Chapter 2 - The Biology Of Mind And Consciousness

Front 1

Biology Psychology

Back 1

Study the links between our biology and our behavior

Front 2

Myelin Sheath

Back 2

Fatty Tissue on axons; allow messages to travel faster.

Front 3

Neuron

Back 3

a nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system

Front 4

Dendrites

Back 4

Neuron extensions that receive messages and conduct them toward the cell body

Front 5

Axon

Back 5

neuron extensions that sends messages to other neurons or cells

Front 6

Action Potential

Back 6

Nerve Impulse!

Front 7

Glial Cells (Glia)

Back 7

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning, thinking and memory.

Front 8

Synapse

Back 8

Junction between the axon tip of a sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of a receiving neuron.

Front 9

Threshold

Back 9

Level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

Front 10

All-or-None response

Back 10

A neuron's reaction of either firing (with full-strength response) or not firing.

Front 11

Neurotransmitters

Back 11

Neuron-produced chemicals that cross synapses to carry messages to other neurons or cells

Front 12

Reuptake

Back 12

The sending neurons normally reabsorbs excess neurotransmitter molecules; process

Front 13

Opiate

Back 13

Chemical, such as opium, morphine, or heroin, that depresses neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

Front 14

Endorphins (Morphine within)

Back 14

natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

Front 15

Nervous System

Back 15

The body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the central and peripheral nervous system

Front 16

Central Nervous System

Back 16

The brain and Spinal Cord.

Front 17

Peripheral Nervous System

Back 17

The sensory and motor neurons connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

Front 18

Nerves

Back 18

Bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscle glands, and sense organs.

Front 19

Motor Neurons

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Neuron that carries outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands

Front 20

Sensory Neurons

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Neurons that carries incoming information from the sensory receptors to the Central Nervous System

Front 21

Interneuron

Back 21

Neurons within the brain and spinal cord; communicate internally and process information between sensory inputs and motor outputs.

Front 22

Somatic Nervous System

Back 22

Peripheral Nervous System division controlling the body's skeletal muscles. Also called the "Skeletal Nervous System"

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Automatic Nervous System (ANS)

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Peripheral nervous system division controlling the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic subdivision arouses; it parasympathetic subdivision calms.

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Parasympathetic Nervous System

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Automatic Nervous System Subdivision that calms the body, conserving energy

Front 25

Reflex

Back 25

A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee--Jerking Response.

Front 26

EEG (Electroencephalograph)

Back 26

Device that uses electrodes placed on the scalp to record waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brains surface.

Front 27

PET (Positron Emission Tomography Scan)

Back 27

A view of brain activity showing where a radio active form of glucose goes while the brain preforms a given task

Front 28

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Back 28

A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy.

Front 29

fMRI (Functional MRI)

Back 29

A technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI Scans. fMRI scans show brain function.

Front 30

Medulla

Back 30

The base of the brain stem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Front 31

Thalamus

Back 31

Area at the top of the brain stem; directs sensory messages to the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

Front 32

Reticular Formation

Back 32

Nerve network running through the brainstem and thalamus; plays an important role in controlling arousal.

Front 33

Cerebellum

Back 33

The 'little brain" at the rear of your brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.

Front 34

Limbio System

Back 34

Neural System (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.

Front 35

Amygdala

Back 35

Two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

Front 36

Hypothalamus

Back 36

A neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp.) helps govern the endocrine system and the pituitary lands glands, and is linked to emotion and reward.

Front 37

Cerebral Cortex

Back 37

Thin layer of interconnected neurons covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information processing center.

Front 38

Frontal Lobes

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Portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements.

Front 39

Parietal Lobes

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Portion of the cerebral lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.

Front 40

Temporal Lobes

Back 40

Portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; including areas that receive information from the ears.

Front 41

Motor Cortex

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Cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes; controls voluntary movement.

Front 42

Somatosensory Cortex

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Cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobe; registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.

Front 43

Hallucinations

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False sensory experience, such as hearing something in the absence of an external auditary stimulus

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Association Areas

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Cerebral cortex areas involved primarily in higher mental functions, such as learning, remembering, thinking and speaking.

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Plasticity

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The brains ability to change especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

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Neurogenesis

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Formation of new neurons.

Front 47

Corpus Callosum

Back 47

Large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Front 48

Split Brain

Back 48

Condition in which the brains two hemispheres are isolated by cutting the fibers connecting them (mainly those of the corpus callosum)

Front 49

Consciousness

Back 49

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment

Front 50

Selective Attention

Back 50

Focusing conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

Front 51

Inattentional Blindness

Back 51

Failure to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

Front 52

Change Blindness

Back 52

Failure to notice changes in the environment

Front 53

Circadian Rhythm

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Internal biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (For Example of temp. and wakefulness) that occurs on a 24 hour cycle.

Front 54

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep

Back 54

Recurring Sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. also known as Paradoxical Sleep, because the muscles are relaxed but other body systems are active.

Front 55

Alpha waves

Back 55

Relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

Front 56

Sleep

Back 56

Periodic, natural loss of consciousness as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation.

Front 57

Delta Waves

Back 57

The large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.

Front 58

Insomnia

Back 58

Recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

Front 59

Narcolepsy

Back 59

Sleep disorder in which a person has uncontrollable sleep attacks. sometimes lapsing directly into REM Sleep.

Front 60

Sleep Apnea

Back 60

Sleep disorder in which a sleeping person repeatedly stops breathing until blood oxygen is so low it awakens the person just long enough to draw a breath.

Front 61

Dream

Back 61

Sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping persons mind.

Front 62

Manifest Content

Back 62

According to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream.

Front 63

Latent Content

Back 63

According to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream.

Front 64

REM Rebound

Back 64

The tendency for REM Sleep to increase flowing REM Sleep deprivation.