Intro To Psych Ch. 4 Plotnik/kouyoumdjian

Front 1

Alcohol

Back 1

(ethyl alcohol) a psychoactive drug that is classified as a depressant, which means that it depresses activity of the central nervous system. Initially, alcohol seems like a stimulant because it reduces inhibitions, but later it depresses many physiological and psychological responses

Front 2

Afferent, or sensory, neurons

Back 2

carry information from the senses to the spinal cord

Front 3

Action Potential

Back 3

a tiny electric current that is generated when the positive sodium ions rush inside the axon. The enormous increase of sodium ions inside the axon causes the inside of the axon to reverse its charge. The inside becomes positive, while the outside becomes negative

Front 4

All-or-none law

Back 4

if an action potential starts at the beginning of an axon, the action potential will continue at the same speed, segment by segment, to the very end of the axon

Front 5

Alzheimer's Disease

Back 5

In 10% of the cases, Alzheimer’s disease begins after age 50, but in 90% of the cases, it begins after age 65. Its initial symptoms are problems with memory, such as forgetting and repeating things, getting lost, and being mildly confused. There are also cognitive deficits, such as problems with language, difficulties in recognizing objects, and inability to plan and organize tasks. Over a period of five to ten years, these symptoms worsen and result in profound memory loss, lack of recognition of family and friends, deterioration in personality, and emotional outbursts. There is widespread damage to the brain, especially the hippocampus, which is involved in memory. At present, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, which is always fatal (NIH, 2005).

Front 6

Axon

Back 6

a single threadlike structure that extends from, and carries signals away from, the cell body to neighboring neurons, organs, or muscles

Front 7

Axon Membrane

Back 7

has chemical gates that can open to allow electrically charged particles to enter or can close to keep out electrically charged particles

Front 8

Basal Ganglia

Back 8

a group of structures located in the center of the brain that are involved in regulating movements

Front 9

Central Nervous System

Back 9

made up of the brain and spinal cord. From the bottom of the brain emerges the spinal cord, which is made up of neurons and bundles of axons and dendrites that carry information back and forth between the brain and the body

Front 10

Cell Body

Back 10

(or soma) a relatively large, eggshaped structure that provides fuel, manufactures chemicals, and maintains the entire neuron in working order

Front 11

Cocaine

Back 11

comes from the leaves of the coca plant, has physiological and behavioral effects very similar to amphetamine. Like amphetamine, cocaine produces increased heart rate and blood pressure, enhanced mood, alertness, increased activity, decreased appetite, and diminished fatigue. With higher doses, cocaine can produce anxiety, emotional instability, and suspiciousness

Front 12

Curare

Back 12

a drug that enters the bloodstream, reaches the muscles, and blocks receptors on muscles. As a result, the neurotransmitter that normally activates muscles, which is called acetylcholine, is blocked, and muscles are paralyzed (M. R. Lee, 2005)

Front 13

Dendrites

Back 13

branchlike extensions that arise from the cell body; they receive signals from other neurons, muscles, or sense organs and pass these signals to the cell body

Front 14

Efferent,or motor,neurons

Back 14

carry information away from the spinal cord to produce responses in various muscles and organs throughout the body.

Front 15

End Bulbs or terminal Bulbs

Back 15

look like tiny bubbles that are located at the extreme ends of the axon’s branches. Each end bulb is like a miniature container that stores chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are used to communicate with neighboring cells

Front 16

Endorphins

Back 16

chemicals produced by the brain and secreted in response to injury or severe physical or psychological stress. The pain-reducing properties of endorphins are similar to those of morphine, a powerful painkilling drug.

Front 17

Genes

Back 17

chains of chemicals arranged like rungs on a twisting ladder. There are about 20,000–25,000 genes that contain chemical instructions equal to about 300,000 pages of typed instructions (IHGSC, 2004). The chemical instructions in the genes program the development of millions of individual parts into a complex body and brain

Front 18

Glial Cells

Back 18

have at least three functions: providing scaffolding to guide the growth of developing neurons and support mature neurons; wrapping around neurons to form a kind of insulation to prevent interference from other electrical signals; and releasing chemicals that influence a neuron’s growth and function (Fields & Stevens-Graham, 2002

Front 19

Interneuron

Back 19

a relatively short neuron whose primary task is making connections between other neurons

Front 20

Ions

Back 20

chemical particles that have electrical charges. Ions follow two rules: Opposite charges attract, and like charges repel

Front 21

Mescaline

Back 21

a drug that causes physiological arousal as well as visual hallucinations. Mescaline’s chemical keys are similar to those of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (nor-epee-NEFF-rin)

Front 22

Mind-Body question

Back 22

asks how complex mental activities, such as feeling, thinking, and learning, can be explained by the physical, chemical, and electrical activities of the brain

Front 23

Multiple Sclerosis

Back 23

disease that attacks the myelin sheaths that wrap around and insulate cells in the central nervous system

Front 24

Mylin Sheath

Back 24

separate tubelike segments composed of fatty material that wraps around and insulates an axon. The myelin sheath prevents interference from electrical signals generated in adjacent axons

Front 25

Nerve Impulse

Back 25

series of separate action potentials that take place segment by segment as they move down the length of an axon.

