Chapter 2 Experience Psychology Laura King

thalamus

"The forebrain structure that sits at the top of the brainstem and the brains central core and serves as an important relay station relays info between lower and higher brain centers"

hippocampus

"The structure in the limbic system that has a special role in the storage of memories A structure of the brain in the medial temporal lobe; damage or removal can result in amnesia."

oxytocin

"hormone and neurotransmitter that plays imp. role in love and social bonding. -released in new mothers for nursing and bonding -released in orgasm to form romantic bond with partner

serotonin

"involved in the regulation of sleep, mood, attention, and learning. Low levels lead to depression

endorphins

"natural opiates" that mainly stimulate the firing of neurons, shield body from pain, and elevate feelings of pleasure

DNA

A complex molecule in the cells chromosomes that carry genetic information

Limbic system

A loosely connected network system of structures under the cerebral cortex, important in both memory and emotion. Its two principal structures are the amygdala and the hippocampus

GABA

A neurotransmitter found throughout the nervous system, believed to be in approx. 1/3 of the brain's synapses. It helps control the precision of signals being carried from one neuron to the next by keeping many neurons from firing. Low levels of this are linked with anxiety

Genotype

A person's genetic heritage. His or her actual genetic material

Motor cortex

A region in the cerebral cortex that processes information about voluntary movement, located just behind the frontal lobes

hypothalamus

A small forebrain structure located just below the thalamus that controls body temperature, hunger, important aspects of parenting and attachment behaviors, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and circadian rhythms.

Reticular formation

A system in the Midbrain comprising a diffused collection of neurons involved in stereo type patterns of behavior such as walking, sleeping, and turning to attend to a sudden noise

Amygdala

An almond shaped structure located at the base of the temporal lobe associated with emotional memory formation & discrimination of objects necessary for organism's survival such as appropriate food, mates, and social rivals

Prefrontal cortex

An important part of the frontal lobes that is involved in the higher cognitive functioning such as planning, reasoning, and self control

Phenotype

An individual's observable characteristics

Midbrain

Area located between the hindbrain and forebrain that helps relay information for vision and hearing. Consists of many nerve fiber systems ascending and descending to connect the higher and lower portions of the brain.

cerebellum

Brain structure involved with motor coordination and motor learning

Hormones

Chemical messengers that are produced by the endocrine glands and carried by the bloodstream to all parts of the body

Adrenal glands

Glands at the top of each kidney that are responsible for regulating moods, energy level, and the ability to cope with stress

Chromosomes

In the human cell, threadlike structures that come in 23 pairs, one member of each pair originating from each parent, and that contain DNA

basal ganglia

Large neuron clusters located above the thalamus and under the cerebral cortex that work with the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex to control and coordinate voluntary movement

Broca's area

Located in the brain left hemisphere and it is involved in the control of speech. Individuals with damage to this area of the brain have problems saying words correctly

glands

Organs or tissues in the body that create chemicals that control many of our bodily functions

Pituitary gland

Pea-sized endocrine gland protruding off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain which functions as an important link between the nervous system and the endocrine system and releases many hormones which affect growth, sexual development, metabolism and the system of reproduction

Frontal lobes

Portions of the cerebral cortex located behind the forehead involved in personality, intelligence, and the control of voluntary movement.

Somatosensory cortex

Region located at the front of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex that process information about body sensations

stress

Response of individuals to environmental strain and threats to survival

Association cortex

Sometimes called Association areas, the region of the cerebral cortex that is the site of the highest intellectual functions, such as thinking and problem solving

Parietal lobes

Structures at the top and toward the rear of the head that are involved in registering spatial location, attention, and motor control

Temporal lobes

Structures in the cerebral cortex that are located just above the ears and are involved in hearing, language processing, and memory

occipital lobes

Structures located at the back of the head that respond to visual stimuli

Endocrine system

The body system consisting of a set of glands that regulate the activities of certain organs by releasing their chemical products into the bloodstream

central nervous system

The brain and spinal cord.

