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Psychology 101- the nervous system

Terms in this set (27)

Biological perspective
Concerned with the links between biology and behavior. Includes psychologist working in neuroscience, behavior genetics, and evolutionary psychology. These researchers may call themselves behavioral neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, physiological psychologists, or Biopsychologist
Neuron
A nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system
Dendrites
A neuron bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
Axon
A neuron's extension that passes messages there with branches to other neurons or two muscles or glands
Myelin sheath
A fatty tissue layer segmental he encasing the axons of some neurons, enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hops from one node to the next
Action potential
A neural impulse, a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
Threshold
A level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
Synapse
A 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 synaptic cleft
Neurotransmitters
Chemical messages that cross the synaptic gap between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptors sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse
Reuptake
A neurotransmitters resorption by the sending neuron
Endorphins
Morphine within-Natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure
Nervous system
A bodies speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system
Central nervous system
The brain and the spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system
The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
Nerves
Bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, the sense organs
Sensory neurons
Neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
Motor neurons
Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
Interneurons
Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
Somatic nervous system
The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system
Autonomic nervous system
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands in the muscles of the internal organs such as the heart. It's sympathetic division arouses, it's. Parasympathetic division calms
Sympathetic nervous system
The division of the automatic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
Parasympathetic nervous system
The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving it's energy
Reflex
A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
Endocrine system
The bodies slow chemical connection system, a set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood stream
Hormones
Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues
Adrenal gland
A pair of endocrine glands that's it just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress, these hormones can be epinephrine and norepinephrine
Pituitary gland
The endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
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