Psychology Ch. 2

Front 1

nervous system

Back 1

billions of cells responsible for how we think, feel and do

Front 2

central nervous system

Back 2

consists of brain and spinal cord

Front 3

peripheral nervous system

Back 3

enables nerves to connect to central nervous system through muscles, organs and glands

Front 4

neurons

Back 4

cells that receive, integrate and transmit information in NS. operate through electrical impulses. communicate through chemical signals, form neural networks

Front 5

dendrite

Back 5

branchlike extension of neuron. detect information from other neurons

Front 6

cell body

Back 6

part of neuron where information from other neurons is collected and integrated

Front 7

axon

Back 7

long, narrow outgrowth that enables the neuron to transmit information to other neurons

Front 8

synapse

Back 8

site where communication occurs between the neurons through neurotransmitters

Front 9

action potential

Back 9

neural impulse that travels along axon, causes release of neurotransmitters into synapse

Front 10

neurotransmitters

Back 10

chemical substances that carry signals from one neuron to another

Front 11

brocas area

Back 11

small portion of the left frontal region of the brain. Produces speech

Front 12

cerebellum

Back 12

hindbrain structure at the back of the brain stem. Coordinates movement and balance

Front 13

thalamus

Back 13

subcortical forebrain structure. Gets all incoming sensory information before it reaches the cortex

Front 14

hypothalamus

Back 14

subcortical forebrain structure involved in regulating bodily functions.

Influences basic motivated behaviors

Front 15

hippocampus

Back 15

subcortical forebrain structure that is associated with

the formation of memories

Front 16

amygdala

Back 16

subcortical forebrain structure that serves a vital role in

learning to associate things with emotional responses/processing emotional information

Front 17

occipital lobes

Back 17

regions of the cerebral cortex (back of brain)

important for vision

Front 18

parietal lobe

Back 18

region of the cerebral cortex in front of occipital lobe/behind frontal lobes

Sense of touch/picturing layout of spaces

Front 19

temporal lobes

Back 19

regions of cerebral cortex below the parietal lobes/in front of occipital lobe

processing auditory information/perceiving objects and faces

Front 20

frontal lobes

Back 20

regions of cerebral cortex at the front of the brain

important for movement, complex processes (rational thought, attention, social processes)

Front 21

somatic nervous system

Back 21

peripheral nervous system

transmits sensory/motor signals between CNS and skin, muscles and joints

Front 22

autonomic nervous system

Back 22

peripheral nervous system

transmits sensory/motor signals between CNS and the body's glands and organs

Front 23

endocrine system

Back 23

communication system that uses hormones to influence thoughts and actions

Front 24

hormones

Back 24

chemical substances release from the endocrine glands

travel through blood stream to targeted tissues

Front 25

corpus callosum

Back 25

thick band of neurons that connect the 2 hemispheres of the brain

Front 26

genes

Back 26

heredity that can determine characteristics

Front 27

plasticity

Back 27

causes change through experience, drugs and injury