Ap Psychology Myers 9E Chapter 2

Front 1

A branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behaviour.

Back 1

Biological Psychology

Front 2

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

Back 2

Neuron

Front 3

Neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

Back 3

Sensory Neurons

Front 4

Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.

Back 4

Motor Neurons

Front 5

Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.

Back 5

Interneurons

Front 6

The bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.

Back 6

Dendrite

Front 7

The extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibres, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

Back 7

Axon

Front 8

A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibres of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.

Back 8

Myelin Sheath

Front 9

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Back 9

Action Potential

Front 10

The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

Back 10

Threshold

Front 11

The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

Back 11

Synapse

Front 12

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.

Back 12

Neurotransmitters

Front 13

A neurotransmitter's re-absorption by the sending neuron.

Back 13

Reuptake

Front 14

"morphine within;" natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

Back 14

Endorphins

Front 15

The body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

Back 15

Nervous System

Front 16

The brain and spinal cord

Back 16

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Front 17

The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

Back 17

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Front 18

Bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.

Back 18

Nerves

Front 19

The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles; a.k.a the skeletal nervous system

Back 19

Somatic Nervous System

Front 20

The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs; its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms

Back 20

Autonomic Nervous System

Front 21

The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

Back 21

Sympathetic Nervous System

Front 22

The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

Back 22

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Front 23

A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

Back 23

Reflex

Front 24

The body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

Back 24

Endocrine System

Front 25

Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affects other tissues

Back 25

Hormones

Front 26

A pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress

Back 26

Adrenal Glands

Front 27

The endocrine system's most influential gland

Back 27

Pituitary Gland

Front 28

Tissue destruction

Back 28

Lesion

Front 29

An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by the electrodes placed on the scalp.

Back 29

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Front 30

A visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of the glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

Back 30

PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan

Front 31

A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue; show brain anatomy

Back 31

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Front 32

A technique for revealing blood-flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans; show brain function

Back 32

Function MRI (fMRI)

Front 33

The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skill; responsible for automatic survival functions

Back 33

Brainstem

Front 34

The base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Back 34

Medulla

Front 35

A nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

Back 35

Reticular Formation

Front 36

The brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

Back 36

Thalamus

Front 37

The "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement out-put and balance

Back 37

Cerebellum

Front 38

Neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

Back 38

Limbic System

Front 39

Two lima bean-sizes neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

Back 39

Amygdala

Front 40

Directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward; lies below the thalamus

Back 40

Hypothalamus

Front 41

The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing centre

Back 41

Cerebral Cortex

Front 42

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

Back 42

Glial Cells (Glia)

Front 43

Portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements

Back 43

Frontal Lobes

Front 44

Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position

Back 44

Parietal Lobes

Front 45

Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

Back 45

Occipital Lobes

Front 46

Portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear.

Back 46

Temporal Lobes

Front 47

An area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

Back 47

Motor Cortex

Front 48

Area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

Back 48

Sensory Cortex

Front 49

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.

Back 49

Association Areas

Front 50

The brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganising after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

Back 50

Plasticity

Front 51

The formation of new neurons

Back 51

Neurogenesis

Front 52

The large band of neural fibres connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

Back 52

Corpus Callosum

Front 53

A condition resulting from surgery that isolated the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibres (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

Back 53

Split Brain