Chapter 3 Part 2 Psyc 100A

Front 1

forebrain

Back 1

The outer portion of the brain, including the cerebral cortex and the structures of the limbic system

Front 2

frontal lobes

Back 2

One of four anatomical regions of each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex, located on the top front of the brain; contain the motor cortex and are involved in initiating higher-level thought processes

Front 3

gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA)

Back 3

A neurotransmitter that may play a role in the regulation of anxiety; it generally produces inhibitory effects

Front 4

genes

Back 4

Segments of chromosomes that contain chemically coded instructions for creating particular hereditary characteristics

Front 5

genotype

Back 5

The genetic information inherited from parents

Front 6

glial cells

Back 6

Cells in the nervous system that are not neurons and hence do not transmit or receive information but perform a variety of functions, such as removing waste, filling empty space, and helping neurons to communicate efficiently

Front 7

hindbrain

Back 7

A primitive part of the brain that sits at the juncture where the brain and spinal cord merge; structures in the hindbrain, including the medulla, pons, and reticular formation, control the basic life-support systems of the body

Front 8

hormones

Back 8

Chemicals released into the blood by the various endocrine glands to help control a variety of internal regulatory functions

Front 9

hypothalamus

Back 9

A forebrain structure thought to play a role in the regulation of various motivational activities, including eating, drinking, and sexual behaviour

Front 10

interneurons

Back 10

Neurons that make no direct contact with the external world but rather convey information from one neuron to another

Front 11

lateralization

Back 11

Asymmetry in the functions of the right and left hemispheres of the cerebral cortex (e.g., in most individuals, most language skills are lateralized to the left hemisphere)

Front 12

limbic system

Back 12

A system of structures thought to be involved in motivational and emotional behaviours (the amygdala) and memory (the hippocampus)

Front 13

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Back 13

A device that uses magnetic fields and radio-wave pulses to construct detailed, three-dimensional images of the brain

Front 14

midbrain

Back 14

The middle portion of the brain, containing such structures as the tectum, superior colliculus, and inferior colliculus; midbrain structures serve as neural relay stations and may help coordinate reactions to sensory events

Front 15

motor neurons

Back 15

Neurons that carry information away from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands that directly produce behavioural responses

Front 16

mutation

Back 16

Error in the process by which chromosomes are copied that changes the genotype specified by those chromosomes

Front 17

myelin sheath

Back 17

An insulating material that protects the axons of some neurons and helps to speed up neural transmission

Front 18

natural selection

Back 18

The differential production and survival of offspring by species members with advantageous traits

Front 19

nerves

Back 19

Bundles of axons that make up neural “transmission cables”

Front 20

neural plasticity

Back 20

Ability of neurons to alter synaptic connections during learning and during recovery from brain injury

Front 21

thalamus

Back 21

A relay station in the forebrain thought to be an important gathering point for input from the senses

Front 22

trait

Back 22

A distinguishable characteristic of an organism