Psychology Chapter 3 (Part 1)

Front 1

What are neurons?

Back 1

Nerve cells specialized for communication.

Front 2

What is the cell body?

Back 2

AKA the soma, it is the central region of the neuron.

Front 3

What does the cell body do?

Back 3

It makes materials needed by the neuron, manufactures new cell components, keeps neuron alive, and determines whether the neuron will fire. It also contains the nucleus.

Front 4

What is a nucleus?

Back 4

The protein manufacturerer. Damage to the nucleus can be lethal to entire cell.

Front 5

What is a dendrite?

Back 5

The portion of the neuron that receives signals, branch like extensions. They receive information from other neurons and transmit towards the cell body.

Front 6

What is an axon?

Back 6

The portion of the neuron that sends signals- carries information away from the cell body to other cells. Long, tail like extensions.

Front 7

What is a synaptic vesicle?

Back 7

A spherical sac containing neurotransmitters.

Front 8

What is the axon terminal?

Back 8

A knoblike structure at the axons far end.

Front 9

What are neurotransmitters?

Back 9

chemical messengers specialized for communication from neuron to neuron.

Front 10

What is the synapse?

Back 10

The space between two connecting neurons through which messages are transmitted chemically.

Front 11

What is the synaptic cleft?

Back 11

A gap into which neurotransmitters are released from the axon terminal.

Front 12

What are glial cells?

Back 12

A cell in the nervous system that plays a role in the formation of myelin and the blood brain barrier, responds to injury, removes debris, and enhances learning and memory.

Front 13

What are astrocytes?

Back 13

A type of glial cell that is the most common, they communicate closely with neutrons, control blood flow in the brain, and play a vital role in the development of the embryo. Along with other glial cells they are intimately involved in thought, memory, and the immune system.

Front 14

What is the blood-brain barrier?

Back 14

A protective shield that insulates the brain from infection by bacteria and other intruders.

Front 15

What is the blood-brain barrier made of?

Back 15

Tiny blood vessels wrapped with a fatty coating.

Front 16

What is an oligodendrocyte?

Back 16

A type of glial cell that promotes new connections among nerve cells and releases chemicals to aid in healing. Also produces an insulating wrapper around the axons called the myelin sheath.

Front 17

What are nodes?

Back 17

Gaps along the myelin sheath on the axon that help the neuron conduct electricity more efficiently.

Front 18

What is the myelin sheath?

Back 18

Glial cells that wrap around axons that act as insulators of the neuron's signal.

Front 19

What is resting potential?

Back 19

An electrical charge difference (-60 to -70 millivolts) across the neuronal membrane, when the neuron is not being stimulated or inhibited.

Front 20

What is the threshold?

Back 20

The membrane potential necessary to trigger an action potential.

Front 21

What are electrodes?

Back 21

A small device made from wire or fine glass tubes, allow researchers to measure potential difference.

Front 22

What is potential difference?

Back 22

The difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of the neuron.

Front 23

What does the basis of all electrical responses in neurons depend on?

Back 23

An uneven distribution of charged particles across the membrane surrounding the neuron.

Front 24

What is action potential?

Back 24

An electrical impulse that travels down the axon triggering the release of neurotransmitters.

Front 25

What is the absolute refractory period?

Back 25

The time during which another action potential is impossible, limits maximal firing rate.

Front 26

What are graded potentials?

Back 26

Postsynaptic potentials that can be excitatory or inhibitory depending on whether positively or negatively charged particles flow across the neuronal membrane and in which direction they flow.

Front 27

What is excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)?

Back 27

Graded potential in a dendrite that is caused by excitatory synaptic transmission.

Front 28

What is inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)?

Back 28

Graded potential in a dendrite that is caused by inhibitory synaptic transmission.

Front 29

What is a receptor site?

Back 29

A location that uniquely recognizes a neurotransmitter.

Front 30

What is reuptake?

Back 30

A means of recycling neurotransmitters.

Front 31

What is a maximal firing rate?

Back 31

The fastest rate that a neuron can fire.

Front 32

What is long term potentiation?

Back 32

Occurs when graded potential becomes larger than it was prior to stimulation. This increases the ability of a neuron to communicate and fire action potentials and is the basis of all of our memories.

Front 33

What does it mean to excite the nervous system?

Back 33

To increase its activity.

Front 34

What does it mean to inhibit the nervous system?

Back 34

To decrease activity.

Front 35

What are the neurotransmitters? (5)

Back 35

Glutamate, GABA, Acetylcholine, Endorphins, and Anandamide.

Front 36

What are the Monoamine Neurotransmitters?

Back 36

Norepinephrine, Dopamine, and Serotonin.

Front 37

What are endorphins categorized as?

Back 37

Neuropeptides.

Front 38

What is Glutamate and what does it do?

Back 38

Its the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, participates in relay of sensory information and learning.

Front 39

What drugs react to glutamate?

Back 39

Alcohol and memory enhancers.

Front 40

What is GABA and what does it do?

Back 40

(Gamma-aminobutyric acid), The main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.

Front 41

What drugs react to GABA?

Back 41

Alcohol and anti-anxiety drugs increase GABA activity.

Front 42

What is Acetylcholine (ACh) and what does it do?

Back 42

Plays a role in muscle contraction and cortical arousal. (PNS and CNS).

Front 43

What drugs react with the Acetylcholine?

Back 43

Nicotine stimulates ACh receptors and memory enhancers increase ACh.

Front 44

What is Norepinephrine (NE) and what does it do?

Back 44

Plays a role in brain arousal and other functions like mood, hunger, and sleep.

Front 45

What drugs interact with NE?

Back 45

Amphetamine and methamphetamine increases NE, dopamine, and serotonin.

Front 46

What is dopamine and what does it do?

