Psychology 1010: Chapter 2

Front 1

Nervous System

Back 1

The nervous system consists of billions of cells both in the brain and the body. This network of cells is responsible for what we feel, think and do.

Front 2

The Three Basic Functions of the Nervous System:

Back 2

1. Receive sensory input from the world through vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell.

2. Process the information in the brain by paying attention to it, perceiving it and remembering it.

3. Respond to the information by acting on it.

Front 3

Central nervous system

Back 3

The part of the nervous system that contains a large number of nerve cells. The system consists of the brain and the spinal cord.

Front 4

Peripheral nervous system

Back 4

The part of the nervous system that contains the nerve cells in the soft organs of the body. It allows the nerves to connect to the central nervous system with the organs, muscles, and organs.

Somatic Nervous system

Autonomic nervous system

Sympathetic nervous system

Para-sympathetic nervous system

Front 5

Neurons

Back 5

The neuron is the basic working unit of the brain, a specialized cell designed to transmit information to other nerve cells, muscle, or gland cells. Neurons are cells within the nervous system that transmit information to other nerve cells, muscle, or gland cells. Most neurons have a cell body, an axon, and dendrites.

Front 6

Epinephrine

Back 6

Biochemistry. a hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla upon stimulation by the central nervous system in response to stress, as anger or fear, and acting to increase heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output, and carbohydrate metabolism.

Front 7

Dendrites

Back 7

There purpose is to detect signals from neighboring neurons. Appearance: short, branch like extensions

Front 8

Cell Body

Back 8

The information from other neurons is joined together.

Front 9

Axon

Back 9

Transmits information to other neurons.

Front 10

Synapse

Back 10

The synapse allows a neuron to pass a chemical or electrical signal to a fellow neuron.

Front 11

Membrane

Back 11

A thin structure that covers a neuron.

Front 12

Ions

Back 12

An atom that has an electric charge because of the loss/gain of an electron or multiple electrons.

Front 13

Resting state

Back 13

Is when the electrical charge inside of the neuron is more negative than the electrical charge of the outside of the neuron.

Front 14

Action potential

Back 14

Occurs when a neuron is firing. The membrane will open a bit so that positively charged ions can come into the cell and that negatively charged ones out of the cell. This results in the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse.

Front 15

Sodium-potassium pump

Back 15

It aids the neuron in returning to its resting place.

Front 16

Neurons communicate with each other in three phases:

Back 16

1. During the transmission phase- Neurons pass signals from neighboring neurons.

2. During the reception phase- Neurons receive signals from neighboring neurons.

3. During integration- Neurons asses the incoming signals.

Front 17

Myelin sheath

Back 17

The myelin sheath allows the action potential to travel at a very fast rate along the axon due to its fatty layer that lines the axon.

Front 18

Three steps of neural communication:

Back 18

1. Transmission

2. Reception

3. Integration

*a neuron fires or it does not (no “little” bit)

Front 19

Presynaptic neuron

Back 19

Is responsible for dispatching the chemicals released by action potentials to the receiving neuron’s dendrites.

Front 20

Postsynaptic neuron

Back 20

Is responsible for receiving the chemicals released by action potentials.

Front 21

Neurotransmitters

Back 21

A neurotransmitter is responsible for carrying signals between neurons and other cells.

Front 22

Receptors

Back 22

A particular molecule that responds to certain types of neurotransmitters. (like a lock that can only be opened by a specific key- pg. 45)

Front 23

Reuptake

Back 23

The process in which a neurotransmitter is absorbed by a presynaptic neuron.

Front 24

Enzyme degradation

Back 24

Prevents a neurotransmitter from functioning.

Front 25

Acetylcholine

Back 25

A specific type of neurotransmitter that is responsible for motor control. It also affects attention, learning, sleeping and memory.

Front 26

Epinephrine

Back 26

Also known as adrenaline, epinephrine are neurotransmitters that attach to receptors throughout the body. It is responsible for the “fight-or-flight” responses that we have.

Front 27

Norepinephrine

Back 27

Is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for our differing states of arousal and alertness. (SUPER important in noticing what is going on around us.)

Front 28

Serotonin

Back 28

A neurotransmitter that is responsible for balancing out moods. (drug ex. Prozac)

Front 29

Dopamine

Back 29

A neurotransmitter that is responsible for motivation and reward and also in helping to regulate movement and emotions. (Pg. 48 severe loss of dopamine is linked to Parkinson’s disease)

Front 30

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid):

Back 30

A neurotransmitter that is widely spread throughout the brain and is a main inhibitory.

Front 31

Glutamate

Back 31

An excitatory neurotransmitter that strengthens the synaptic connections which result in increased learning and memory. (the MAIN excitatory neurotransmitter)

Front 32

Endorphins

Back 32

A neurotransmitter that aids in heightening our pain threshold and is also involved in reward.

Front 33

Phrenology:

Back 33

Phrenology was the practice of assessing personality traits and mental abilities by measuring bumps on the human skull.

Front 34

Franz Gall

Back 34

was a neuroanatomist, physiologist, and pioneer in the study of the localization of mental functions in the brain. Claimed as the founder of phrenology, Gall was an early and important researcher in his fields.

Front 35

Paul Broca

Back 35

research on Broca's area, a region of the frontal lobe that has been named after him.

Front 36

Broca’s area:

Back 36

Broca's area or the Broca area /broʊˈkɑː/ or /ˈbroʊkə/ is a region in the frontal lobe of the dominant hemisphere (usually the left) of the hominid brain with functions linked to speech production. Language processing has been linked to Broca's area since Pierre Paul Broca reported impairments in two patients.

Front 37

Electroencephalograph (EEG):

Back 37

A device that measures and records the electric activity of the brain.

Front 38

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI):

Back 38

The brain imaging method that is mostly commonly used by psychologists today which measures the blood’s oxygen level.

Front 39

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS):

Back 39

A method used by many psychologists to determine if a brain region is important for a task or if it is not important. It entails using a powerful magnetic field to temporarily disrupt activity in the region of the brain they are studying.

Front 40

Hindbrain:

Back 40

The part of our brain that is responsible for such things as survival, functions and movement.

Front 41

Midbrain:

Back 41

a small central part of the brainstem, developing from the middle of the primitive or embryonic brain.

- The part of our brain that is responsible for movement.

Front 42

Forebrain:

Back 42

the anterior part of the brain, including the cerebral hemispheres, the thalamus, and the hypothalamus.

- The part of our brain that is responsible for motivation, emotion and complex thought.

Front 43

Spinal cord:

Back 43

Responsible for brain to body communication.

Front 44

Medulla:

Back 44

Responsible for the basic functions of our survival. Ex. heart rate, breathing, swallowing, going to the bathroom and orgasm.

Front 45

Pons:

Back 45

Involved in sleep, arousal, left-right body movement and coordination.

Front 46

Cerebellum:

Back 46

Involved in motor learning, cordination and balance. It is an extension of the hindbrain and is positioned behind the medulla and pons. (Latin word for “little brain)

Front 47

Substantia nigra:

Back 47

Involved in the initiation of movements.

Front 48

What are the two main areas of the forebrain?

Back 48

1. Cerebral Cortex

2. Five subcortical structures

Front 49

Limbic:

Back 49

The border between the parts of our brains that have developed recently and the ones that have developed awhile ago.

Front 50

Thalamus:

Back 50

Involved in all sensory information besides smell.

Front 51

Hypothalamus:

Back 51

Involved in the regulation of body functions and motivations.

Front 52

Hippocampus:

Back 52

Involved in the formation of new memories. (greek word for “sea horse”)

Front 53

Amygdala:

Back 53

Involved in our association of emotions to our experiences.

Front 54

Basal Ganglia:

Back 54

Involved in motor planning, movement and reward.

Front 55

Cerebral Cortex:

Back 55

Is the outer layer of the forebrain and the center of all of our thoughts, perceptions and complex behaviors. It is divided up into two parts- the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere.

Front 56

Corpus callosum:

Back 56

A structure full of axons that connects the right and left hemisphere and let's information flow from one to the other.

Front 57

Split-brain:

Back 57

Refers to the brain’s of people whose brains had been separated when they were treated for epilepsy.

Front 58

Occipital lobes:

Back 58

These lobes are positioned at the back portion of the brain and our responsible for vision. Largest area: Primary visual cortex.

Front 59

Parietal lobes:

Back 59

These lobes are responsible mainly for touch. They are divided between the left and right hemispheres. The information these hemispheres receive are reversed.

Front 60

Wilder Penfield

Back 60

-Pioneering neurological researcher

-Created the mappings “somatosensory homunculus

-He created these by examining patients who were undergoing surgery for epilepsy

Front 61

Temporal lobes:

Back 61

Include the hippocampus, amygdala and the primary auditory cortex.

Front 62

Frontal lobes:

Back 62

Involved in planning and movement. The back region is the primary motor cortex.

Front 63

Prefrontal Cortex:

Back 63

Includes the rest of the frontal cortex and takes up about 30% of the brain. It is responsible for empathy, attention and social awareness.

Front 64

Somatic nervous system:

Back 64

A part of the central nervous system that is responsible for transmitting signals to nerves.

Front 65

Autonomic nervous system:

Back 65

It governs all of the automatic workings of the body, such as breathing, heart rate and digestion.

Front 66

What are the Two divisions of the Autonomic nervous system?

Back 66

Sympathetic: Prepares the body to take action.

- Parasympathetic: Returns the body to a state of rest.

Front 67

Hans Selye

Back 67

Research demonstrated that chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system is associated with heart disease and asthma.

Front 68

Endocrine system:

Back 68

It is a network that shares information and Influence thoughts and actions by the use of hormones.

Front 69

Hormones:

Back 69

They are released into the bloodstream by the endocrine glands. They are a chemical substance that travel to tissues.

Front 70

Pineal gland-

Back 70

Bodily rhythms

Front 71

Pituitary gland

Back 71

Release of hormones

Front 72

Thyroid

Back 72

how the body burns energy

Front 73

Adrenal gland

Back 73

Immune system

Front 74

Testes

Back 74

Sexual influence over the development and behavior of males

Front 75

Ovaries

Back 75

Sexual influence over the development and behavior of females

Front 76

Androgens (testosterone):

Back 76

Male sex hormone.

Front 77

Estrogens (estradiol):

Back 77

Female sex hormone.

Front 78

Gonadal hormones:

Back 78

Responsible for secondary sex characteristics.

Front 79

Nancy Wexler

Back 79

Daughter of Lenore Wexler who suffered from “Huntington’s”

Dedicated her life to finding a cure

Thanks to her and her colleagues people can now take a genetics test to find out if they carry the gene

Front 80

Genotype:

Back 80

The genetics of a person.

Front 81

Phenotype:

Back 81

The result of the interaction between the genotype and the environment.

Front 82

Behavioral genetics:

Back 82

Psychologists study how genes and the environment interact with each other to influence the psychological factors in a person.

Front 83

Monozygotic twins:

Back 83

Identical twins that result from one zygote (fertilized egg) and are divided into two.

Front 84

Dizygotic twins:

Back 84

Twins who were in the mother’s womb at the same time but who were in separate fertilized eggs. Other names: Fraternal twins, non-identical twins

Front 85

Plasticity:

Back 85

What allows our brains to change through different experiences.