Chapter 2: "the Biology Of Mind" - Psychology, Myers 9Th Edition

Front 1

biological psychology

Back 1

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

Front 2

neuron

Back 2

a nerve cell

the basic building block of the nervous system.

Front 3

sensory neurons

Back 3

neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.

Front 4

motor neurons

Back 4

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.

Front 5

interneurons

Back 5

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.

Front 6

dendrite

Back 6

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

Front 7

axon

Back 7

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

Front 8

myelin sheath

Back 8

a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons.

enables speedier transmission speed of neural impulses.

Front 9

action potential

Back 9

a neural impulse.

a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.

Front 10

threshold

Back 10

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.

Front 11

synapse

Back 11

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.

Front 12

neurotransmitters

Back 12

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.

Front 13

reuptake

Back 13

a neurotransmitters reabsorption by the sending neuron.

Front 14

endorphins

Back 14

natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.

translates to "morphine within"

Front 15

nervous system

Back 15

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

Front 16

central nervous system (CNS)

Back 16

the brain and spinal cord (grouped into...)

Front 17

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Back 17

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body.

Front 18

nerves

Back 18

bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.

Front 19

somatic nervous system

Back 19

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles.

Also called the "skeletal nervous system"

Front 20

autonomic nervous system

Back 20

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs.

Front 21

sympathetic nervous system

Back 21

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

Front 22

parasympathetic nervous system

Back 22

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

Front 23

two divisions of the autonomic nervous system

Back 23

sympathetic, parasympathetic

Front 24

reflex

Back 24

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus.

Front 25

endocrine system

Back 25

the body's "slow" chemical communication system.

a set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood stream.

Front 26

hormones

Back 26

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands.

they travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissue.

Front 27

adrenal glands

Back 27

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress.

secrete: epinephrine and norepinephrine

Front 28

two hormones secreted by adrenal glands

Back 28

epinephrine and norepinephrine

Front 29

pituitary gland

Back 29

Under the influence of the hypothalamus, this gland regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

the endocrine system's most influential gland.

Front 30

lesion

Back 30

tissue destruction.

Front 31

electroencephalogram
(EEG)

Back 31

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface.

Front 32

positron emission tomography scan
(PET)

Back 32

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

Front 33

magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI)

Back 33

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue.

These scans show brain anatomy.

Front 34

functional MRI
(fMRI)

Back 34

a technique for revealing bloodflow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans.

These scans show brain function.

Front 35

brainstem

Back 35

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull.

Responsible for automatic survival functions.

Front 36

medulla

Back 36

the base of the brainstem.

Controls heartbeat and breathing.

Front 37

reticular formation

Back 37

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.

Front 38

thalamus

Back 38

located on top of the brainstem, directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

the brain's sensory switchboard.

Front 39

cerebellum

Back 39

the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; processes sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.

Front 40

limbic system

Back 40

neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associate with emotions and drives.

Includes: hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus.

Front 41

amygdala

Back 41

two lima bean-sized clusters in the limbic system, linked to emotion.

Front 42

hypothalamus

Back 42

a neural structure lying below the thalamus.

Directs several maintenance activities and helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.

Linked to emotion and reward.

Front 43

cerebral cortex

Back 43

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres.

The body's ultimate control and information-processing center.

Front 44

glial cells
(glia)

Back 44

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish and protect neurons.

Front 45

frontal lobes

Back 45

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements.

Front 46

parietal lobes

Back 46

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the read; receives sensory input for touch and body position.

Front 47

occipital lobes

Back 47

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.

Front 48

temporal lobes

Back 48

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear.

Front 49

motor cortex

Back 49

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.

Front 50

sensory cortex

Back 50

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.

Front 51

association areas

Back 51

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions, but in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking and speaking.

Front 52

plasticity

Back 52

the brain's ability to change by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

Front 53

neurogenesis

Back 53

the formation of new neurons

Front 54

corpos callosum

Back 54

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Front 55

split brain

Back 55

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers connecting them.