Psych 101 Chapter 2 (Biology Of Mind And Consciousness)

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Biological Psychology

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branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior

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neuron

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nerve cell; basic building block of the nervous system

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dendrites

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neuron extensions that receive messages and conduct them toward the body cell

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axon

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neuron extension that sends messages to other neuron cells

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action potential

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a nerve impulse

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glial cells

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cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons ; they may also play a role in learning, thinking and memory

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synapse

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

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threshold

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level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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all-or-none response

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a neurons reaction of either firing or not firing

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neurotransmitters

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neuron-produced chemicals that cross the synapses to carry messages to other neurons or cells

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opiate

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chemical, such as opium, morphine, or heroin, that depresses neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

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endorphins

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

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nervous system

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body's speedy, electro-chemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems

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central nervous system

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the brain and spinal cord

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nerves

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

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sensory neuron

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neuron that carries incoming information from the sensory receptors to the central nervous system

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motor neuron

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neuron that carries outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands

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internueron

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neurons within the brain and spinal cord; communicate internally and process information between sensory inputs and motor outputs

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somatic nervous system

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peripheral nervous system division controlling the body's skeletal muscles

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autonomic nervous system

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peripheral nervous system division controlling the glands and the muscles of the internal organs

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sympathetic nervous system

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autonomic nervous system subdivision that calms the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

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parasympathetic nervous system

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autonomic nervous system subdivision that calms the body, conserving its energy

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reflex

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

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endocrine system

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body's "slow" chemical communication system ; a set of glands that secrete hormones that help arouse? the body in times of stress

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hormones

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chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

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adrenal glands

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pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress

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pituitary gland

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most influential endocrine gland. under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls the other endocrine glands

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brainstem

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oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull ; responsible for autonomic survival

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medulla

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base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

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thalamus

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area at the top of the brainstem ; directs sensory messages to the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

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reticular formation

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nerve network running through the brainstem and thalamus ; plays an import role in controlling arousal

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cerebellum

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the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance

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limbic system

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neural system located below the cerebal hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

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amygdala

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two lima-bean sized neural clusters in the limbic system ; linked to emotions

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hypothalamus

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a neural structure lying below the thalamus ; directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

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cerebral cortex

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thin layer of interconnected neurons covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information- processing center

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frontal lobes

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

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parietal lobe

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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 lobe

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

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temporal lobe

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portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes areas that receive info from the ears

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motor cortex

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cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes; controls voluntarily movement

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somatosensory cortex

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cerebal cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes; registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

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hallucination

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false sensory experience, such as hearing something in the absence of an external auditory stimulus

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association areas

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cerebral cortex areas involved in higher mental functions, such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

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plasticity

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brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways base on experience

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neurogenesis

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formation of new neurons

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corpus callosum

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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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condition in which the brain's two hemispheres are isolated by cutting the fibers

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consciousness

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our awareness of ourselves and our environment

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selective attention

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focusing conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

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inattentional blindness

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failure to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

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change blindness

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failure to notice changes in the environment

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cicardian rhythm

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internal biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24 hour cycle

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REM (rapid eye movement) sleep

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recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur

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alpha waves

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relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

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sleep

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periodic, natural loss of consciousness as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma , general anesthesia, or hibernation

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delta waves

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the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep

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insomnia

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recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

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narcolepsy

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sleep disorder in which a person has uncontrollable sleep attacks

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sleep apnea

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sleep disorder in which a sleeping person repeatedly stops breathing until blood oxygen is so low it awakens a person just long enough to draw a breath

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dream

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sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person's mind

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manifest content

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according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream

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latent content

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according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream

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REM rebound

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the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation