20512112
Description
Flashcards by Nuria Nácher Soler, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Nuria Nácher Soler
almost 5 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| MENTAL PROCESSES | Sets of operations that worl together to carry out a function |
| NEURONS | Cells that receive signals from sense organs or other neurons, processes these signals, and sends the signals to muscles, organs, or other neurons. Basic units of the nervous system |
| SENSORY NEURONS | Neurons that respond to signals from sensory organs and transmit those signals to the brain and spinal cord |
| MOTOR NEURONS | Neurons that send signals to muscles in order to control movement |
| INTERNEURONS | Neurons that are connected to other neurons, not to sense organs or muscles |
| BRAIN CIRCUITS | Sets of neurons that work together to receive input, operate on it in some way, and produce specific output |
| CELL BODY | Central part of a neuron. Contains the nucleus. Controls the cell´s metabolic activities and integrates outputs |
| CELL MEMBRANE | "Skin" that surrounds the cell |
| AXON | Sending end of the neuron. Long cable-like structure extending from the cell body. Conducts the nerve impulse away from the cell body |
| TERMINAL BUTTON | Structure at the end of the branch of an axon that can release chemicals into the space between neurons when their neuron has been triggered |
| DENDRITE | Treelike art of a neuron that receives messages from the axons of other neurons or from the environment |
| RESTING POTENTIAL | When neurons rest, they maintain a negative charge within them, which is the resting potential. Arises because of how irons are distributed inside and outside the cell |
| ACTION POTENTIAL | The shifting change in charge that moves down the axon |
| ALL-OR-NONE LAW | Either the action potential occurs or it doesn´t |
| MYELIN | Fatty substance that helps impulses efficiently travel down the axon |
| SYNAPSE | Place where an azon of one neuron sends signals to the membrane of another neuron. Includes the sending portions of an axon, the receiving portions of the receiving neuron, and the space between them |
| SYNAPTIC CLEFT | Gap in the synaapse between the axon of one neuron and the membrane of another across which communication occurs |
| NEUROTRANSMITTER | Chemical that carries a signal from the terminal button of 1 neuron to the dendrite or cell body of another |
| ENDOGENOUS CANNABINOID | Neurotransmitter released by the receiving neuron that then influences the activity of the sending neuron. Fine-tune activity underlying learning, memory, pain perception, attention. Found in marijuana |
| RECEPTORS | Specialized site on a dendrite or cell body where a neurotransmitter molecule attaches itself. Receives only one type of neurotransmitter |
| EXCITATORY INPUTS | The receiving neuron is more likely to have an action potential |
| INHIBITORY INPUTS | The receiving neuron is less likely to have an action potential |
| REUPTAKE | Process by which a neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft is reabsorbed back into the sending neuron so that the neuron can effectively fire again |
| AGONIST | Chemical that mimics the effects of a neurotransmitter by activating a type of receptor |
| ANTAGONIST | Chemical that blocks the effect of a neurotransmitter |
| GLIAL CELLS | Type of cell that helps neurons to form both synapses anc connections when the brain is developing and influences the communication among neurons. Physically cushion neurons. Provide nutrients to neurons Clean up the remains of dead neurons |
| AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS) | One of the parts of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). Controls the smooth muscles in the body, some glandular functions, and many of the body´s self-regulation activities. Controls activities not under conscious control. Divided into: Sympathetic Nervous System and Parasympathetic Nervous System |
| SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM | Part of the ANS that "activates" the body like increasing breathing rate to deliver more oxygen, producing sweat, etc. Tends to affect all the organs at the same time |
| PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM | Part of the ANS that tends to counteract Sympathetic Nervous System´s effects. Tends to affect organs one at a time or in small groups |
| SENSORY-SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (SSNS) | Part of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) that consists of the neurons in the sensory organs that convey information to the brain as well as neurons that actually trigger muscles and glands |
| SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM | Consists of nerves that are attached to muscles that can be used voluntarily |
| SPINAL CORD | Flexible rope of neurons and their connections that runs inside the backbone (spinal column) |
| MENINGES | Three protective layered membranes that cover the brain |
| CEREBRAL HEMISPHERE | A left or right half-brain. Shaped roughly like a sphere |
| CORPUS CALLOSUM | Large boundle of axons that connects the 2 halves of the brain |
| CEREBRAL CORTEX | Convoluted pinkish-gray outer layer of the brain where more mental processes arise. Contains the cell bodies of neuors. It is the gray matter |
| SULCI | Creases in the cerebral cortex |
| GYRI | Bulges between the sulci in the cerebral cortex |
| SUBCORTICAL STRUCTURES | Parts of the brain located under the cerebral cortex. Also contain gray matter |
| BRAIN SYSTEM | Set of brain circuits that work together to accomplish a particular task |
