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57 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
biological psychology
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a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior
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neuron
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a nerve cell
the basic building block of the nervous system |
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dendrite
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the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
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axon
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the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
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myelin sheath
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a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next
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action potential
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a neural impulse
a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon it is generated by the movement of positively charge atoms in and out of channels in the axon's membrane |
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threshold
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the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
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synapse
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the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
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neurotransmitters
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chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons
when released by the sending neuron, they travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron |
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acetylcholine
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a neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction
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endorphins
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"morphine within" -- natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure
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nervous system
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the body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
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central nervous system (CNS)
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the brain and spinal cord
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peripheral nervous system (PNS)
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the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body
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nerves
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neural "cables" containing many axons
these bundled axons, which are part of the PNS, connect to the CNS with muscles, glands, and sense organs |
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sensory organs
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neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system
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motor neurons
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neurons that carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands
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interneurons
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central nervous system neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
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somatic nervous system
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the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles
(skeletal nervous system) |
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autonomic nervous system
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the part of the PNS that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs
sympathetic division - arouses parasympathetic - calms |
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sympathetic nervous system
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the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
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parasympathetic nervous system
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the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
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reflex
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a simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
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neural networks
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interconnected neural cells
with experience, networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results |
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endocrine system
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the body's "slow" chemical communication system
a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream |
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hormones
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chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another
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adrenal glands
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a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys
they secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress |
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pituitary gland
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the endocrine system's most influential gland
under the influence of the hypothalamus, this gland regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands |
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lesion
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tissue destruction
is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue |
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electroencephalogram (EEG)
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an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface
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PET (positron emission tomography) scan
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a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
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MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
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a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue
allows us to see structures of the brain |
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fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)
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a technique for revealing blood flow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans
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MRI show....
fMRI show... |
brain anatomy
brain function |
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brainstem
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the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull
responsible for automatic survival functions |
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medulla
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the base of the brainstem
controls heartbeat and breathing |
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reticular formation
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a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
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thalamus
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the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem
it directs messages in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla |
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cerebellum
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the "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem
its functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance |
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limbic system
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a doughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres
associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex |
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amygdala
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two lima bean-sized neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion
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hypothalamus
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a neural structure below the thalamus
it directs several maintenance activities helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion |
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cerebral cortex
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the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres
the body's ultimate control and information-processing center |
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glial cells (glia)
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cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons (glue cells)
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frontal lobes
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the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead
involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments |
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parietal lobes
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the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear
receives sensory input for touch and body position |
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occipital lobes
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the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head
includes the visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field |
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temporal lobes
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the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears
includes the auditory areas, each of which receives auditory information primarily from the opposite ear |
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motor cortex
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an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
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sensory cortex
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the area at teh front of the parietal lobes that processes body touch and movement sensations
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association areas
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areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions
they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking |
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aphasia
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impairment of language, usually cause by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area or to Wernicke's area
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Broca's area
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controls language reception
an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech |
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Wernicke's area
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controls language reception
a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression (usually in the left temporal lobe) |
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plasticity
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the brain's capacity for modification, as evident in brain reorganization following damage and in experiments on the effects of experience on brain development
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corpus callosum
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the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
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split brain
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a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers between them
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