Psychology Chapter 2

Front 1

neurotransmitter related to muscle movement and perhaps consciousness, learning, and memory

Back 1

acetylcholine

Front 2

neural impulse fired by a neuron when it reaches -55 mv

Back 2

action potential

Front 3

center part of the adrenal gland that plays a crucial role in the functioning of the sympathetic nervous system

Back 3

adrenal medulla

Front 4

outside part of the adrenal gland that plays a role in the manufacture and release of androgens, and therefore infl uences sexual characteristics

Back 4

adrenal cortex

Front 5

all action potentials are equal in strength; once a neuron begins to fire an action potential, it fires all the way down the axon

Back 5

all-or-none fashion

Front 6

part of the limbic system that plays a role in our emotions of fear and aggression

Back 6

amygdala

Front 7

a class of male hormones

Back 7

androgens

Front 8

areas of the cortex involved in the association or integration of information from the motor-sensory areas of the cortex

Back 8

association cortex

Front 9

a region of cortex found in the temporal lobe that governs the processing of auditory information in the brain

Back 9

auditory cortex

Front 10

branch of the peripheral nervous system that primarily governs involuntary organ functioning and actions in the body

Back 10

autonomic nervous system

Front 11

the long tail-like structure that comes out of the cell body of the neuron and carries action potentials that convey information from the cell body to the synapse

Back 11

axon

Front 12

a region in the left frontal lobe that plays a role in the production of speech

Back 12

Broca's area

Front 13

the part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and DNA

Back 13

cell body

Front 14

the brain and the spinal cord

Back 14

central nervous system (CNS)

Front 15

hindbrain structure that plays a role in balance, muscle tone, and coordination of motor movements

Back 15

cerebellum

Front 16

thin, wrinkled outer covering of the brain in which high-level processes such as thinking, planning, language, interpretation of sensory data, and coordination of sensory and motor information take place

Back 16

cerebral cortex

Front 17

right and left sides of the brain that to some degree govern different functions in the body

Back 17

cerebral hemispheres

Front 18

a thick band of neurons that connect the right and left hemispheres of the brain

Back 18

corpus callosum

Front 19

branchlike structures on the head of the neuron that receive incoming signals from other neurons in the nervous system

Back 19

dendrites

Front 20

the chemical found in the nuclei of cells that contains the genetic blueprint that guides development in the organism

Back 20

DNA

Front 21

neurotransmitter that plays a role in movement, learning, and attention

Back 21

dopamine

Front 22

organs of the endocrine system that produce and release hormones into the blood

Back 22

endocrine glands

Front 23

neurotransmitters that act as a natural pain -killer

Back 23

endorphins

Front 24

a class of female hormones that regulate many aspects of sexuality

Back 24

estrogens

Front 25

when a neurotransmitter depolarizes the postsynaptic cell and it becomes more likely to fire an action potential

Back 25

excitation

Front 26

brain structures including the limbic system, thalamus, hypothalamus, and cortex that govern higher-order mental processes

Back 26

forebrain

Front 27

cortical area directly behind the forehead that plays a role in thinking, planning, decision making, language, and motor movement

Back 27

frontal lobe

Front 28

the body's chief inhibitory neurotransmitter, which plays a role in regulating arousal

Back 28

gamma amino butyric acid

Front 29

brain cells that provide support functions for the neurons

Back 29

glia cells

Front 30

the chief excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, found at more than 50% of the synapses in the brain

Back 30

glutamate

Front 31

primitive part of the brain that comprises the medulla, pons, and cerebellum

Back 31

hindbrain

Front 32

part of the brain that plays a role in the transfer of information from short- to long-term memory

Back 32

hippocampus [HIP-po-CAM-puss]

Front 33

an internal state of equilibrium in the body

Back 33

homeostasis [hoe-mee-oh-STAY-suss]

Front 34

chemical messengers of the endocrine system

Back 34

hormones

Front 35

part of the forebrain that plays a role in maintaining homeostasis in the body involving sleep, body temperature, sexual behavior, thirst, and hunger; also the point where the nervous system intersects with the endocrine system

Back 35

hypothalamus [high-poe-THAL-uh-muss]

Front 36

when a neurotransmitter further polarizes the postsynaptic cell and it becomes less likely to fire an action potential

