Psychology- Themes & Variations/chpt. 3 The Biological Bases Of Behavior

Front 1

The minimum length of time after an action potential during which another action potential cannot begin.

Back 1

Absolute refractory period

Front 2

A brief change in a neuron's electrical charge.

Back 2

Action potential

Front 3

An inherited characteristic that increased in a population (through natural selection) because it helped solve a problem of survival or reproduction during the time it emerged. *see also sensory adaptation*

Back 3

Adaptation

Front 4

Research studies that assess hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological and their adoptive parents.

Back 4

Adoption studies

Front 5

Axons that carry information inward to the central nervous system from the periphery of the body.

Back 5

Afferent nerve fibers

Front 6

A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.

Back 6

Agonist

Front 7

A chemical that opposes the action of a neurotransmitter.

Back 7

Antagonist

Front 8

The system of nerves that connect to the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles, and glands.

Back 8

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Front 9

A long, thin fiber that transmits signals away from the neuron cell body to other neurons, or to muscles or glands.

Back 9

Axon

Front 10

The brain and the spinal cord.

Back 10

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Front 11

A relatively large and deeply folded structure located adjacent to the back surface of the brainstem.

Back 11

Cerebellum

Front 12

The convoluted outer layer of the cerebrum.

Back 12

Cerebral cortex

Front 13

The right and left halves of the cerebrum.

Back 13

Cerebral hemispheres

Front 14

Threadlike strands of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules that carry genetic information.

Back 14

Chromosomes

Front 15

The structure that connects the two cerebral hemispheres.

Back 15

Corpus Callosum

Front 16

A limited time span in the development of an organism when it is optimal for certain capacities to emerge because the organism is especially responsive to certain experiences.

Back 16

Critical period

Front 17

Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.

Back 17

Dendrites

Front 18

Axons that carry information outward: from the central nervous system to the periphery of the body.

Back 18

Efferent nerve fibers

Front 19

Sending a weak electric current into a brain structure to stimulate (activate) it.

Back 19

(ESB) Electrical Stimulation of the brain

Front 20

A group of glands that secrete chemicals into the bloodstream that help control bodily functioning.

Back 20

Endocrine System

Front 21

The entire family of internally produced chemicals that resemble opiates in structure and effects.

Back 21

Endorphins

Front 22

Scientific studies in which researchers assess hereditary influence by examining blood relatives to see how much they resemble each other on a specific trait.

Back 22

Family studies

Front 23

The reproductive success (number of descendants) of an individual organism relative to the average reproductive success of the population.

Back 23

Fitness

Front 24

The largest and most complicated region of the brain, encompassing a variety of structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum.

Back 24

Forebrain

Front 25

DNA segments that serve as the key functional units in hereditary transmission.

Back 25

Genes

Front 26

Cells found throughout the nervous system that provide various types of support for neurons.

Back 26

Glia

Front 27

The part of the brain that includes the cerebellum and two structures found in the lower part of the brainstem: the medulla and the pons.

Back 27

Hindbrain

Front 28

The chemical substances released by the endocrine glands.

Back 28

Hormones

Front 29

A structure found near the base of the forebrain that is involved in the regulation of basic biological needs.

Back 29

Hypothalamus

Front 30

Destroying a piece of the brain.

Back 30

Lesioning

Front 31

A densely connected network of structures roughly located along the border between the cerebral cortex and deeper subcortical areas.

Back 31

Limbic system

Front 32

The segment of the brain stem that lies between the hindbrain and the forebrain.

Back 32

Midbrain

Front 33

Neurons that are activated by performing an action or by seeing another monkey or person perform the same action.

Back 33

Mirror neurons

Front 34

Insulating material, derived from glial cells, that encases some axons of neurons

Back 34

Myelin sheath

Front 35

Principle stating that inherited characteristics that provide a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely than alternative characteristics to be passed on to subsequent generations and thus come to be "selected" overtime.

Back 35

Natural selection

Front 36

Bundles of neuron fibers (axons) that are routed together in the peripheral nervous system.

Back 36

Nerves

Front 37

The formation of new neurons.

Back 37

Neurongenesis

Front 38

Individual cells in the nervous system that receive, integrate, and transmit information.

Back 38

Neurons

Front 39

Chemicals that transmit information from one neuron to another.

Back 39

Neurotransmitters.

Front 40

The branch of the autonomic nervous system that generally conserves bodily resources.

Back 40

Para sympathedic division

Front 41

All those nerves that lie outside the brain and spinal cord.

Back 41

Peripheral Nervous System

Front 42

The "Master Gland" of the endocrine system; it releases a great variety of hormones that fan out through the body, stimulating actions in the other endocrine glands.

Back 42

Pituitary gland

Front 43

Characteristics that are influenced by more than one pair of genes.

Back 43

Polygenic traits

Front 44

A voltage change at the receptor site on a postsynaptic cell membrane.

Back 44

Postsynaptic potential (PSP)

Front 45

The stable, negative charge of a neuron when it is inactive.

Back 45

Resting potential

Front 46

A process in which neurotransmitters are sponged up from the synaptic cleft by the presynaptic membrane.

Back 46

Reuptake

Front 47

The cell body of a neuron; it contains the nucleaus and much of the chemical machinery common to most cells.

Back 47

Soma

Front 48

The system of nerves that connect to voluntary skeletal muscles and to sensory receptors.

Back 48

Somatic Nervous System

Front 49

A procedure in which the bundle of fibers that connects the cerebral hemispheres (the corpus-callosum) is ct to reduce the serverity of epiliptic seizures.

Back 49

split-brain surgery

Front 50

The branch of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the body's resources for emergencies.

Back 50

Sympathetic Division

Front 51

A junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to the next.

Back 51

Synapse

Front 52

A microscopic gap between the terminal button of a neuron and the cell membrane of another neuron.

Back 52

Synaptic cleft.

Front 53

Small knobs at the end of axons that secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters

Back 53

Terminal buttons

Front 54

A male sex hormone produced by the testes; women secrete smaller amounts of testosterone from the adrenal cortex and the ovary.

Back 54

testosterone

Front 55

A structure in the forebrain through which all sensory information (except smell) must pass to get to the cerebral cortex.

Back 55

Thalamus.

Front 56

A technique that permits scientists to temporarily enhance or depress activity in a specific area of the brain

Back 56

(TMS) Transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Front 57

A research design in which hereditary influence is assessed by comparing the ressemblance of identical twins and fraternal twins with respect to a trait.

Back 57

Twin Studies