Ap psych voacb quiz Unit 2
neuron
our body's nerve cells which make up the nervous system.
dendrites
thin fibers that receive the message from other neurons and pass the message through to the cell body.
axon
a long, tubular structure in a neuron that transmits action potentials.
soma
the part of a neuron that contains its nucleus and other standard cellular structures.
myelin sheath
a fatty substance that coats an axon, insulating it and enhancing its ability to transmit action potentials.
nodes of Ranvier
gaps in the myelin sheath coating on the neural axon.
synapse
the small gap between the axon of a presynaptic neuron and the dendrites of a postsynaptic neuron.
resting potential
the state in which a neuron is not transmitting a nerve impulse.
action potential
a rapid sequence of changes in the voltage across a membrane.
refractory period
the recovery time that a neuron needs between action potentials.
depolarization
process that carries the neural impulse through the axon.
threshold
the lowest point at which a particular stimulus will cause a response in an organism.
all-or-none response
the strength of a response of a nerve cell or muscle fiber is not dependent upon the strength of the stimulus.
reuptake
the process by which the presynaptic neuron reabsorbs its released neurotransmitter.
inhibitory neurotransmitters
send signals to calm the brain down and create balance.
excitatory neurotransmitters
a neurotransmitter that causes a postsynaptic neuron to propagate more action potentials.
agonist
drugs that mimic a particular neurotransmitter, activating the same receptors that it does.
antagonist
drugs that block a particular neurotransmitter from activating its receptors.
neurotransmitters
A specialized chemical messenger that sends signals between neurons.
dopamine
a neurotransmitter involved in mood, movement, attention, and learning.
serotonin
a neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, mood, appetite, and body temperature.
endorphin
neurotransmitters linked to reduced pain and increased pleasure.
GABA
the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system.
acetylcholine
a neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory, and muscle contraction.
norepinephrine
a neurotransmitter important in controlling alertness, wakefulness, mood, and attention.
central nervous system
composed of the brain and spinal cord.
peripheral nervous system
connects our sensory and motor neurons to the CNS.
autonomic nervous system
controls our internal organs and glands and is generally considered to be outside the realm of voluntary control.
somatic nervous system
in charge of controlling voluntary movements of our skeletal muscles.
sympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.
parasympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy.
neurons/nerves
our body's nerve cells which make up the nervous system.
afferent (sensory) neurons
specialized neurons located in the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin.
efferent (motor) neurons
the nerves responsible for carrying signals away from the central nervous system in order to initiate an action.
interneurons
connect sensory neurons to motor neurons.
reflex
innate motor responses that are triggered by specific patterns of sensory stimulation.
endocrine system
a system of glands that secretes hormones into the circulatory system.
hormones
chemical messengers that are secreted by endocrine glands.
adrenal glands
a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above. the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.
pituitary gland
the "master gland" of the endocrine system. (secrete growth hormones.
thyroid
an endocrine gland located in the necks of people and other vertebrate animals that secretes the hormones that control metabolism and growth.
gonads
the sex organs in a male or female animal which make the cells needed to produce babies.
pancreas
an internal organ that secretes hormones that regulate blood sugar levels.
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface.
lesioning
tissue destruction. It is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.
Computerized Tomography (CT)
a radiographic technique for quickly producing detailed, three-dimensional images of the brain or other soft tissues.
Positron Emissions Tomography (PET)
a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.
Magnetic Resonance Imagining (MRI)
a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imagining (fMRI)
a technique for revealing blood flow, and therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans.
brain stem
the part of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord.
medulla
controls automatic (involuntary) functions of the body, such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.
pons
regulates several functions including hearing, equilibrium, taste, and facial sensations and movements.
reticular formation
nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.
cerebellum
plays a role in motor control and movement including balance, subtle movement, and equilibrium.
limbic system
the overall system of the brain that regulates emotions and controls behavior.
amygdala
responsible for fear responses and learning out of fearful situations.
hypothalamus
a structure that controls the pituitary gland and helps regulate hunger, thirst, flight or fight, and sex.
thalamus
directs messages to the sensory areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
hippocampus
responsible for the formation of memory and processes explicit memories for storage.
cerebral cortex
the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that cover the cerebral hemispheres.
glial cells (glia)
non-neuronal cells that provide support and protection for neurons located in the central nervous system.
frontal lobes
deals with problem-solving, decision-making, planning, and judgment.
motor cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movements.
parietal lobes
located at the top of the brain, between the frontal and occipital lobes. It consists of the somatosensory cortex and is responsible for integrating sensory information from different parts of the body.
somatosensory cortex
the site that registers touch, pressure, temperature, and pain in the cerebral cortex.
occipital lobes
the central area for visual processing, visual perception, and color recognition.
temporal lobes
primary function is processing auditory sensory input.
association areas
areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions.
Broca's area
responsible for speech production and language comprehension.
Wernicke's area
the language area that is responsible for comprehending spoken word as well as formulating written and spoken language.
plasticity
our brain's ability to reorganize itself after an accident or tragedy OR modify itself in response to experience/a change.
neurogenesis
the formation of new neurons.
corpus callosum
thick bundle of nerve fibers that connects left & right hemispheres.
split brain
a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them.
substance use disorder
continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk.
psychoactive drug
drugs that change the chemistry of the brain.
tolerance
a need to increase the dose markedly over time to achieve the same desired effect.
addiction
a compulsive, maladaptive dependence on a substance or a behavior.
withdrawal
the term used to describe the symptoms that occur when a person ends the use of an addictive substance.
depressants
one classification of drugs that reduce or slow our neural activity and body functions.
alcohol use disorder
a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences.
barbiturates
a class of drugs derived from barbituric acid that act as depressants to the central nervous system.
opiates
depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety as well.
stimulants
chemicals known to stimulate the nervous system. It will excite neural activity and body functions.
amphetamines
a class of central nervous system stimulants with a similar chemical structure, including amphetamine, methamphetamine, dextroamphetamine, ephedrine, and others.
nicotine
a stimulant, an alkaloid obtained primarily from the tobacco plant.
cocaine
a stimulant because it is known to excite neural processes and body functions.
methamphetamine
a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the nervous system, which speeds up body functions and associated mood and energy changes.
ecstasy (MDMA)
synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen that makes euphoria and social intimacy.
hallucinogens
another classification of drugs that are known to distort perception and evoke sensory images without any actual sensory input.
LSD
a hallucinogen, which means it alters the user's perception of reality and can cause psychotic symptoms.
THC
major active ingredient in marijuana.