Back 46

Plays a role in motor function and reward.

Front 47

What drugs interact with dopamine?

Back 47

L-Dopa, increases dopamine and is used to treat parkinson disease. Antipsychotic drugs, which block dopamine action, are used to treat schizophrenia.

Front 48

What is serotonin and what does it do?

Back 48

Plays a role in mood and temperature regulation, aggression, and sleep cycles.

Front 49

What drugs interact with serotonin?

Back 49

Serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants are used to treat depression.

Front 50

What are endorphins and what do they do?

Back 50

Help with pain reduction.

Front 51

What drugs interact with endorphins?

Back 51

Narcotic drugs like codeine, morphine, and heroin, reduce pain and produce euphoria.

Front 52

What is anandamide and what does it do?

Back 52

Reduces pain and increases appetite.

Front 53

What drugs interact with anandamide?

Back 53

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in marijuana, produces euphoria.

Front 54

What are neuropeptides?

Back 54

Short strings of amino acids in the nervous system, act somewhat like neurotransmitters, but are more narrowly targeted in their jobs.

Front 55

What are monoamines?

Back 55

Neurotransmitters that contain only one amino acid.

Front 56

What are drugs that interact with the neurotransmitter system called?

Back 56

Psychoactive.

Front 57

What is plasticity?

Back 57

The ability of the nervous system to change.

Front 58

What does agonist mean?

Back 58

Drugs that increase receptor site activity.

Front 59

What are some examples of agonists?

Back 59

Opiates such as codeine and morphine.

Front 60

What are receptor antagonists?

Back 60

Meaning they decrease receptor site activity.

Front 61

What are the four primary ways in which the network of neurons in the brain changes over time?

Back 61

Growth (of dendrites and axons), synaptogenesis (the formation of new synapses), pruning (consisting of the death of certain neutrons and the retraction of axons to remove connections that sent useful), and myelination (the insulation of axons with a myelin sheath).

Front 62

What is neurogenesis?

Back 62

The creation of new neurons in the adult brain.

Front 63

What is a stem cell?

Back 63

A cell, often originating in embryos, having the capacity to differentiate into a more specialized cell.

Front 64

What is structural plasticity?

Back 64

The change in the shape of neurons, believed to be critical for learning.

Front 65

What is gene therapy?

Back 65

Providing a patient with replacement genes with the use of stem cells.

Front 66

What is the central nervous system (CNS)?

Back 66

The part of the nervous system containing the brain and spinal cord that controls the mind and behaviour.

Front 67

What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

Back 67

The nerves in the body that extend outside the central nervous system.

Front 68

What two systems is the peripheral nervous system further divided into?

Back 68

The somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.

Front 69

What does the somatic nervous system control?

Back 69

Voluntary behaviour.

Front 70

What does the autonomic nervous system control?

Back 70

The non voluntary functions of the body. Things that happen automatically.

Front 71

What are the six distinct sections or systems that the central nervous system is divided into?

Back 71

The cortex, the basal ganglia, the limbic system, the cerebellum, the brain stem, and the spinal cord.

Front 72

What are the brain and spinal cord protected by?

Back 72

The meninges.

Front 73

What is the meninge?

Back 73

Three layers of membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord.

Front 74

What are the four parts of the cortex?

Back 74

The frontal lobe, pariental lobe, temporal lobe, and occipital lobe.

Front 75

What does the frontal lobe do?

Back 75

Performs executive functions that coordinate other brain areas, motor planning, language, and memory.

Front 76

What does the pariental lobe do?

Back 76

Processes touch information, integrates vision and touch, taste, temperature. Sensory-mood integration.

Front 77

What does the temporal lobe do?

Back 77

Processes auditory information, language, and autobiographical memory. Integration of sensory information.

Front 78

What does the occipital lobe do?

Back 78

Processes visual information.

Front 79

What does the Basal Ganglia do?

Back 79

Controls movement and motor planning, 2 sets of structures, create a motor action plan and communicate this to the motor cortex.

Front 80

What is Parkingson's damage to?

Back 80

The Basal Ganglia

Front 81

What four sections can the Limbic System be divided into?

Back 81

Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Amygdala, and Hippocampus.

Front 82

What does the Thalamus do?

Back 82

Routes sensory info to higher brain structures (everything except for smell), conveys sensory info to cortex.

Front 83

What does the hypothalamus do?

Back 83

Oversees endocrine and autonomic nervous system, plays major role in motivation and emotions, connects with endocrine system, is involved in pain and pleasure.

Front 84

What does the amygdala do?

Back 84

Regulates arousal and fear. Organizes emotional responses, is responsible for the initial emotional response to sensory information, plays important role in recognition, mediating anxiety and depression and emotional memory.

Front 85

What does the Hippocampus do?

Back 85

Processes memory for spatial locations and navigation, involved in forming memories, plays role in trauma and integration of emotional significant and fearful memories. Compares sensory info with what the brain expects from the world.

Front 86

What does the cerebellum do?

Back 86

Controls balance and coordinated movement. Concerned with muscle movement, learning, and memory. Involved in remembering smile skills and acquiring reflexes. Plays part in analyzing sensory info, solving problems, and understanding roles.

Front 87

What three categories can the brain stem be categorized into?

Back 87

Midbrain, pons, and medulla.

Front 88

What does the midbrain do?

Back 88

Tracks visual stimuli and reflexes triggered by sound.

Front 89

What does the pons do?

Back 89

Carries nerve impulses form the cortex to cerebellum and other lower parts of the nervous system.

Front 90

What does the medulla do?

Back 90

Plays a role in vital body functions like heart rate and breathing. Death of this equals brain death.

Front 91

What does the spinal cord do?

Back 91

Conveys information between the brain and the rest of the body.