Psychology Terms From Chapter 4

Front 1

Neuroscience

Back 1

the study of the nervous system

Front 2

neuroimaging

Back 2

techniques that allow for studying brain activity by obtaining visual images in awake humans.

Front 3

neuron

Back 3

a nerve cell

Front 4

dendrites

Back 4

the parts of neurons that collect input from other neurons.

Front 5

axon

Back 5

the part of the neuron that carries information away from the cell body toward other neurons.

Front 6

axon terminal

Back 6

the end of a neuron's axon, from which neurotransmitters are released.

Front 7

glia

Back 7

the cells that, in addition to neurons, make up the nervous system.

Front 8

Three major categories of glia?

Back 8

Astroglia, oligodendroglia, microglia.

Front 9

resting potential

Back 9

the electrical charge of a neuron when it is at rest.

Front 10

ion channels

Back 10

pores in the cell membrane that open and close to allow certain ions into and out of the cell.

Front 11

Action Potential

Back 11

a sudden positive change in the electrical charge of a neuron's axon. Also known as a spike, or firing, action potentials rapidly transmit an excitatory charge down the axon.

Front 12

Myelin

Back 12

A fatty, white substance, formed from glial cells that insulates the axons of many neurons.

Front 13

Absolute refractory period

Back 13

a short time after an action potential, during which a neuron is completely unable to fire again.

Front 14

Relative refractory period

Back 14

just after the absolute refractory period during which a neuron can only fire if it receives a stimulus stronger than its usual threshold level.

Front 15

synapses

Back 15

tiny spaces between the axon terminal of one neuron and the next neuron through which communication occurs.

Front 16

neurotransmitters

Back 16

specialized chemicals that travel across synapses to allow communication between neurons.

Front 17

synaptic vesicles

Back 17

membrane-bound spheres in the axon terminals of neurons where neurotransmitters are stored before their release.

Front 18

neurotransmitter receptors

Back 18

proteins in the membranes of neurons that bind to neurotransmitters.

Front 19

Postsynaptic Potentials

Back 19

electrical events in postsynaptic neurons, that occur when a neurotransmitter binds to one of its receptors.

Front 20

Plasticity

Back 20

change in the nervous system.

Front 21

Somatic Nervous System

Back 21

All the peripheral nerves that transmit information about the senses and movement to and from the central nervous system.

Front 22

Autonomic Nervous System

Back 22

Portion of the peripheral nervous system that includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

Front 23

Sympathetic Nervous System

Back 23

The division of the autonomic nervous system activated under conditions of stress.

Front 24

parasympathetic nervous system

Back 24

the division of the autonomic nervous system active during restful times.

Front 25

Spinal Cord

Back 25

portion of the central nervous system that extends from the base of the brain and mediates sensory and motor information

Front 26

interneuron

Back 26

neuron that typically has a short axon and serves as a relay between different classes of neurons. In the spinal cord, interneurons communicate with both sensory and motor neurons.

Front 27

brainstem or medulla

Back 27

the part of the brain closest to the spinal cord that serves basic functions.

Front 28

reticular formation

Back 28

a brain structure important for sleep and wakefulness

Front 29

serotonin

Back 29

neurotransmitter involved in activity levels and mood regulation

Front 30

pons

Back 30

part of the brain anterior to the brainstem that includes the locus coeruleus.

Front 31

norepinephrine

Back 31

neurotransmitter important for arousal and attention.

Front 32

cerebellum

Back 32

part of the brain, near the back of the head, important for motor coordination.

Front 33

Substantia Nigra

Back 33

Brain region important in fluidity of movement and inhibiting movements.

Front 34

Dopamine

Back 34

Neurotransmitter plentiful in brain areas involving movement and rewards.

Front 35

Thalamus

Back 35

An area of the brain that serves as a relay station for incoming sensory information.

Front 36

Hypothalamus

Back 36

brain structure important for motivation and control of the endocrine system.

Front 37

endocrine system

Back 37

the system that controls levels of hormones throughout the body.

Front 38

pituitary gland

Back 38

brain structure that plays a central role in controlling the endocrine system.

Front 39

amygdala

Back 39

brain area involved in processing information about the emotions, particularly fear.

Front 40

hippocampus

Back 40

brain region important for certain types of learning and memory.

Front 41

striatum

Back 41

a brain area that works with the substantia nigra to enable fluid movements.

Front 42

Nucleus Accumbens

Back 42

A brain area important for motivation and reward.

Front 43

Neocortex

Back 43

the largest portion of the brain, responsible for complex behaviors including language and thought.

Front 44

Association cortex

Back 44

areas of the neocortex responsible for complex functions, including higher-order sensory processing, thinking, and planning.

Front 45

occipital cortex

Back 45

lobe of the neocortex at the back of the skull, important for processing very visual information.

Front 46

temporal cortex

Back 46

part of the neocortex important in processing sounds, in speech comprehension, and in recognizing complex visual stimuli, such as faces.

Front 47

Wernicke's Area

Back 47

An area of the temporal cortex important in helping us understand language.

Front 48

Parietal Cortex

Back 48

Lobe of the neocortex involved in processing information related to touch and complex visual information, particularly about locations.

Front 49

Somatosensory Strip

Back 49

An area of the parietal cortex that processes tactile information coming from our body parts.

Front 50

Frontal Cortex

Back 50

Lobe of the neocortex involved in many functions including movement and speech production.

Front 51

Broca's Area

Back 51

brain region located in the frontal lobe that' important for speech production.

Front 52

Prefrontal Cortex

Back 52

portion of the frontal cortex involved in higher-order thinking, such as memory, moral reasoning, and planning.

Front 53

Corpus Callosum

Back 53

bundle of axons that allows communication from one side of the neocortex to the other.

Front 54

hemispheres

Back 54

halves of the brain.

Front 55

Neural Tube

Back 55

area of an embryo from which the CNS arises

Front 56

neurogenesis

Back 56

the production of new neurons

Front 57

synaptogenesis

Back 57

the process of forming new synapses

Front 58

Multiple Sclerosis

Back 58

neurological disease that causes a loss of myelin the axons of neurons.

Front 59

Amyotrophic Later Sclerosis

Back 59

(ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) Neurological disease that causes degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord, leading to loss of movement and eventual death.

Front 60

Parkinson's disease

Back 60

neurological diseases that involves the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to tremors, muscle rigidity, and other motor problems.

Front 61

Huntington's disease

Back 61

inherited neurological condition that results in the death of neurons in the striatum

Front 62

stem cell

Back 62

undifferentiated cell that can divide to replace itself and create new cells that have the potential to become all other cells of the body, including neurons.