcohline (or presence of ACh (Acetylcholine) agonist)
I'm moving my body uncontrollably, AAAAAAHHHHHHH!
Receptor Site
The spot on the dendrite where the neurotransmitter "binds"
GABA
Neurotransmitter which primarily sends inhibitory signals (makes the receiving neuron less likely to send an action potential)
GABA
Main neurotransmitter involved with Alcohol
Hormones
The "chemical messengers" of the endocrine system
Epinepherine and Norepinepherine (Adrenaline and Noradrenaline)
Hormone released by the adrenal gland
Nerves
Bundles of connected axons are called:
Central Nervous System
System of nerves (bundled axons) which form the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System
System of nerves (bundled axons) which connect to the muscles, glands and sensory receptors
Somatic Nervous System
Part of the nervous system controlled conscious (inside of our control, e.g. moving our hands)
Autonomic Nervous System
Part of the peripheral nervous system which operates unconsciously (out of our control and awareness, e.g. our heartbeat or breathing)
Pituitary Gland
The "master" hormone secreting gland which controls all others
Adrenal Gland
The hormonal gland which secretes epinephrine (adrenaline)
EEG (Electroencephalogram)
Electrodes on head - scan of brain activity, NOT a picture - looks like seismograph
CT (Computed Tomography)
X-Ray of brain (big tube machine)
PET (Positron Emission Tomography)
Radioactive injection, measures radiation to get picture of brain - lights up in areas being used
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Huge magnet (in a big tube machine), alligns cells of brain, then dealligns them and measures disruption energy to get picture of brain
fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Several MRIs in succession, compares differences, and differences in pictures light up - shows brain activity
Brainstem
Top of spinal cord - handles reflexive actions
Medulla
Bottom of brainstem, controls heartbeat and breathing
Reticular Formation
Literally means "netlike" formation - inside of brainstem, contains bundles of axons headed to and from the brain
Thalamus
On top of brainstem, "routing area" where axons lead to their cell bodies in the brain
Pons
Middle swelled part of brain stem.
Cerebellum
"little brain" on the bottom of the back of the Cerebrum - controls movement and balance
Cerebrum
"big brain"
Amygdala
In the limbic system, controls aggression and fear
Hypothalamus
In the limbic system, the "reward center" - controls hunger, thirst, reward, sex, etc...
Hippocampus
In the limbic system, controls memory
Pituitary Gland
The "master gland" - controls production of all hormones
Endocrine System
System of glands which secrete hormones
Cerebral cortex
Outer part of the cerebrum - all of the pink "folds" in the brain
Glial cells
Support cells, hold up and protect neurons
Frontal lobe
Lobe on the front of the brain - controls complex thought and reasoning
Parietal lobe
Lobe on the top of the brain - controls sensation
Occipital lobe
Lobe on the back of the brain - controls sight
Temporal lobe
Lobe on the bottom of the brain - controls speech
Motor cortex
Band of tissue across the brain on the parietal lobe which contains all motor neurons
Sensory cortex
Band of tissue across the brain on the parietal lobe which contains all sensory neurons
Sensorimotor cortex
Collection of both sensory and motor cortexes
Association areas
The "rest" of the brain, not counting the sensorimotor cortex.
Broca's area
Section of the brain involved in the production of speech
Broca's aphasia
Problem with the section of the brain involved in the production of speech
Wernicke's area
Section of the brain involved in the interpretation of speech
Wernicke's aphasia
Problem with the section of the brain involved in the interpretation of speech
Corpus Callosum
Band of tissue which connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain
Plasticity
The brain's resilience - it's ability to re-associate cells after damage
Lesion
The surgical destruction, or cut, of brain tissue.
Identical twins
Genetically 100% similar - split from one egg
Fraternal twins
Two eggs, not 100% similar
Nature/Nurture
...
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