AP Psych Ch 4

biological psychology

the psychological specialty focused on the physical and chemical changes that cause, and occur in response to, behavior and mental processes

nervous system

a complex combination of cells whose primary function is to allow an organism to gain information about what is going on inside and outside the body and to respond appropriately

neurons

fundamental unit of the nervous system; nerve cells

glial cells

cells in the nervous system that hold neurons together and help them communicate with one another

axons

fibers that carry signals from the body of a neuron out to where communication occurs with other neurons

dendrites

neuron fibers that receive signals from the axons of other neurons and carry those signals to the cell body

synapses

the tiny gaps between neurons across which they communicate

action potential

an abrupt wave of electrochemical changes traveling down an axon when a neuron becomes depolarized

myelin

a fatty substance that wraps around some axons and increases the speed of action potentials

refractory period

a short rest period between action potentials

neurotransmitters

chemicals that assist in the transfer of signals from one neuron to another

neural receptors

sites on the surface of a cell that allow only one type of neurotransmitter to fit into them, triggering a chemical response that may lead to an action potential

postsynaptic potential

the change in the membrane potential of a neuron that has received stimulation from another neuron

excitatory postsynaptic potential

a postsynaptic potential that depolarizes the neuronal membrane, making the cell more likely to fire an action potential

inhibitory postsynaptic potential

a postsynaptic potential that hyper polarizes the neuronal membrane, making a cell less likely to fire an action potential

neural networks

neurons that operate together to preform complex functions

central nervous system

the parts of the nervous system encased in bone; specifically the brain and the spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

the parts of the nervous system not housed in bone

autonomic nervous system

a subsystem of the peripheral nervous system that carries messages between the central nervous system and the heart, lungs, and other organs and glands

sympathetic nervous system

the subsystem of the autonomic nervous system that readies the body for vigorous activity

parasympathetic nervous system

the subsystem of the autonomic nervous system that typical influences activity related to the protection, nourishment, and growth in the body

spinal cord

the part of the central nervous system within the spinal column that relays signals from peripheral senses to the brain and conveys messages from the brain to the rest of the body

reflexes

involuntary, unlearned, reactions in the form of swift, automatic, and finely coordinated movements in response to external stimuli

hindbrain

an extension of the spinal cord contained inside the skull where nuclei control blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and other vital functions

medulla oblongata

an area in the hindbrain that controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and other vital functions

reticular formation

a network of cells and fibers threaded throughout the hindbrain and midbrain that alters the activity of the rest of the brain

lorcus coeruleus

a small nucleus in the reticular formation that is involved in directing attention

cerebellum

the part of the hindbrain whose main functions include controlling finely coordinated movements and storing memories about movement but which may also be involved in impulse control, emotion, and language

midbrain

a small structure between the hindbrain and forebrain that relays information from the eyes, ears, and skin and that controls certain types of automatic behaviors

substantia nigra

an area of the midbrain involved in the smooth beginning of movement

striatum

a structure within the forebrain that is involved in the smooth beginning of movement

forebrain

the most highly developed part of the brain; it is responsible for the most complex aspects of behavior and mental life

thalamus

a forebrain structure that relays signals from most sense organs to higher levels in the brain and plays an important role in processing and making sense out of this information.

hypothalamus

a structure in the forebrain that connects to and from the autonomic nervous system that regulates hunger, thirst, and sex drive

superchiasmatic nuclei

nuclei in the hypothalamus that generate biological rhythms

amygdala

a structure in the forebrain associated with the formation of new memories

limbic system

a set of brain structures that play important roles in regulating emotion and memory

cerebral hemispheres

the left and right halves of the rounded, outermost part of the brain

cerebral cortex

the outer surface of the brain

sensory cortex (sensory area)

the parts of the cerebral cortex that receive stimulus information from the senses

motor cortex

the part of the cerebral cortex whose neurons control voluntary movements in the specific parts of the body

association cortex

the parts of the cerebral cortex that receive information from more than one sense or that combine sensory and motor information to preform complex cognitive tasks

lateral dominance (lateralization)

the tendency for one cerebral hemisphere to excel at a particular function or skill compared with the other hemisphere

corpus callosum

a massive bundle of fibers that connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres and allows them to communicate with each other

neural plasticity

the ability to create new synapses and to change the strength of synapses

neural stem cells

special cells in the nervous system that are capable of dividing to form new tissue, including new neurons

acetycholine

a neurotransmitter used by neurons in the peripheral and central nervous systems in the control of functions ranging from muscle contraction and heart rate to digestion

norepinephrine

a neurotransmitter involved in arousal, as well as in learning and mood regulation

serotonin

a neurotransmitter used by cells in parts of the brain involved in the regulation of sleep, mood, and eating

dopamine

a neurotransmitter used in the parts of the brain involved in regulating movement and experiencing pleasure

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

a neurotransmitter that inhibits the firing of neurons

glutamate

an excitatory neurotransmitter that helps strengthen synaptic connections between neurons.

endorphins

a class of neurotransmitters that bind to opiate receptors and moderate pain

endocrine system

cells that form organs called glands and that communicate with one another by secreting chemicals called hormones

glands

organs that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

hormones

chemicals secreted by a gland into the bloodstream, which carries them throughout the body

fight or flight syndrome

a physical reaction triggered by the sympathetic nervous system that prepares the body to fight or to run from a threatening situation