Chapter 3: Biological Psychology

Front 1

neuron

Back 1

nerve cell specialized for communication

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dendrite

Back 2

portion of neuron that receives signals

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axon

Back 3

portion of neuron that sends signals

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synaptic vesicle

Back 4

spherical sac containing neurotransmitters

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neurotransmitter

Back 5

chemical messenger specialized for communication from neuron to neuron

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synapse

Back 6

space between two connecting neurons through which messages are transmitted

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synaptic cleft

Back 7

a gap into which neurotransmitters are released from the axon terminal

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glial cell

Back 8

cell in nervous system that plays a role in the formation of myelin and the bolod-brain barrier, responds to injury, removes debris, and enhances learning and memory

Front 9

myelin sheath

Back 9

glial cells wrapped around axons that act as insulators of the neuron's signal

Front 10

resting potential

Back 10

electrical charge difference (-60 millivolts) across the neuronal membrane, when the neuron is not being simulated or inhibited

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threshold

Back 11

membrane potential necessary to trigger an action potential

Front 12

action potential

Back 12

electrical impulse that travels down the axon triggering that release of neurotransmitters

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absolute refractory period

Back 13

time during which another action potential is impossible; limits maximal firing rate

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receptor site

Back 14

location that uniquely recognizes a neurotransmitter

Front 15

reuptake

Back 15

means of recycling neurotransmitters

Front 16

endorphin

Back 16

chemical in the brain that plays a specialized role in pain reduction

Front 17

plasticity

Back 17

ability of the nervous system to change

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stem cell

Back 18

a cell, often originating in embryos, having the capacity to differentiate into a more specialized cell

Front 19

neurogenesis

Back 19

creation of new neurons in the adult brain

Front 20

central nervous system (CNS)

Back 20

part of nervous system containing brain and spinal cord that controls the mind and behavior

Front 21

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Back 21

nerves in the body that extend outside the central nervous system (CNS)

Front 22

cerebral ventricles

Back 22

pockets in the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid (CFS), which provide the brain with nutrients and cushion against injury

Front 23

forebrain (cerebrum)

Back 23

forward part of the brain that allows advanced intellectual abilities

Front 24

cerebral hemispheres

Back 24

two halves of the cerebral cortex, each of which serve distinct yet highly integrated functions

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corpus callosum

Back 25

large band of fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres

Front 26

cerebral cortex

Back 26

outermost part of forebrain, responsible for analyzing sensory processing and higher brain functions

Front 27

frontal lobe

Back 27

forward part of cerebral cortex responsible for motor function, language, memory, and planning

Front 28

motor cortex

Back 28

part of frontal love responsible for body movement

Front 29

prefrontal cortex

Back 29

part of frontal love responsible for thinking, planning, and language

Front 30

Broca's area

Back 30

language area in the prefrontal cortex that helps to control speech production

Front 31

parietal lobe

Back 31

upper middle part of the cerebral cortex lying behind the frontal love that is specialized for touch and perception

Front 32

temporal lobe

Back 32

lower part of cerebral cortex that plays roles in hearing, understanding, language, and memory

Front 33

Wernicke's area

Back 33

part of the temporal lobe involved in understanding speech

Front 34

occipital lobe

Back 34

back part of cerebral cortex specialized for vision

Front 35

primary sensory cortex

Back 35

regions of the cerebral cortex that initially process information from the senses

Front 36

association cortex

Back 36

regions of the cerebral cortex that integrate simpler functions to perform more complex functions

Front 37

basal ganglia

Back 37

structures in the forebrain that help to control movement

Front 38

limbic system

Back 38

emotional center of brain that also plays roles in smell, motivation, and memory

Front 39

thalamus

Back 39

gateway from the sense organs to the primary sensory cortex

Front 40

hypothalamus

Back 40

part of the brain responsible for maintaing a constant internal state

Front 41

amygdala

Back 41

part of limbic system that plays key roles in fear, excitement, and arousal

Front 42

hippocampus

Back 42

part of the brain that plays a role in spatial memory

Front 43

midbrain

Back 43

contributes to movement, tracking of visual stimuli and reflexes triggered by sound

Front 44

brain stem

Back 44

between the spinal cord and cerebral cortex that contains the midbrain, pons and medulla

Front 45

reticular activating system (RAS)

Back 45

brain area that plays a key role in arousal

Front 46

hindbrain

Back 46

region below the midbrain that contains the cerebellum, pons, and medulla

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cerebellum

Back 47

brain structure responsible for our sense of balance

Front 48

pons

Back 48

connects the cortex with the cerebellum

Front 49

medulla

Back 49

involved in basic functions, such as heartbeat and breathing

Front 50

spinal cord

Back 50

thick bundle of nerves that conveys signals between the brain and the body

Front 51

interneuron

Back 51

neuron that sends messages to other neurons nearby

Front 52

reflex

Back 52

an automatic motor response to a sensory stimulus

Front 53

somatic nervous system

Back 53

conveys information between the CNS and the body, controlling and coordinating voluntary movement

Front 54

autonomic nervous system

Back 54

controls the involuntary actions of our internal organs and glands, which (along with limbic system) participates in emotion regulation

Front 55

sympathetic nervous system

Back 55

engages during a crisis or after actions requiring fight or flight

Front 56

parasympathetic nervous system

Back 56

controls rest and digestion

Front 57

endocrine system

Back 57

system of glands and hormones that controls secretion of blood-borne chemical messengers

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hormone

Back 58

chemical released into the bloodstream that influences particular organs and glands

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pituitary gland

Back 59

master gland that, under the control of hypothalamus, directs the other glands of the body

Front 60

adrenal gland

Back 60

tissue located on top of the kidneys that releases adrenaline and cortisol during states of emotional arousal

Front 61

electroencephalograph (EEG)

Back 61

recording of brain's electrical activity at the surface of the skull

Front 62

computed tomography (CT)

Back 62

a scanning technique using multiple X-rays to construct three-dimensional images

Front 63

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Back 63

technique that uses magnetic fields to indirectly visualize brain structure

Front 64

positron emission tomography (PET)

Back 64

imaging technique that measures consumption of glucose-like molecules, yielding a picture of neural activity in different regions of the brain

Front 65

functional MRI (fMRI)

Back 65

technique that uses magnetic fields to visualize brain activity using the BOLD response

Front 66

transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Back 66

applies strong and quickly changing magnetic fields to the surface of the skull that can either enhance or interrupt brain function

Front 67

magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Back 67

measures brain activity by detecting tiny magnetic fields generated by the brain

Front 68

lateralization

Back 68

cognitive function that relies more on one side of the brain than the other

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split-brain surgery

Back 69

procedure that involves severing the corpus callosum to reduce the spread of epileptic seizures

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chromosome

Back 70

slender thread inside a cell's nucleus that carries genes

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gene

Back 71

genetic material, composed of DNA

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genotype

Back 72

our genetic makeup

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phenotype

Back 73

gene that masks other genes' effects

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recessive gene

Back 74

gene that is expressed only in the absence of a dominant gene

Front 75

fitness

Back 75

organisms' capacity to pass on their genes

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heritability

Back 76

percentage of the variability in a trait across individuals that is due to genes

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family study

Back 77

analysis of how characteristics run in intact families

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twin study

Back 78

analysis of how traits differ in identical versus fraternal twins

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adoption study

Back 79

analysis of how traits vary in individuals raised apart from their biological relatives