chapter 2 review

Frontal lobe

the parts of the cerebral cortex, located at the front of the cerebral hemispheres, that are considered the "executive center" of the brain because of their role in higher mental functions.

Pariental lobe

the parts of the cerebral cortex, located on the side of each cerebral hemisphere, that process bodily sensations.

Soma

Cell body containing the nucleus. Performs metabolic, or life sustaining, functions of the cell. Part of the Neuron.

Excitatory neurotransmitters

Makes an action potential more likely to occur.

Adoptee studies

Studies that examine whether adoptees are more similar to their biological or adoptive parents with respect to their psychological traits or to the disorders they develop.

Nature-nurture debate

The debate in psychology about the relative influences of genetics and environment in determining behavior.

Nerve

A bundle of axons from different neurons that transmit neural impulses. Can contain more than a million axons.

EEG (electroencephalograph)

A device that recorded electrical activity in the brain.

Zygote

A fertilized egg cell

Limbic system (Forebrain)

A formation of structures in the forebrain that includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and parts of the thalamus and hypothalamus.

Epilepsy

A neurological disorder characterized by seizures that involve sudden, violent discharges of electrical activity in the brain.

Parkinson's disease

A progressive brain disease involving destruction of dopamine producing brain cells and characterized by muscle tremors, shakiness, rigidity, and difficulty in walking and controlling fine body movements.

Motor cortex

A region of the frontal lobes involved in regulating body movement.

Amygdala (Limbic system) (Forebrain)

A set of almond-shaped structures in the limbic system believed to play an important role in aggression, rage, and fear.

Receptor site

A site on the receiving neuron in which neurotransmitters dock.

Hypothalamus (Forebrain)

A small, pea-sized structure in the forebrain that helps regulate many vital bodily functions, including body temperature and reproduction, as well as emotional states, aggression, and responses to stress.

Thalamus (Limbic system) (Forebrain)

A structure in the forebrain that serves as a relay station for sensory information and that plays a key role in regulating states of wakefulness and sleep.

Hindbrain (cerebellum)

A structure in the hindbrain involved in controlling coordination and balance.

Hindbrain (medulla)

A structure in the hindbrain involved in regulating basic life functions, such as heartbeat and respiration.

Hindbrain (pons)

A structure in the hindbrain involved in regulating states of wakefulness and sleep.

Hippocampus (Limbic system) (Forebrain)

A structure in the limbic system involved in memory formation.

Refractory period

A temporary state in which a neuron is unable to fire in response to continued stimulation.

Reticular formation or RAS (reticular activating system)

A weblike formation of neurons involved in regulating states of attention, alertness, and arousal.

Action potential

An abrupt change from a negative to a positive charge of a nerve cell, also called a neural impulse. typically begins at the juncture between the soma and the axon, which is called the axon hillock.

Broca's area

An area of the left frontal lobe involved in speech.

Wernicke's area

An area of the left temporal lobe involved in processing written and spoken language

Basal ganglia (Forebrain)

An assemblage of neurons lying in the forebrain that is important in controlling movement and coordination.

PET (positron emission tomography)

An imaging technique in which a radioactive sugar tracer is injected into the bloodstream and used to measure levels of activity of various parts of the brain.

Genotype

An organisms genetic code

Vesicles

Are located in the axons terminal buttons and release molecules of neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap.

Association areas

Areas of the cerebral cortex that piece together sensory information to form meaningful perceptions of the world and perform higher mental functions.

Electrical stimulation

As a method of investigating brain functioning, a process of electrically stimulating particular parts of the brain to observe the effects on behavior.

Electrical recording

As a method of investigating brain functioning, a process of recording the electrical changes that occur in a specific neuron of groups of neurons in the brain in relation to particular activities or behaviors.

Glands

Body organs or structures that produce secretions called hormones. Messages are relayed to these by motor neurons.

Neuromodulators

Chemicals released in the nervous system that influence the sensitivity of the receiving neuron to neurotransmitters.

Antagonist

Drugs that block the action of neurotransmitters by occupying the receptor sites in which the neurotransmitters dock.

Agonist

Drugs that either increase the availability or effectiveness of neurotransmitters or mimic their actions.

Lesioning

In studies of brain functioning, the intentional destruction of brain tissue in order to observe the effects on behavior.

Concordance rates

In twin studies, the percentages of cases in which both members of twin pairs share the same trait or disorder.