Forebrain

The brains largest division and its most forward part

gene-environment interaction

The interaction of a specific measured variation in DNA and a specific measured aspect of the environment

Corpus callosum

The large bundle of axons that connect the brains 2 hemispheres, responsible for relaying information between the two sides

Acetylcholine

The neurotransmitter responsible for motor control at the junction between nerves and muscles; also involved in mental processes such as learning, memory, sleeping, and dreaming. (See page 84)

neocortex

The outer most part of the cerebral cortex making up 80 percent of the human brains cortex

Wernicke's area

The portion of the left hemisphere that is involved in understanding language. Individuals with damage to this area cannot comprehend words, they hear the words but do not know what they mean

genes

The units of hereditary information, consisting of short segments of chromosomes composed of DNA

stressor

a circumstance or event that threatens an individual's survival, taxes their coping ability, and causes physiological changes to the body to help it handle intense stress.

antagonist

a drug that blocks a neurotransmitters effects. ex. treating schizo's

agonist

a drug that often mimics or increases work of neurotransmitter, they can also block their effects

myelin sheath

a layer of fat cells that encases and insulates most axons

afferent nerves

also called sensory nerves: nerves that carry info about the external environment to the brain and spinal cord via sensory receptors

Efferent nerves

also called sensory nerves; nerves that carry information out of the brain and spinal cord to other areas of the body

Brain stem

brain area that includes much of the hindbrain (excluding the cerebellum) and midbrain connects with the spinal cord at its lower end and then extends upward to encase the reticular formation in the midbrain

neurotransmitters

chemical substances that are stored in very tiny sacs within the terminal buttons and involved in transmitting information across a synaptic gap to the next neuron

reticular formation

diffuse collection of neurons involved in arousal and stereotyped patterns such as walking

dopamine

helps to control voluntary movement and affects sleep, mood, attention, learning and ability to recognize awards in the environment. too much=schizophrenia. too little= parkinsons disease

norepinephrine

inhibits the firing of neurons in the CNS, but it excites the heart muscle, intestines, and urogenital tract. Stress stimulates the release of this hormone

hindbrain

located at the skulls rear, the lowest portion of the brain, consisting of the medulla, cerebellum, and pons

neural networks

networks of nerve cells that integrate sensory input and motor output

neurons

one of two types of cells in the nervous system; neurons are the nerve cells that handle the information-processing function

medulla

part of brain that governs breathing and reflexes

pons

part of brain that governs sleep and arousal

autonomic nervous system

system of neural networks that takes messages to and from the body's internal organs, monitoring such processes as breathing, heart rate, and digestion

nervous system

system of the body's electrochemical communication circuitry

somatic nervous system

the body system consisiting of the sensory nerves, whose function is to convey info from the skin and muscles to the CNS about conditions such as pain and temperature, and the motor nerves, whose function is to tell muscles what to do

plasticity

the brain's capacity for change

action potential

the brief wave of positive electrical charge that sweeps down the axon

all-or-nothing principle

the brief wave of positive electrical impulse reaches a certain level of intensity (threshold), fires, and moves all the way down the axon without losing any intensity

peripheral nervous system

the network of nerves that connects the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body

Cerebral cortex

the outermost layer of gray matter that governs higher brain functions such as thinking, learning, consciousness, motor control, sensory input and association.

sympathetic nervous system

the part of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body to mobilize it for action and thus is involved in the experience of stress

parasympathetic nervous system

the part of the body autonomic nervous system that calms the body

axon

the part of the neuron that carries info away from the cell body toward other cells

soma

the part of the neuron that contains the nucleus, which directs the manufacture of substances that the neuron needs for growth and maintenance (cell body)

glial cells

the second of the two types of cells in the nervous system that provide support, nutritional benefits, and other functions and keep neurons running smoothly

resting potential

the stable, negative charge of an inactive neuron

synapses

tiny spaces between neurons; the gaps between neurons

dendrites

treelike fibers projecting from a neuron, which receive information and orient it toward the neuron's cell body