Psychology Chapter 4

Front 1

central nervous system (CNS)

Back 1

the portion of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord

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spinal cord

Back 2

a collection of neurons and supportive tissue running from the base of the brain down the center of the back, protected by a column of bones (the spinal column)

Front 3

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Back 3

all portions of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord; it includes sensory and motor nerves

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somatic nervous system

Back 4

the subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that connects to sensory receptors and to skeletal muscles; sometimes called the skeletal nervous system

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autonomic nervous system

Back 5

the subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that regulates the internal organs and glands

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sympathetic nervous system

Back 6

the subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes bodily resources and increases the output of energy during emotion and stress

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parasympathetic nervous system

Back 7

the subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that operates during relaxed stages and that conserves energy

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neuron

Back 8

basic unit of the nervous system also called a nerve cell

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glia

Back 9

cells that support, nurture, and insulate neurons, remove debris when neurons die, enhance the formation and maintenance of neural connections, and modify neuronal functioning

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dendrites

Back 10

a neurons branches that receive information from other neurons and transmit it toward the cell body

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cell body

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the part of the neuron that keeps it alive and determines whether it will fire

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axon

Back 12

a neuron's extending fiber that conducts impulses away from the cell body and transmits them to other neurons or to muscle or gland cells

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myelin sheath

Back 13

a fatty insulation that may surround the axon of a neuron

Front 14

nerves

Back 14

bundles of nerve fibers (axons and sometimes dendrites) in the peripheral nervous system

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neurogenesis

Back 15

the production of new neurons from immature stem cells

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stem cells

Back 16

immature cells that renew themselves and have the potential to develop into mature cells

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embryonic stem (ES) cells

Back 17

stem cells from early embryos that can develop into any cell type

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induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells

Back 18

stem cells derived from adult tissues

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synapse

Back 19

the site where transmission of a nerve impulse from one nerve cell to another occurs; it includes the axon terminal, the synaptic cleft, & receptor sites in the membrane of the receiving cell

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action potential

Back 20

a brief change in electrical voltage that occurs between the inside and the outside of an axon when a neuron is stimulated; it serves to produce an electrical impulse

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neurotransmitter

Back 21

a chemical substance that is released by a transmitting neuron at the synapse and that alters the activity of a receiving neuron

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endocrine glands

Back 22

internal organs that produce hormones and release them into the bloodstream

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melatonin

Back 23

a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, that is involved in the regulation of daily biological rythms

Front 24

oxytocin

Back 24

a hormone, secreted by the pituitary gland, that stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth, facilitates the ejection of milk during nursing, & seems to promote, in both sexes, attachment & trust in relationships

Front 25

adrenal hormones

Back 25

hormones that are produced by the adrenal glands and that are involved in emotion and stress

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sex hormones

Back 26

hormones that regulate the development and functioning of reproductive organs and that stimulate the development of male & female sexual characteristics; they include androgens, estrogens, & progesterone

Front 27

neuromodulators

Back 27

neurochemicals that modulate the functioning of neurons and neurotransmitters

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endorphins

Back 28

chemical substances in the nervous system that are similar in structure and action to opiates; they are involved in pain reduction, pleasure, memory, and other functions & are known technically as endogenous opioid peptides

Front 29

transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Back 29

a method of stimulating brain cells, using a powerful magnetic field produced by a wire coil placed on a person's head; it can be used by researchers to temporarily disrupt neural circuits during specific tasks

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transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Back 30

a technique that applies a small electric current to stimulate or suppress activity in parts of the cortex; it enables researchers to identify the functions of a particular area

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electroencephalogram

Back 31

a recording of neutral activity detected by electrodes

Front 32

pet scans (positronemission tomography)

Back 32

a method for analyzing biochemical activity in the brain, for example by using injections of a glucose like substance containing a radioactive element

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MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Back 33

a method for studying body and brain tissue, using magnetic fields and special radio receivers

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fMRI (functional)

Back 34

a fast version of MRI used to study brain activity associated with specific thoughts and behavior

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localization of function

Back 35

specialization of particular brain areas for particular functions

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brain stem

Back 36

the part of the brain at the top of the spinal cord, consisting of the medula and the pons

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pons

Back 37

a structure in the brain stem involved in, among other things, sleeping, walking, and dreaming

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medulla

Back 38

a structure in the brain stem responsible for certain automatic functions, such as breathing and heart rate

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reticular activation system

Back 39

a dense network of neutrons found in the core of the brain stem; it arouses the cortex and screens incoming information

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cerebellum

Back 40

a brain structure that regulates movement and balance and is involved in some cognitive tasks

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thalamus

Back 41

a brain structure that relays sensory messages to the cerebral cortex

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hypothalamus

Back 42

a brain structure involved in emotions and drives vital to survival; it regulates the automatic nervous system

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pituitary gland

Back 43

a small endocrine gland at the base of the brain that releases many hormones and regulates other endocrine glands

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amygdala

Back 44

a brain structure involved in the arousal and regulation of emotion and the initial emotional response to sensory information

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hypocampus

Back 45

a brain structure involved in the storage of new information in the memory

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cerebrum

Back 46

the largest brain structure, consisting of the upper part of the brain; divided in two hemispheres, it is in charge of most sensory, motor, and cognitive processes; from the latin for "brain"

Front 47

cerebral hemispheres

Back 47

the two halves of the cerebrum

Front 48

corpus callosum

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the bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres

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lateralization

Back 49

specialization of the two cerebral hemispheres for particular operations

Front 50

cerebral cortex

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a collection of several thin layers of cells covering the cerebrum; it is largely responsible for higher mental functions; cortex is latin for 'bark'

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occipital lobes

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lobes at the lower back part of the brain's cerebral cortex; they contain areas that receive visual information

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parietal lobes

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lobes at the top of the brain's cerebral cortex; they contain areas that receive information on pressure, pain, touch, and temperature, and that are involved in attention and awareness of spatial relationships

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temporal lobes

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lobes at the side of the brain cerebral cortex; they contain areas involved in hearing, memory, perception, emotion, and (in the left lobe typically) language comprehension

Front 54

frontal lobes

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lobes at the front of the brain's cerebral cortex; they contain areas involved in short term memory, higher order thinking, initiative, social judgement, and (in the left lobe typically) speech production

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plasticity

Back 55

the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experience by recognizing or growing new neutral connections