Psychology Test 1: Ch. 3

Front 1

the brain

Back 1

- communicates by using neurons
- has approx. 100 billion neurons
- 160 trillion neuron connections

Front 2

neurons

Back 2

nerve cells specialized for communication

Front 3

central nervous system (CNS)

Back 3

contains brain and spinal cord that enables mind and behavior

Front 4

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Back 4

nerves in the body outside the CNS

Front 5

cerebral cortex

Back 5

outermost part of the forebrain
- analyzes sensory processing
- high brain functions

Front 6

cerebrum (forebrain)

Back 6

gives us our advanced intellectual abilities

Front 7

corpus collosum

Back 7

connects two cerebral hemispheres; large band of fibers

Front 8

frontal lobe

Back 8

forward part of the cerebral cortex containing the motor cortex and the prefrontal cortex; responsible for motor function, language, and memory, decision making

Front 9

motor cortex

Back 9

responsible for body movement

Front 10

prefrontal cortex

Back 10

responsible for thinking, planning, and language

Front 11

Broca's area

Back 11

language area in the prefrontal cortex that helps to control speech production

Front 12

aphasia

Back 12

serious speech deficit that renders a person unable to communicate effectively

Front 13

4 lobes of cerebral cortex

Back 13

1. parietal: upper middle; specialized for touch and perception

2. temporal: lower part; hearing, understanding, language, and memory

3. Wernicke's area: part of temporal lobe involved in understanding speech

4. occipital: back; specialized for vision

Front 14

sensory cortex

Back 14

regions of the cerebral cortex devoted to vision, touch, hearing, balance, taste, and smell

Front 15

association cortex

Back 15

regions of the cerebral cortex that integrate simpler functions to perform more complex functions

Front 16

basal ganglia

Back 16

structures in the forebrain that help to control movement

Front 17

dopamine

Back 17

neurotransmitter that plays a key role in movement and reward

Front 18

basal forebrain

Back 18

region in forebrain containing acetylcholine neurons that affect activity of the cortex

Front 19

acetylcholine

Back 19

neurotransmitter used to control activity, including movement, memory, attention, and dreaming

Front 20

thalamus

Back 20

part of the brain that processes sensory information and serves as a gateway to the cerebral cortex

Front 21

brain stem

Back 21

- between spinal cord and cerebral cortex
- contains medulla, midbrain, and pons

Front 22

midbrain

Back 22

part of the brain stem that lies between the forebrain and hindbrain. It helps to control head and neck reflexes and modulate motor activity

Front 23

reticular activating system (RAS)

Back 23

group of neurons in the brain stem that plays a key role in arousal

Front 24

hindbrain

Back 24

part of brain between spinal cord and midbrain, consisting of the pons, cerebellum, and medulla

Front 25

cerebellum

Back 25

small cerebrum in hindbrain, responsible for our sense of balance

Front 26

pons

Back 26

part of hindbrain that connects the cerebral cortex with cerebellum

Front 27

medulla

Back 27

part of brain stem involved in vital functions such as heartbeat and breathing

Front 28

cerebral ventricles

Back 28

internal waterways of the CNS that carry cerebrospinal fluid, which provides the brain with nutrients and cushioning against injury

Front 29

interneurons

Back 29

neurons that send messages to other neurons nearby and stimulate neurons

Front 30

reflex

Back 30

an automatic motor response to a sensory stimulus like muscle stretch

Front 31

somatic nervous system

Back 31

part of the peripheral nervous system carrying messages from the CNS through the body to control movement

Front 32

limbic system

Back 32

emotional center of the brain that also plays roles in smell, motivation, and memory

Front 33

hypothalamus

Back 33

part of the brain responsible for maintaining a constant internal state

Front 34

amygdala

Back 34

part of limbic system that plays key roles in fear, excitement, and arousal

Front 35

hippocampus

Back 35

part of the brain that plays a role in spatial memory

Front 36

autonomic nervous system

Back 36

part of the peripheral nervous system controlling the involuntary actions of our internal organs and glands, which participates in emotion

Front 37

sympathetic division

Back 37

part of the autonomic nervous system engaged during a crisis, or after actions requiring fight or flight

Front 38

endocrine system

Back 38

system of glands and hormones that controls secretion of blood-borne chemical messengers

Front 39

hormones

Back 39

blood-borne chemical that influences target tissues and glands

Front 40

pituitary gland

Back 40

master gland, which, under the control of the hypothalamus, directs the other glands of body

