Psychology Chapter 3 study guide

chromosomes:

Strands of DNA wound around each other in a double-helix configuration. (p. 80)

Monozygotic twins share _____ of their genes.

100%

reticular formation

A brain structure that regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal. (p. 70)

pons:

A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain. (p. 70)

cerebellum:

A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills. (p. 70)

amygdala:

A part of the limbic system that plays a central role in many emotional processes, particularly the formation of emotional memories. (p. 73)

temporal lobe:

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language. (p. 75)

frontal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgment. (p. 76)

occipital lobe:

A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information. (p. 74)

parietal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch. (p. 75)

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

A set of nerves that carries involuntary and automatic commands that control blood vessels, body organs, and glands. (p. 66)

parasympathetic nervous system:

A set of nerves that helps the body return to a normal resting state. (p. 67)

sympathetic nervous system:

A set of nerves that prepares the body for action in threatening situations. (p. 67)

basal ganglia

A set of subcortical structures that directs intentional movements. (p. 73)

hippocampus:

A structure critical for creating new memories and integrating them into a network of knowledge so that they can be stored indefinitely in other parts of the cerebral cortex. (p. 72)

hypothalamus

A subcortical structure that regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior. (p. 72)

thalamus:

A subcortical structure that relays and filters information from the senses and transmits the information to the cerebral cortex. (p. 63)

corpus callosum

A thick band of nerve fibers that connects large areas of the cerebral cortex on each side of the brain and supports communication of information across the hemispheres. (p. 74)

hindbrain:

An area of the brain that coordinates information coming into and out of the spinal cord. (p. 70)

medulla:

An extension of the spinal cord into the skull that coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration. (p. 70)

association areas:

Areas of the cerebral cortex that are composed of neurons that help provide sense and meaning to information registered in the cortex. (p. 76)

subcortical structures:

Areas of the forebrain housed under the cerebral cortex near the very center of the brain. (p. 71)

antagonists:

Drugs that block the function of a neurotransmitter. (p. 65)

agonists:

Drugs that increase the action of a neurotransmitter. (p. 64)

How does cardiovascular exercise affect brain structures?

It promotes neuron growth and increased synaptic connections in the hippocampus.

_____ affects dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, influencing the systems that help us perceive visual images.

Methamphetamine

receptors:

Parts of the cell membrane that receive the neurotransmitter and initiate or prevent a new electric signal. (p. 63)

pituitary gland:

The "master gland" of the body's hormone-producing system, which releases hormones that direct the functions of many other glands in the body. (p. 72)

cerebral cortex:

The outermost layer of the brain, divided into two hemispheres. (p. 73

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

The part of the nervous system that connects the central nervous system to the body's organs and muscles.

gene:

The unit of hereditary transmission. (p. 80

L-dopa is a drug given to individuals with Parkinson's disease. This drug helps with the symptoms of the disease because it is a(n) _____ for dopamine.

agonist

Alice thinks she's having a stroke. Which of the following would be the best method to use in diagnosing a stroke?

an MRI

Compared with the _____, we have voluntary control over the _____.

autonomic nervous system; somatic nervous system

Which of the following is the correct sequence for information travelling within a single neuron?

axon, cell body, dendrites

Within a neuron, information is transmitted as a(n) _____ from the dendrites to the cell body and throughout the axon

electrical signal

What guides the development of the brain for both an individual and a species?

genes

Damage to this area of the brain can be deadly as this structure controls heart rate, respiration, and circulation.

medulla