Psych Chapter 2

Front 1

brain plasticity

Back 1

Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is an umbrella term that encompasses both synaptic plasticity and non-synaptic plasticity—it refers to changes in neural pathways and synapses which are due to changes in behavior, environment and neural processes, as well as changes resulting from bodily injury.

Front 2

biological perspective

Back 2

The biological perspective is a way of looking at psychological topics by studying the physical basis for animal and human behavior. It is one of the major perspectives in psychology, and involves such things as studying the immune system, nervous system and genetics.

Front 3

neurons

Back 3

Neurons are continually firing and the ions are pumped out and then are reused.

Front 4

how neurons communicate

Back 4

* A neural impulse. A brief electrical charge that ravels down an axon and is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon's membrane.
* Neurons are continually firing and the ions are pumped out and then are reused.

Front 5

brainstem

Back 5

* The Medulla is the base of the brainstem that controls heartbeat and breathing. (involuntary or semi voluntary activity)
* Oldest part of the brain evolutionarily speaking
* The Thalamus is the brain's sensory switchboard, located on the top of the brainstem. It directs messages to the sensory areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
* The Reticular Formation is a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal. Contributes to alertness.

Front 6

thalamus

Back 6

The Thalamus is the brain's sensory switchboard, located on the top of the brainstem. It directs messages to the sensory areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

Front 7

cerebellum

Back 7

The Cerebellum: the "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem. It helps coordinate voluntary movements and balance.

Front 8

limbic system

Back 8

* The Amygdala consists of two lima bean-sized neural clusters linked to the emotions of fear and anger.
* The Hypothalamus (below the thalamus) directs several maintenance activities like eating, drinking, body temperature, and control of emotions. It helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.

Front 9

hypothalamus

Back 9

The Hypothalamus (below the thalamus) directs several maintenance activities like eating, drinking, body temperature, and control of emotions. It helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.

Front 10

the cerebral cortex

Back 10

the outer layer of the cerebrum (the cerebral cortex ), composed of folded gray matter and playing an important role in consciousness.

Front 11

phrenology

Back 11

feeling someone's skull to see what their personality is like. debunked.

Front 12

neuron composition

Back 12

dendrite, cell body, axon, terminal branches, myelin sheath, synapse

Front 13

synapse

Back 13

the small gap between a terminal branch and a dendrite on two different neurons

Front 14

neurotransmitters

Back 14

enough signals connect in the cell body and eventually it hits a threshold where the cell depolarizes and creates an action potential that travels into the axon. this impulse allows neurotransmitters to relay a message.

Front 15

myelin

Back 15

increases speed of impulse

Front 16

the peripheral nervous system

Back 16

all the outward branching nervous systems throughout the body connects to the central nervous system.

your brain has the most sensory neurons so it takes up the most brain tissue.

Front 17

thalamus

Back 17

switchboard, takes sensory info and sends it to other parts of the brain.

Front 18

cerebellum

Back 18

motor coordination, back of brain.

Front 19

limbic system

Back 19

hypothalamus: hunger, thirst, sexual desire, falling asleep.

amygdala: fear and aggression.

pituitary: master gland, controls endocrine system.

Front 20

frontal lobe

Back 20

judgement, motor cortex, touching sensory

Front 21

parietal lobe

Back 21

sensory cortex at very front, touching motor cortex (touch is the most important sensory cortex analyzes)

Front 22

temporal lobe

Back 22

hearing/language

Front 23

occipital lobe

Back 23

sight

Front 24

corpus collosum

Back 24

connects two hemispheres of the brain

Front 25

right/left brained

Back 25

no one is right or left brained. left handedness is using your right brain.

Front 26

acetylcholine

Back 26

enables muscle action, learning, and memory. with alzheimers, ach producing neurons deteriorate.

Front 27

dopamine

Back 27

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion. oversupply is linked to schizophrenia.

Front 28

seratonin

Back 28

affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal. undersupply linked to depression. some antidepressant drugs raise seratonin level.

Front 29

norepinephrine

Back 29

helps control alertness and arousal. undersupply can depress mood.

Front 30

GABA (gamma-aminobuytyric acid)

Back 30

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter. undersupply linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia.

Front 31

glutamate

Back 31

a major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory. oversupply can overstimulate the brain, producing migraines or seizures. (why some people avoid MSG in food)