| OCCIPITAL LOBES | Brain lobes at the back of the head. Concerned entirely with different aspects of vision. Characterize properties of viewed objects |
| TEMPORAL LOBES | Brain lobes under the temples, infron ot he ears. Many functions: processign sound, entering new information into memory, comprehending language... |
| PARIETAL LOBES | Brain lobes at the top, rear of the brain. Many functions: attention, arithmetic, touch, registering spatial location... |
| FRONTAL LOBES | Brain lobes located behind the forehead, critically involved in planning, memory search, motor control, speech control, reasoning, emotions |
| FOREBRAIN | Cortex, thalamus, limbic system and basal ganglia |
| THALAMUS | Messages are received, redirected to the appropriate destination. Sensory systems, motor systems that control muscles have connections here, before routing to other parts of the brain. Role in controlling sleep, attention |
| HYPOTHALAMUS | Sits under the thalamus. Critical for mantaining bodily functions |
| HIPPOCAMPUS | Plays a key role in allowing us to enter new information into the brain´s memory bank. Triggers processes that store new infomation elsewhere in the brain |
| AMYGDALA | Plays a special role in strong emotions. Affects whether a person can correctly interpret emotions in facial expression |
| LIMBIC SYSTEM | Hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus |
| BASAL GANGLIA | Outer sides of thalami. Involved in planning and producing movement. Play a central role in learning habits (not learning facts). Relies on dopamine |
| NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS | Part of the basal ganglia. Needs dopamine for operation. Play a crucial role in the brain´s response to reward, anticipation of reward |
| MEDULLA | Lowest part of the brainsem. Important in automatic control of breathing, swallowing, blood circulation |
| PONS | Bridge connecting the medulla and midbrain. Connects the upper parts of the brain to the cerebellum. Involved in a variety of functions |
| CEREBELLUM | Physical coordination, estimating time, paying attention |
| HINDBRAIN | Medulla, pons, cerebellum, parts of the reticular formation |
| MIDBRAIN | Grouping of the remaining brainstem structures |
| HORMONES | Chemicals that are produced by a gland and can act as a neurotransmitter substance. Affect organs of the body, thoughts, feelings, behavior |
| NEUROENDOCRINE SYSTEM | Makes hormones that affects many bodily funcions. Provides CNS with information |
| PITUITARY GLAND | Regulates other glands, but it iself controlled by the brain |
| LESION | Region of impaired brain tissue |
| ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPH | Machine that records electrical activity in the brain |
| ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG) | Tracing of brain waves of electrical fluctuation over time |
| MAGNETOENCEPHALOGRAPHY (MEG) | Technique for assessing brain activity that relies on recording magnetic waves produced by neural activity. Good for recording very fast changes in neural firing |
| COMPUTER-ASSISTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT OR CAT) | Neuroimaging technique that produces a 3D image of brain structures using X-rays |
| MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI) | Technique that uses magnetic properties of atoms to take sharp pictures of the 3D structure of the brain |
| POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY (PET) | Neuroimaging technique that uses small amounts of a radioactive substance to track blood flow or enery consumption in the brain |
| FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (fMRI) | Type of MRI that detects the amount of oxygen being brought to particular praces in the brain, which indicates how active those neurons are |
| TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION (TMS) | Technique in which the brain is stimulated from outside by putting a coil on a person´s head and delivering a magnetic pulse |
| MENDELIAN INHERITANCE | The transmission of characteristics by individual elements of inheritance, each acting separately |
| GENE | Stretch of the DNA molecule that produces a specific protein |
| GENOTYPE | Genetic code within an organism |
| PHENOTYPE | Observable structure and behavior of an organism |
| COMPLEX INHERITANCE/ POLYGENETIC INHERITANCE | Transmission of characteristics by the joint action of combinations of gener working together |
| PLASTICIY | Brain´s ability to change as a result of experience; pruning and adding new connections |
| PASSIVE INTERACTION | Occurs when genetically shaped behavioral tendencies of parents or siblings produce an environment that is passively received by the child |
| BEHAVIORAL GENETICS | Field in which researchers attempt to determine the extent to which the differences among people´s behaviors and psychological characteristics are due to their different genes or to differences in their environments |
| HERITABILITY | Degree to which the variability of a characteristic or ability in a population is due to genetics, given a specific environment |
| EVOLUTION | Gene-based changes in the characteristics or abilities of members of a species over successive generations |
| NATURAL SELECTION | Occurs when individuals with inherited characteristics that contribute to survival have more offspring, and over time those characteristics come to be widespread in a population |
| ADAPTATION | An inherited characteristic that increases an organism´s ability to survive and reproduce successfully |
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