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| A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system |
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| the part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell's life support center |
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| a neuron's often bushy, branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses towards the cell body |
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| the segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or other muscles or glands |
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| a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; It enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next |
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| cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons. They may also play a role in thinking, learning, and memory. |
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| A neural impulse; A brief electrical charge that travels down the axon |
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| The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse. |
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| in neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to it's resting state |
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| a neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full strength response) or not firing. |
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| the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cliff. |
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| Chemical messengers that cross the snyaptic gap between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing wether that neuron will generate a neural impulse. |
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| a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by a sending neuron |
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| Where neurotransmitters bind on the receiving neuron |
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| Neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning and memory. Ex of malfunction: With Alzheimer's disease, ACh producing neurons deteriorate. |
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| Neurotransmitter that influences movement , learning, attention, and emotion. Ex. of malfunction: Oversupply linked to schizophrenia. Undersupply linked to tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson's disease |
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| Neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal. Ex. of Malfunction: Undersupply linked to depression. |
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| Neurotransmitter linked to controlling alertness + arousal. Ex. of malfunction: Undersupply can depress mood |
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| GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid) |
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| Major inhibitory Neurotransmitter known for calming the body. Ex. of Malfunction: Undersupply linked to insomnia, tremors, and seizures |
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| A major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory. Ex. of Malfunction:Oversupply can overstimulate the brain, leading to migraines or seizures |
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| Neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain and pleasure. Oversupply with opiate drugs can supress the body's natural supply |
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| Involved in pain perception and memory. Ex. Of malfunction: Oversupply can lead to chronic pain. |
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| A molecule that increases a neurotransmitter's action by either increasing production or release of neurotransmitters, or by blocking synaptic uptake, or even by mimicking the neurotransmitter and binding to it's receptor. |
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| A molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter's action by blocking production or release, or by blocking the recptor site but not activating it |
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| the body's "slow" chemical communication system: a set of glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. |
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| chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues |
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| Most influential endocrine gland that controls growth hormones, sends messages to other parts of the endocrine system. Controlled itself by the hypothalumus. |
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| a chemical substance that alters the brain, causing changes in perception and mood. |
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| a disorder characterized by the continued use of a substance despite resulting life disruption |
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| Drugs such as alcohol, barbiturates(tranquilizers), and opioids that calm the nervous system |
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| A depressant and a disinhibitor that slows neural processing, disrupts memory, and reduces self-awareness, |
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| Barbiturates (Tranquilizers) |
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| Depressant that is sometimes prescribed to induce sleep or reduce anxiety. In larger doses, can impair memory and judgement |
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| Depress neural functioning, includes heroin, methadone, and narcotics. After repeated use, the brain stops producing it's own endorphins |
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| Drugs that excite neural activity and seed up body functions |
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| Highly addictive stimulant that over the short term calms anxiety, boosts mental efficiency, and reduces sensitivity to pain. Found in tobacco products |
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| powerfully addictive stimulant. Enters the bloodstream quickly and produces a rush of euphoria. Within the hour, the user crashes. Powerfully stimulates the brain's reward pathways. |
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| Triggers the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, stimulating brain cells that enhance energy and mod for around 8 hours. Overtime use reduces baseline dopamine levels in users |
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| Stimulant and mild hallucinogen. |
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| Hallucinogen that causes a range of emotions that vary based on user's mood and expectations. Also causes intense visual and auditory hallucinations. |
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| Hallucinogen that relaxes and disinhibits while also amplifying senses and distorting time. |
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| When a user of a drug needs more and more to achieve the same effect |
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| Unpleasant mental or physical symptoms when discontinuing a drug |
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| psychological or physical dependance on a drug |
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| Looks at link between biological factors and the resulting behavior or mental process. Includes genetic predispositions, genetic mutations, natural selection's influence, and epigenetics |
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| Looks at link between psychological influences and the resulting behavior or mental process. Includes learned fears/responses, emotional responses, and cognitive processing and perceptual interpretations |
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| Social-Cultural Infleunces |
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| Looks at link between social-cultural influences and the resulting behavior or mental process. Includes presence of others, cultural, societal, and family expectations, peer/group influences, and compelling models (Ex. The media) |
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| Biopsychosocial Approach to psychology |
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| integrates three levels of analysis into one(biological, psychological, and socio-cultural) |
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| The brain's ability to change and adapt, especially during childhood, by repairing or building new pathways |
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| tissue destruction. Brain lesions can occur from disease, surgery, or experimentally. |
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| an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain's surface measured by electrodes placed on the scalp. |
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| a brain imaging technique by isolating and measuring the brain's natural magnetic waves |
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| takes X-ray photographs to measure brain structure |
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| detects brain activity by displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes in the brain when preforming a certain task |
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| uses magnetic fields and radiowaves to show brain structure |
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| Reveals blood flow in the brain by comparing various MRI scans, thereby showing brain structure and function |
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| central innermost core of the brain Responsible for automatic survival functions. Crossover point for nerves to and from the body |
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| The slight swelling part of the spinal cord as it enters the skull at the base of the brainstem that controls breathing and heartbeat |
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| Area of the brainstem right above the medulla that helps coordinate movements and control sleep |
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| Right above the brainstem, acts as the brain's sensory control center/hub . Receives all senses except smell, and routes that to the other respective brain regions. Also receives some of the replies from those regions, which it directs to the medulla and cerebellum. |
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| Nerve network that extends from the spinal cord through the thalamus. Filters some of the brainstem's incoming information and routes important info to other brain areas. Also controls arousal/ our state of alertness. |
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| At the rear of the brainstem. Processes sensory input, coordinate movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory. |
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| Neural system located mostly in the forebrain (below the cerebral hemispheres) that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, thalamus, and pituitary gland. It is assosiated with emotions and drives |
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| Neural clusters in the limbic system linked to emotion, fear, and rage. |
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| Just below the thalamus in the limbic system. Helps regulate a homeostatic state, helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion and reward. |
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| Neural center in the limbic system that helps process explicit (conscious) Memories of facts and events for storage |
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| Around the back and top-most portion of the brain that is the ultimate control and information processing center. |
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| Connects the two hemispheres of the brain |
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| Portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead. Enables linguistic processing, muscle movements, higher order thinking, and executive functioning |
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| Portion of the cerebral cortex lying towards the top rear of the head, receives sensory input for touch and body position |
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| the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head, includes areas that receive information form the visual fields |
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| Portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears. Includes auditory areas, each of which primarily receives information form the opposite ear. Also enables language processing. |
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| A cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations |
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| Large in intelligent animals, Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions, but rather are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking |
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| our subjective awareness of ourselves and our enviroment |
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