Psychology 7E Myers Module 3 Neural And Hormonal Systems

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Biological psychology

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A branch of psychology concerned with the links between behavior and biology.

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Neuron

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

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Dendrite

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the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the body cell

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Axon

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the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

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Action potential

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a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

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Threshold

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the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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Synapse

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the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is callled the synaptic gap or celft

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Neurotransmitters

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chemical messengers the traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released, by the sending neuron, they travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

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Endorphins

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"morphine within" - natural opiatelikje neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure

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Nervous system

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

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Central nervous system

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the brain and spinal cord

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Peripheral nervous system

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the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

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Nerves

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neural "cables" containing many axons. These bundled axons which are part of the peripheral nervous system, connect the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

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Sensory neurons

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neurons that carry incoming info from the sense receptors to the CNS

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Motor neurons

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Neurons that carry outgoing info from the CNS to the muscles and glands

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Interneurons

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CNS neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

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Somatic nervous system

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the division of the peripheral nervous system tht controls the body's skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system

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Autonomic nervous system

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part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs. Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division clams

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Sympathetic nervous system

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the division of the autonomic nervious system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

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Parasympathetic nervous system

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the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

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Reflex

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a simple automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

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Endocrine system

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the body's slow chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

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Hormones

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chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another

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Adrenal glands

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a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. The adrenals secrete the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, which help to arouse the body in times of stress

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Pituitary gland

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the endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands