AP Psychology Unit 2 - Biological Psychology Vocab

Cerebrum

Area of the brain responsible for all voluntary activities of the body

Dendrite

Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.

Plasticity

a property of the brain that allows it to change as a result of experience or injury

Reflex

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

Axon

a threadlike extension of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body

Sympathetic Nervous System

activates body during emergency situations (fight or flight response)

Motor Cortex

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

Wernicke's Area

an area of the left temporal lobe involved in language comprehension and expression

Association Areas

areas involved in higher mental functioning (learning, remembering, thinking, speaking)

Hypothalamus

brain region controlling the pituitary gland

Glial Cells (Glia)

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

Hormones

chemical substances that carry messages through the body in blood

Endocrine System

collection of glands that produce hormones that regulate body functions including growth and development

Interneurons

connect sensory and motor neurons

Aphasia

difficulty in producing or comprehending language

Adrenal Glands

glands that help the body recover from stress and respond to emergencies

Broca's Area

in the left frontal lobe, controls tongue and lip movements required for speech

Brainstem

responsible for automatic survival functions

Split Brain

A condition in which the two brain hemispheres are isolated by cutting the corpus callosum

Synapse

A junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to the next.

Myelin Sheath

A layer of electrical insulation that surrounds the axon.

Action Potential

A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the PNS that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs.

Biological Psychology

a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior

Corpus Callosum

a broad band of nerve fibers joining the two hemispheres of the brain.

Antagonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, inhibits or blocks a response

Agonist

a molecule that, by binding to a receptor site, stimulates a response

Neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

Reticular Formation

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

Nervous System

a network of cells that carries information to and from all parts of the body

Hippocampus

a neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage

Frontal Lobes

involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgement

Endorphins

natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

nerves and ganglia outside of the brain and spinal cord

Limbic System

neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

Sensory Neurons

neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the CNS

Motor Neurons

neurons that carry signals from the spinal cord to the muscles to produce movement

Consciousness

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

Cerebellum

posterior part of the brain that coordinates muscle movements and maintains balance

Temporal Lobes

primary area for processing auditory information

Occipital Lobes

primary area for processing visual information

Parietal Lobes

receives sensory input for touch and body position

Thalamus

relays messages between lower brain centers and cerebral cortex

Sensory Cortex

the area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Central Nervous System (CNS)

the brain and spinal cord

Pituitary Gland

the center of control of the endocrine system that secretes a large number of hormones

Parasympathetic Nervous System

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

Somatic Nervous System

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles

Threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Lesion

tissue destruction

Amygdala

two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

Cerebral Cortex

ultimate control and information processing center of the brain