Aphasia

Loss or impairment of the ability to understand or express language.

Inhibitory neurotransmitters

Makes an action potential less likely to occur.

Endorphins

Natural chemicals released in the brain that have painkilling and pleasure inducing effects.

Interneuron

Nerve cells within the central nervous system that process information. Also called associative neurons. Are the most common type of neuron in the nervous system. They connect neurons to neurons. In the spinal cord, they connect sensory neurons to motor neurons. In the brain, they form complex assemblages of interconnected nerve cells that process information from sensory organs and control higher mental functions, such as planning and thinking.

Motor neuron

Neurons that convey neural impulses from the central nervous system to muscles and glands. Also called efferent neurons. Convey messages from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles that control the movements of your body. They also convey messages to your glands, causing them to release hormones.

Mirror neurons

Neurons that fire both when an action is performed and when the same action is merely observed

Sensory neuron

Neurons that transmit information from sensory organs, muscles, and inner organs to the spinal cord and brain. Also called afferent neurons. Transmit information about the outside world to the spinal cord and brain. page 42

Resting potential

The electrical potential across the cell membrane of a neuron in its resting state. A greater concentration of positively charged sodium ions remains outside the cell.

Enzymes

Organic substances that produce certain chemical changes in other organic substances through a catalytic action.

Myelin sheath

Part of the Neuron. Axons of many neurons are covered with these, which are a type of insulating layer that helps speed transmission of neural impulses. Made up of glial cells.

Nucleus

Part of the Neuron. Inside the Soma, or cell body.

Axon

Part of the Neuron. Long cable projecting from the soma. Carries neural impulses to the terminal buttons.

Terminal button

Part of the Neuron. Swellings at ends of axons. Release chemicals, called neurotransmitters, that carry neural messages to adjacent neurons.

Split-brain patients

People with a corpus callosum that has been surgically severed.

Nodes of ranvier

Periodic gap in the insulating sheath on the axon of certain neurons that serves to facilitate the rapid conduction of nerve impulses. Gaps in the myelin sheath that create non insulated areas along the axon.

Chromosomes

Rodlike structures in the cell nucleus that house an individual's genes.

Hormones

Secretions from endocrine glands that help regulate bodily processes.

Glial cells

Small but numerous cells in the nervous system that support neurons and that form the myelin sheath found on many axons.

Synapse

Space between neurons

Twin studies

Studies that examine the degree to which concordance rates between twin pairs for particular disorders or characteristics vary in relation to whether the twins are identical or fraternal.

Brainstem

The "stalk" in the lower part of the brain that connects the spinal cord to higher regions of the brain.

Plasticity

The ability of the brain to adapt itself after trauma or surgical alteration.

Prefrontal cortex

The area of the frontal lobe that lies in front of the motor cortex and that is involved in higher mental functions, including thinking, planning, impulse control, and weighing the consequences of behavior.

DNA

The basic chemical material in chromosomes that carries an individual's genetic code.

Neurotransmitter

The chemical agents or messengers that carry the message across the synapse.

Forebrain

The largest and uppermost part of the brain; contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, basal ganglia, and cerebral cortex.

Cerebrum (Forebrain)

The largest mass of the forebrain, consisting of two cerebral hemispheres.

Phenotype

The observable physical and behavioral characteristics of an organism, representing the influences of the genotype and environment.

Midbrain

The part of the brain that lies on top of the hindbrain and below the forebrain.

Somatosensory cortex

The part of the parental love that processes information about touch and pressure on the skin, as well as the position of the parts of our bodies as we move about.

Temporal lobe

The parts of the cerebral cortex lying beneath and somewhat behind the frontal lobes that are involved in processing auditory stimuli.

Occipital lobe

The parts of the cerebral cortex, located at the back of both cerebral hemispheres, that process visual stimuli.

All of none principle

The principle by which neurons will fire only when a change in the level of excitation occurs that is sufficient to produce an action potential.

Reuptake

The process by which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the transmitting neuron.

Left and right Cerebral hemispheres (Forebrain)

The right and left masses of the cerebrum, which are joined by the corpus callosum.

Corpus callosum (Forebrain)

The thick bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres.

Cerebral cortex (Forebrain)

The wrinkled, outer layer of gray matter that covers the cerebral hemispheres; controls higher mental functions, such as thought and language.

Polygenic traits

Traits that are influenced by multiple genes interacting in complex ways.