Back 36

inhibition

Front 37

system of structures, including the amygdala and hippocampus, that govern certain aspects of emotion, motivation, and memory

Back 37

limbic system

Front 38

part of the hindbrain that controls basic, lifesustaining functions such as respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure

Back 38

medulla [meh-DOO-luh]

Front 39

brain structure that connects the hindbrain with the forebrain

Back 39

midbrain

Front 40

a strip of cortex at the back of the frontal lobe that governs the execution of motor movement in the body

Back 40

motor cortex

Front 41

neurons that transmit commands from the brain to the muscles of the body

Back 41

motor neurons

Front 42

fatty, waxy substance that insulates portions of some neurons in the nervous system

Back 42

myelin [MY-eh-lynn]

Front 43

an electrochemical system of communication within the body that uses cells called neurons to convey information

Back 43

nervous system

Front 44

cells in the central nervous system that transmit information

Back 44

neurons [NUR-ons]

Front 45

chemical messengers that carry neural signals across the synapse

Back 45

neurotransmitters [NUR-oh-trans-mitters]

Front 46

neurotransmitter that plays a role in regulating sleep, arousal, and mood

Back 46

norepinephrine [nor-ep-in-EF-rin] (NOR)

Front 47

cortical area at the back of the brain that plays a role in visual processing

Back 47

occipital [ox-SIP-it-ull] lobe

Front 48

branch of the autonomic nervous system most active during times of normal functioning

Back 48

parasympathetic nervous system

Front 49

cortical areas on the top sides of the brain that play a role in touch and certain cognitive processes

Back 49

parietal [puh-RYE-it-ull] lobe

Front 50

all of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord

Back 50

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Front 51

master gland of the endocrine system that controls the action of all other glands in the body

Back 51

pituitary [peh-TOO-uh-tare-ee] gland

Front 52

hindbrain structure that plays a role in respiration, consciousness, sleep, dreaming, facial movement, sensory processes, and the transmission of neural signals from one part of the brain to another

Back 52

pons

Front 53

the neuron that is receiving the signal at a synapse in the nervous system

Back 53

postsynaptic neuron [post-sin-AP-ticNUR-on]

Front 54

the neuron that is sending the signal at a synapse in the nervous system

Back 54

presynaptic neuron [pre-sin-AP-tic NURon]

Front 55

(1) brief period of time after a neuron has fired an action potential in which the neuron is inhibited and unlikely to fi re another action potential; (2) a time during the resolution phase in which males are incapable of experiencing another orgasm or ejaculation

Back 55

refractory period

Front 56

part of the midbrain that regulates arousal and plays an important role in attention, sleep, and consciousness

Back 56

reticular activating system (RAS)

Front 57

process through which unused neurotransmitters are recycled back into the presynaptic neuron

Back 57

reuptake

Front 58

neurons that transmit information from the sense organs to the central nervous system

Back 58

sensory neurons

Front 59

neurotransmitter that plays a role in many different behaviors, including sleep, arousal, mood, eating, and pain perception

Back 59

serotonin [ser-uh-TOE-nin]

Front 60

branch of the peripheral nervous system that governs sensory and voluntary motor action in the body

Back 60

somatic nervous system

Front 61

a strip of cortex at the front of the parietal lobe that governs the sense of touch

Back 61

somatosensory [so-MAT-oh-SEN-sor-ee] cortex

Front 62

a brain with its corpus callosum severed; sometimes done to control the effects of epilepsy in patients who do not respond to other therapies

Back 62

split brain

Front 63

branch of the autonomic nervous system most active during times of danger or stress

Back 63

sympathetic nervous system

Front 64

the connection formed between two neurons when the axon bulb of one neuron comes into close proximity with the dendrite of another neuron

Back 64

synapse [SIN-aps]

Front 65

cortical areas directly below the ears that play a role in auditory processing and language

Back 65

temporal [TEM-por-ull] lobe

Front 66

part of the forebrain that functions as a sensory relay station

Back 66

thalamus [THAL-uh-muss]

Front 67

potential difference at which a neuron will fire an action potential (-55 mv in humans)

Back 67

threshold of excitation

Front 68

a region of cortex found at the back of the occipital lobe that processes visual information in the brain

Back 68

visual cortex

Front 69

a region of the left temporal lobe that plays a role in the comprehension of speech

Back 69

Wernicke's [WURR-neh-kees] area