Front 41

adrenal gland

Back 41

tissue located on top of the kidneys that releases adrenaline and cortisol during states of emotional arousal

Front 42

neurons

Back 42

nerve cells specialized for communication

Front 43

dendrites

Back 43

portions of neurons that receive signals

Front 44

synaptic cleft

Back 44

space between two connecting neurons where neurotransmitters are released

Front 45

axons

Back 45

portions of neurons that send signals

Front 46

synaptic vesicles

Back 46

spherical sacs containing neurotransmitters

Front 47

neurotransmitters

Back 47

chemical messengers specialized for communication and released at the synapse

Front 48

glial cells

Back 48

support cells in nervous system that play roles in the formation of myelin and blood-brain barrier, respond to injury, and remove debris

Front 49

blood-brain barrier

Back 49

glial cells forming a fatty coating that prevents certain substances from entering the brain

Front 50

myelin sheath

Back 50

glial cell wrappers around axons that act as insulators of the neurons signal

Front 51

resting potential

Back 51

electrical charge difference (-70 millivolts) across the neuronal membrane, when the neuron is not being stimulated

Front 52

threshold

Back 52

membrane potential necessary to trigger an action potential

Front 53

action potential

Back 53

regenerative electrical impulse that travels down the axon and allows neurons to communicate

Front 54

absolute refractory period

Back 54

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

Front 55

neurotransmitters

Back 55

intercellular communication among neurons

Front 56

receptor sites

Back 56

locations uniquely recognize a specific neurotransmitter

Front 57

reuptake

Back 57

recycling of neurotransmitters

Front 58

Types of Neurotransmitters

Back 58

1. glutamate
2. gamma-aminobutyric acid
3. aceytlcholine
4. norepinephrine
5. dopamine
6. serotonin
7. endorphins
8. anandamide

Front 59

lesions

Back 59

area of damage due to surgery, injury, or disease

Front 60

electroengephalography

Back 60

recording of brains electrical activity at the surface of the skull

Front 61

computed tomography (CT)

Back 61

a scanning technique using multiple x-rays to construct 3-d images

Front 62

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Back 62

technique that uses magnetic fields to indirectly visualize brain structure

Front 63

positron emission tomography (PET)

Back 63

imaging technique that measures uptake of glucoselike molecules, yielding a picture of regional metabolic activity in brain in different regions

Front 64

functional MRI (fMRI)

Back 64

technique that uses magnetic fields to visualize brain activity

Front 65

transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Back 65

Technique that applies strong and quickly changing magnetic fields to the surface of the skull and that can either enhance or interrupt brain function

Front 66

magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Back 66

measure of brain activity using magnotometers that sense tiny magnetic fields generated by the brain

Front 67

lateralization

Back 67

cognitive function that relies more on one side of the brain than the other

Front 68

left hemisphere

Back 68

fine-tuned language skills
- speech comprehension
- speech production
- phonology
- syntax
- reading
- writing
Actions
- facial expressions
- motion detection

Front 69

Right hemisphere

Back 69

Coarse language skill
- simple speech
- simple writing
- tone of voice
Visuospatial skills
- perceptual grouping
- face perception

Front 70

chromosomes

Back 70

slender threads inside a cell's nucleus that carry genes

Front 71

genes

Back 71

genetic material, composed of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Front 72

genotype

Back 72

our genetic make-up

Front 73

phenotype

Back 73

our observable traits

Front 74

dominant genes

Back 74

genes that mask other genes' effects

Front 75

recessive genes

Back 75

genes that are expressed only in the absence of a dominant gene

Front 76

natural selection

Back 76

principle that organisms that possess adaptations survive and reproduce at a higher rate than other organisms

Front 77

fitness

Back 77

organisms' capacity to pass on their genes

Front 78

heritability

Back 78

percentage of the variability in a trait across individuals that is due to genes

Front 79

family studies

Back 79

analyses of how traits run in families

Front 80

twin studies

Back 80

analyses of how traits differ in identical versus fraternal twins

Front 81

adoption studies

Back 81

analyses of how traits vary in individuals raised apart from their biological relatives

Front 82

plasticity

Back 82

ability of the nervous system to change

Front 83

stem cells

Back 83

unspecialized cells that retain the ability to become wide variety of specialized cells

Front 84

neurogensis

Back 84

creation of new neurons in adult brain