Front 26

Nerves

Back 26

string like bundles of axons and dendrites that come from the spinal cord and are held together by connective tissue. Nerves carry information from the senses, skin, muscles, and the body’s organs to and from the spinal cord. Nerves in the peripheral nervous system have the ability to regrow or reattach if severed or damaged

Front 27

Neuron

Back 27

a brain cell with two specialized extensions. One extension is for receiving electrical signals, and a second, longer extension is for transmitting electrical signals

Front 28

Neurotransmitters

Back 28

a dozen different chemicals that are made by neurons and then used for communication between neurons during the performance of mental or physical activities

Front 29

Parkinson's Disease

Back 29

includes symptoms of tremors and shakes in the limbs, a slowing of voluntary movements, muscle stiffness, problems with balance and coordination, and feelings of depression. As the disease progresses, patients develop a peculiar walk and may suddenly freeze in space for minutes or hours at a time

Front 30

Peripheral Nervous System

Back 30

all the nerves that extend from the spinal cord and carry messages to and from various muscles, glands, and sense organs located throughout the body

Front 31

Mescaline

Back 31

a drug that causes physiological arousal as well as visual hallucinations. Mescaline’s chemical keys are similar to those of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (nor-epee-NEFF-rin)

Front 32

Mind-Body question

Back 32

asks how complex mental activities, such as feeling, thinking, and learning, can be explained by the physical, chemical, and electrical activities of the brain

Front 33

Multiple Sclerosis

Back 33

disease that attacks the myelin sheaths that wrap around and insulate cells in the central nervous system

Front 34

Mylin Sheath

Back 34

separate tubelike segments composed of fatty material that wraps around and insulates an axon. The myelin sheath prevents interference from electrical signals generated in adjacent axons

Front 35

Nerve Impulse

Back 35

series of separate action potentials that take place segment by segment as they move down the length of an axon.

Front 36

Nerves

Back 36

string like bundles of axons and dendrites that come from the spinal cord and are held together by connective tissue. Nerves carry information from the senses, skin, muscles, and the body’s organs to and from the spinal cord. Nerves in the peripheral nervous system have the ability to regrow or reattach if severed or damaged

Front 37

Neuron

Back 37

a brain cell with two specialized extensions. One extension is for receiving electrical signals, and a second, longer extension is for transmitting electrical signals

Front 38

Neurotransmitters

Back 38

a dozen different chemicals that are made by neurons and then used for communication between neurons during the performance of mental or physical activities

Front 39

Parkinson's Disease

Back 39

includes symptoms of tremors and shakes in the limbs, a slowing of voluntary movements, muscle stiffness, problems with balance and coordination, and feelings of depression. As the disease progresses, patients develop a peculiar walk and may suddenly freeze in space for minutes or hours at a time

Front 40

Peripheral Nervous System

Back 40

all the nerves that extend from the spinal cord and carry messages to and from various muscles, glands, and sense organs located throughout the body

Front 41

Phantom Limb

Back 41

feeling sensations or movements coming from a limb that has been amputated. The sensations and movements are extremely vivid, as if the limb were still present

Front 42

Reflex

Back 42

an unlearned, involuntary reaction to some stimulus. The neural connections or network underlying a reflex is prewired by genetic instructions

Front 43

Resting State

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the axon has a charge, or potential; it resembles a battery. The charge, or potential, results from the axon membrane separating positive ions on the outside from negative ions on the inside.

Front 44

Reuptake

Back 44

a process through which some neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, are removed from the synapse by being transported back into the end bulbs

Front 45

Sodium Pump

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a transport process that picks up any sodium ions that enter the axon’s chemical gates and returns them back outside. Thus, the sodium pump is responsible for keeping the axon charged by returning and keeping sodium ions outside the axon membrane

Front 46

Stem Cells

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discovered until 1998, have the amazing capacity to change into and become any one of the 220 cells that make up a human body, including skin, heart, liver, bones, and neurons

Front 47

Stereotaxic Procedure

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fixing a patient’s head in a holder and drilling a small hole through the skull. The holder has a syringe that can be precisely guided to inject cells into a predetermined location in the brain

Front 48

Synapse

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an infinitely small space (20–30 billionths of a meter) that exists between an end bulb and its adjacent body organ (heart), muscles (head), or cell body

Front 49

Transmitter

Back 49

a chemical messenger that carries information between nerves and body organs, such as muscles and heart