Neuroscience AP Psych
Terms
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- somatic nervous system
- the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles (also called the skeletal nervous system)
- dendrite
- bushy, branchy extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
- parasympathetic nervous system
- the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving it's energy
- limbic system
- a doughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex. Includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus
- motor cortex
- an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
- action potential
- a neural impulse; brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. Generated by movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon's membrane
- axon
- the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
- threshold
- the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural iimpulse
- adrenal glands
- a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. The adrenals secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) which help to arouse the body in times of stress
- sympathetic nervous system
- the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing energy in stressful situations
- thalamus
- the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem;it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
- neurotransmitters
- chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons
- pituitary gland
- the endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus this gland regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
- myelin sheath
- layer of fatty tissue segmentally increasing the fibers of many neurons; enables much faster transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next
- amygdala
- two almond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion
- glial cells
- cells in the nervous system that support, nourish and protect neurons
- split brain
- the condition in which two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connected fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them
- central nervous system (CNS)
- the brain and spinal cord
- neuron
- a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
- temporal lobes
- the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each of which receives auditory information primarily from the opposite ear
- frontal lobes
- the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements
- interneurons
- CNS neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
- electroencephalogram (EEG)
- an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface
- nervous system
- the body's speedy electrochemical communication system consisting of all of the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system
- occipital lobes
- the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes the visual areas, which receive information from the opposite visual field
- Wernicke's area
- controls language reception-a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe
- motor neurons
- neurons that carry outgoing information from the CNS to the muscles and glands
- corpus callosum
- the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
- reflex
- a simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
- hormones
- chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another
- plasticity
- the brain's capacity for modification, as evident in brain reorganization following damage (especially in children).
- sensory cortex
- the area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations
- nerves
- neural "cables" containing many axons. These bundled axons (part of PNS) connect CNS with muscles, glands, and some organs
- Broca's area
- controls language expression-an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
- hypothalamus
- a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature) helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland and is linked to emotion
- biological psychology
- branch of psychology concerned with links between psychology and behavior
- CT (computed tomography) scan
- a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body
- synapse
- junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
- autonomic nervous system
- the part of the PNS that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart)
- acetylcholine
- a neurotransmitter that triggers muscle contractions
- peripheral nervous system (PNS)
- the sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body
- neural networks
- interconnected neural cells
- brainstem
- the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; is responsible for automatic survival functions
- association areas
- areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
- aphasia
- impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding of language)
- endocrine system
- the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood stream
- medulla
- the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
- cerebral cortex
- the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center
- sensory neurons
- neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the CNS
- reticular formation
- a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important part in controlling arousal
- cerebellum
- the "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem; it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance
- parietal lobes
- the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; includes the sensory cortex
- PET (positron emission tomography) scan
- a visual display of the brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
- a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see the structures within the brain
- lesion
- tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue
- endorphins
- "morphine within" natural opiate-like transmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure