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ap psychology chapter 2 neuroscience and behavior vocab

Terms in this set (56)

biological psychology
a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior.
behavioral neuroscientist psychological psychologist
chapter 2 page #58
neuron
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
nerve cell tree ipod
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dendrite
the brushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
tree receive
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axon
the extensions of the neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
tree send
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myelin
a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next
cord insulate speed_up
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action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. the action potential is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon's membrane
energy pulse electricity
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threshold
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
all or nothing guns
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synapse
the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or cleft.
knee-cap kiss
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neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons. when released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether the neuron will generate a neural impulse
endorphins acetylchlorine
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acetylchlorine
a neurotransmitter that, among its functions, triggers muscle contraction
muscles contraction
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endorphins
"morphine within" -natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain and control and to pleasure
morphine pleasure
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nervous system
the body's speedy, electrochemical communication system, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system
information system nerves
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central nervous system
the brain and spinal cord
highway understanding
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peripheral nervous system
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
links connect
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nerves
neural "cables" containing many axons. these bundled axons, which are part of the peripheral nervous system, connect the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.
cables connect
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sensory neurons
neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system
send carry ingoing
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interneurons
central nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
communicate process
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motor neurons
neurons that carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands
outgoing carry instructions
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somatic nervous system
the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles
skeletal nervous system movement
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autonomic nervous system
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs.
automatic heartbeat pupil dilation
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sympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
stress responses freak-out
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parasympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
calm-down pupil contraction
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reflex
response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
automatic inborn simple response
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neural networks
interconnected neural cells. with experience, networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results
use it or lose it learning feedback
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lesion
tissue destruction
defective cells tumor
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electroencephalogram
an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.
recording brain activity
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computed tomography
a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body
examine brain damage
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position emission tomography
a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
find hot spots brain activity
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magnetic resonance imaging
a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain.
magnetic fields understanding the brain pictures of activity
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brainstem
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions
survival functions oldest part of brain
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medulla
the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
base breathing
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reticular formation
a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
filter junk gather important information arousal
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thalamus
the brain's sensory switchboard, located at the top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
hub trains
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cerebellum
attached to the rear of the brainstem; it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance
coordination balance
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limbic system
a doughnut- shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex, includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalmus
emotions motives
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amygdala
two almond shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion
aggression fear
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hypothalamus
a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion
eating body temperature master of the master gland
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cerebral cortex
the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center
control information-processing
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glial cells
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
neural nannies parts of the cell
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frontal lobes
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
planning decision
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parietal lobes
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the read; includes the sensory cortex
sensory cortex top of head
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occipital lobes
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes the visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field
vision back of head
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temporal lobes
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each of which receives auditory information primarily form the opposite ear
ears auditory
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motor cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
voluntary movement frontal lobes
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sensory cortex
the area at hthe front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations
parietal lobes senses
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association areas
areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
higher mental functions association
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aphasia
impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's or Wernicke's areas

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Broca's area
controls language expression- an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
speaking language
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Wernicke's area
control's language reception- a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe
understand language
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plasticity
the brain's capacity for modification, as evident in brain reorganization following damage and in experiment on the effects of experience on brain development
reorganize adapt
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corpus callosum
the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
bridge connecting
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split brain
a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers between them
half a brain splitting headache
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endocrine system
the body's slow chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
hormones chemical communication
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hormones
chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another
neurotransmitters stimuli
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adrenal glands
a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. the adrenals secrete the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, which help to arouse the body in times of stress
adrenaline rush hormones
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pituitary glands
the endocrine's system's most influential gland. under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
master gland hormones
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