Discovering Psychology Chapter 2

Front 1

biological psychology (biopsychology or psychobiology)

Back 1

Specialized branch of psychology that stdies the relationship between behavior and bodily proesses and systems

Front 2

neuroscience

Back 2

The study of the nervous system, especially the brain.

Front 3

neuron

Back 3

Highly specialized cell that communicates inormation in electrical and chemical form; a nerve cell

Front 4

sensory neuron

Back 4

Type of neuron that conveys informations

Front 5

motor neuron

Back 5

Type of neuron that signals muscles to relax or contract.

Front 6

interneuron

Back 6

Type of neuron that communicates information from one neuron or the next.

Front 7

glial (GLEE-ull) cells

Back 7

Support cells that assist neurons by providing structural support, nutrition and removal of cell wastes; manufacture myelin.

Front 8

cell body (also called the Soma)

Back 8

Processes nutrients and provides energy for the neuron to function' contains the cell's nucleus

Front 9

dendrites

Back 9

(from a Greek word meaning tree) Multiple short fibers that extend from the neuron's cell body and receive information from others neurons or from sensory receptor cells

Front 10

axon

Back 10

The long, fluid-filled tube that carries a neuron's messages to other body areas.

Front 11

myelin (MY-eh-lin) sheath

Back 11

A white, fatty covering wrapped around the axons of some neurons that increases their communication speed.

Front 12

action potential

Back 12

A brief electrical impulse by which information is transmitted along the axon of a neuron.

Front 13

stimulus threshold

Back 13

The minimum level of stimulation required to activate a particular neuron.

Front 14

resting potential

Back 14

State in which neuron is praped to activate and communicate its meddage if it receives sufficient stimulus.

Front 15

all-or-none-law

Back 15

The principle that either a neuron is sufficiently stimulated and an action potential occurs or a neuron is not sufficiently stimulated and an action potential does not occur.

Front 16

synapse (SIN-aps)

Back 16

The point of communication between two neurons.

Front 17

synaptic gap (sin-AP-tick)

Back 17

The tiny space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of an adjoining neuron.

Front 18

axon terminals

Back 18

Branches at the end of the axon that contain tiny pouches, or sacs, called synaptic vesicles.

Front 19

synaptic vessicles (sin-AP-tick VESS-ick-ulls)

Back 19

Tiny pouches or sacs in the axon terminals that contain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Front 20

neurotransmitters

Back 20

Chemical messengers manufactured by a neuron.

Front 21

synaptic transmission (sin-AP-tick)

Back 21

The process through which neurotransmitters are released by one neuron, cross, the sunaptic gap, and affect adjoining neurons.

Front 22

reuptake

Back 22

The process by which neurotransmitter molecules detach from a postsynaptic neuron and are reabsorbed by a presynaptic neuron so they can be recycled and used again.

Front 23

biological psychology (biopsychology or psychobiology)

Back 23

Specialized branch of psychology that stdies the relationship between behavior and bodily processes and systems

Front 24

neuroscience

Back 24

The study of the nervous system, especially the brain.

Front 25

neuron

Back 25

Highly specialized cell that communicates information in electrical and chemical form; a nerve cell

Front 26

sensory neuron

Back 26

Type of neuron that conveys information

Front 27

motor neuron

Back 27

Type of neuron that signals muscles to relax or contract.

Front 28

interneuron

Back 28

Type of neuron that communicates information from one neuron or the next.

Front 29

glial (GLEE-ull) cells

Back 29

Support cells that assist neurons by providing structural support, nutrition and removal of cell wastes; manufacture myelin.

Front 30

cell body (also called the Soma)

Back 30

Processes nutrients and provides energy for the neuron to function' contains the cell's nucleus

Front 31

dendrites

Back 31

(from a Greek word meaning tree) Multiple short fibers that extend from the neuron's cell body and receive information from others neurons or from sensory receptor cells

Front 32

axon

Back 32

The long, fluid-filled tube that carries a neuron's messages to other body areas.

Front 33

myelin (MY-eh-lin) sheath

Back 33

A white, fatty covering wrapped around the axons of some neurons that increases their communication speed.

Front 34

action potential

Back 34

A brief electrical impulse by which information is transmitted along the axon of a neuron.

Front 35

stimulus threshold

Back 35

The minimum level of stimulation required to activate a particular neuron.

Front 36

resting potential

Back 36

State in which neuron is prepared to activate and communicate its message if it receives sufficient stimulus.

Front 37

all-or-none-law

Back 37

The principle that either a neuron is sufficiently stimulated and an action potential occurs or a neuron is not sufficiently stimulated and an action potential does not occur.

Front 38

synapse (SIN-aps)

Back 38

The point of communication between two neurons.

Front 39

synaptic gap (sin-AP-tick)

Back 39

The tiny space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of an adjoining neuron.

Front 40

axon terminals

Back 40

Branches at the end of the axon that contain tiny pouches, or sacs, called synaptic vesicles.

Front 41

synaptic vessicles (sin-AP-tick VESS-ick-ulls)

Back 41

Tiny pouches or sacs in the axon terminals that contain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Front 42

neurotransmitters

Back 42

Chemical messengers manufactured by a neuron.

Front 43

synaptic transmission (sin-AP-tick)

Back 43

The process through which neurotransmitters are released by one neuron, cross, the synaptic gap, and affect adjoining neurons.

Front 44

reuptake

Back 44

The process by which neurotransmitter molecules detach from a postsynaptic neuron and are reabsorbed by a presynaptic neuron so they can be recycled and used again.