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72 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
absolute refractory period
the minimum length of time after an action potential during which another aciton potential cannot begin
action potential
a breif change in a neurons electrical charge
Adaptation
an inherited characteristic that increased in a population through natural selction because it helped solve a problem of survival or reproduction during the time it emerged
adoption studies
research studies that asses hereditary influence by examining the reresemblence between adopted children and both their biological parents and their adoptive parents
afferent nerve fibres
axons that carry information inward to the central nervous system from the periphery of the body
agonist
a chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter
antagonist
a chemical that opposes the action of a neurotransmitter
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
the system of nerves that connect to the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles and glands
axon
a long; then fibre that transmitts signals away from the neuron cellbody to other neurons, or to muscles or glands
behavioural genetics
an interdisciplinary field that studies the influence of genetic factors of behavioural traits
central nervous system
the brain and the spinal cord
cerebral cortex
the convoluted outer layer of the cerebrum
cerebral hemispheres
the right and left halves of the cerebrum
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
a solution that fills the hollow cavitiess (ventricles) of the brain and circulates around the brain and spinal cord
chromososomes
threadlike strans of dna (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules that carry genetic information
corpus callosum
the structure that connects the two cerebral hemispheres
critical period
a litmited time span in the developement of an organism when it is optimal for certain capacities to emerge because the organism is especially responsive to certain experiences
denderites
branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to recieve information
dominant gene
a gene that is expressed when paired genes are heterozygous (different)
efferent nerve fibres
axons that carry information outward from the central nervous system to the pereiphery of the body
electrical stimulation of the brain
sending a weak electrical current into a brain structure to stimulate it
electrolencephalograph
a device that monitors the elctrical activity of the brain over time by means of recording electrodes attatched to the surface o the scalp
endorcine system
a group of glands taht release chemicals into the blood stream that help control bodily functioning
Endorphins
the entire family of internally produced chemicals that resemeble opiates in structure and effects
excitatory psp
an electric potential that increases the likeliehood that a postsynaptic neuron will fire potentials
family studies
scientific studies in which researchers assess hereditary influence by examinging blood relatives to see how muc they resemble eachother on a specific trait
fitness
the reproductive success(number of decendents) on an individual organism relative to the average reporductive success of the population
forebrain
the largest and most compllicated region of the brain, encompassing a variety of structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system and cerebrum
fraternal twins
twins that result when two eggs are fertilized simultamiiously by different sperm cells, forming two seperate zygotes. also called dizygotic twins
genes
dna segments that serve as the key functional units in hereditary transmission
genetic mapping
the process of determing the location and chemical sequence of specific genes on specific chromosomes
genotype
a person's genetic make up
gila
cells found thorughout the nervous system that provide various types of suppport for neurons
heterozygous condition
the situation that occurs when two genes in a specific pair are different
hind brain
the part of the brain that includes the cerebellum and two structures found in the lower part of the brainstem: the medulala and the pons
homozygous condition
the situation that occurs when two genes in a specific pair are the same
hormones
the chemical substances released by the endorine glands
hypothalamus
a structure found near the base of the forebrain that is involved in the regulation of basic biological needs
identical twins
twins that emrge from one zygote that splits for unkwon reasons. also called monozygotic twins
inclusive fitness
the sum of an indviduals own reporductive sucess plus the effect the organism has on the reporductive sucess of related others
inhibitory psp
an elctric potential that decreases the likelihood that a post synaptic neuron will fire action potentials
lesioning
destroying a piece of the brain
limbic system
a densley connected network of structures roughly located along the border between the cerebral cortex and deeprer subcortical areas
midbrain
the segment of the brain stem that lies between the hind brain and the forebrain
mutation
a spontatneous hertible change in a piece of dna that occurs in the individual organism
mylein sheath
insulating material, dreived from glial cells, that encases some axons of neruons
nerves
bundles of neuron fibres(axons) that are routed together in the peripheral nervous system
neurogenissi
the formation of new neurons
neurons
individual cells in the nervous system that recieve, integrate and transmit information
neurotransmitters
chemicals that transmit information from one neruon to another
parasympathetic division
the branch of automatic nervous system that generally conserves bodily resources
perceptual asymmteries
left-right imbalances between the cerebral hemishpeheres in the speed of visual or auditory processesing
perihperal nervous system
all those nerves that lie outside the brain and spinal cord
phenotype
the ways in which a persons genotype is manifested in observable characteristics
pituitary gland
the master gland of endorcine system; it releases a great variety of hormones that fan out through the body, stimulating actions in the other endorcine glans
polygenic traits
characterstics that are influenced by more thean one pair of genes
post synaptic potential:
a voltage change at the receptor site on a postsynpatic cell memebrane
recessive gene
a gene whose influence is maxed when paired genes are different (heterozyguys)
resting potential
the stable, negative charge of a neuron when it is inactive
reuptake
a process in which neurotransmitters are sponged up from the synaptic cleft by the presynaptic membrane
soma
the cell body of a neuron; it contrains the nucleus and much of the chemical machinery common to most cells
somatic nervous system
the system of nerves that connect to voluntary skeletal muscles to sensory receptors
split brain surgery
a procedure in which the bundle of fibres that connecs the cerebral hemispheres is cut to reduce serverity of epileptic seizures
sympathetic division
the branch of autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the bodys resources for emergencies
synapse
a junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to the next
synaptic cleft
a microscopic gap between the terminal button of a neruon and the cell membrane of another neuron
terminal buttons
small knobs at the end of axons that secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters
testosterone
a male sex hormone produced by testes; women secrete smaller amounts of testorone from the adrenal cortex and ovaries
thalamus
a structure in the forebrain through which all sensory information must pass to get to the cerebral cortex
transcranial magnetic stimulation
a technique that permis scienteists to temporarily enhance or depress activiting in a specific area of the brain
twin studies
a reserach design in which hereditary influence is assessed by comparing the resemblance of identical twins to fraternal twins with a respect to a trait
zygote
a one-celled organism formed by the union of a sperm and an egg