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PSY100 Chapter 4
Terms from week 3
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Francis Galton | Coined the term "nature vs. nurture"; believed in nature OVER nurture (everything is determined by genetics) |
| Inextricably entwined | Nature and nurture effects are nearly impossible to separate |
| Epigenetics | Changes in gene expression due to environmental factors |
| Heredity | Passing genetic information from parent to child (transmission of characteristics) |
| Heritability | Estimate of variance in expression of a gene throughout the population (how much of the variation is due to the environment) |
| Central nervous system (CNS) | Brain and spinal cord; communication circuitry in the body |
| Peripheral nervous system (PNS) | Somatic and autonomic nervous systems; carry information from CNS to rest of the body |
| Neuron | Basic cell designed to send and receive electrochemical signals |
| Sensory/afferent neuron | Carry information from the sense receptors |
| Motor/efferent neuron | Carries information from the CNS to the parts of the body |
| Interneurons | Communicates between the sensory/afferent and motor/efferent neurons |
| Dendrites | Parts of the neuron that receive incoming neurotransmitters |
| Cell body | Central part of the neuron that holds the nucleus |
| Axon | Part of the neuron that carries electric signals that trigger release of neurotransmitters |
| Myelin sheath | Coating around the axon of a neuron that facilitates speed of action potential |
| Schwann cell | Produces the myelin sheath |
| Nodes of Ranvier | Breaks in the myelin sheath where the action potential can 'skip' to, facilitating speed of communication |
| Terminal Buttons | Area of the neuron that release neurotransmitters into the synaptic space |
| Action potential | Chemical signal arising in the axon that triggers the firing of a neuron |
| Resting potential | Polarized state (negative charge) where a neuron is at rest/not firing |
| Excitatory signals | Depolarize (make positive) the neuron to increase the likelihood that the neuron will fire |
| Inhibitory signals | Polarize (make negative) the neuron to decrease the likelihood that the neuron will fire |
| Polarized | Having a negative charge |
| Depolarize | Gaining a positive charge |
| Threshold for action potential | -55mV |
| All-or-none principal | A neuron will fire with the same magnitude every time; it either fires or it does not fire |
| Molecule distribution of a polarized neuron | Negative charge, more sodium (Na+) outside the cell and more potassium (K+) inside the cell |
| Molecule distribution of a depolarized neuron | Positive charge, more potassium (K+) outside the cell and more sodium (Na+) inside the cell |
| Hyperpolarization | Refractory period where the neuron cannot fire |
| Saltatory conduction | Combination of myelin sheath and nodes of Ranvier that allow the action potential to travel the axon faster |
| Neurotransmitters | Chemicals that carry signals between neurons |
| Glutamate | Neurotransmitter involved with excitement of action potential |
| GABA | Neurotransmitter involved with inhibition of action potential |
| Serotonin | Neurotransmitter involved with mood, impulsiveness, hunger, and sleep |
| Dopamine | Neurotransmitter involved with reward, motivation, and voluntary movement |
| Acetylcholine | Neurotransmitter involved with movement, memory, cognition, and sleep |
| Epinephrine and norepinephrine | Neurotransmitters involved with stress responses (fight and flight) |
| Agonists | Drugs that enhance effects of neurotransmitters; increase release and block reuptake |
| Antagonists | Drugs that inhibit the effects of neurotransmitters; decrease release, destroying transmitters in the synapse, blocking receptors |
| Neuroplasticity | Ability for the brain to change and reorganize |
| Neurogenesis | Creation of new neurons |
| Brainstem | Controls autonomic regulatory systems (breathing, heartbeat, etc.); contains the midbrain, pons, and medulla |
| Reticular formation | Part of the brainstem involved in sleep and alertness |
| Cerebellum | Part of the hindbrain involved in coordinated movement and balance (and maybe higher cognitive function); holds half of all neurons in the brain |
| Hyphothalamus | Master regulatory system of the brain; connects nervous and endocrine systems; controls the four F's and homeostasis within the body (hunger, thirst, etc.) |
| Four F's | Feeding, fighting, fleeing, fucking |
| Thalamus | Handles incoming sensory information MINUS SMELL; sends information to correct processing areas; involved in arousal and memory |
| Synesthesia | Corruption of the thalamus that results in crossing of sensory input |
| Basal Ganglia | Structure of the brain involved in control of movement (delicate like how hard to grip something) |
| Members of the Diencephalon | Hypothalamus, thalamus, basal ganglia |
| Hippocampus | Structure of the brain involved in formation and storage of long term memory |
| Amygdala | Structure of the brain involved in fear and emotional processing; triggers fight or flight response and modifies memory of highly emotional events |
| Cerebral cortex | Outer layer of the brain containing the four lobes (occipital, parietal, temporal, and frontal) |
| Corpus callosum | Bridge structure connecting the hemispheres of the brain |
| Occipital lobe | Area of the brain involved with vision processing; contains the primary visual cortex (located at the back of the brain) |
| Temporal lobe | Area of the brain involved with auditory processing; contains the primary auditory cortex (located on the sides of the brain) |
| Parietal lobe | Area of the brain involved with touch and sensation; contains the primary sensory cortex (located at the top of the brain) |
| Frontal lobe | Area of the brain involved with movement and decision making; contains the primary motor cortex and the prefrontal cortex (located at the front of the brain) |
| Somatic nervous system (SNS) | Concerned with external sensory information; communicates outside info to CNS and muscles |
| Autonomic nervous system (ANS) | Concerned with internal sensory information; communicates between the CNS and smooth muscles and glands; controls involuntary movements (heartbeat, breathing, etc.) |
| Sympathetic nervous system | Arousal system in the body (fight or flight response) |
| Parasympathetic nervous system | Resting system in the body, returns to rest after arousal |
| Endocrine system | System responsible for releasing hormones into the bloodstream; responds to excitatory signals from the hypothalamus; regulates psychological activity |
| HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal) | System of activation that releases cortisol; hypothalamus triggers release in the pituitary gland which sends hormones that trigger the creation of cortisol in the adrenal cortex |
| Synaptic cleft/space | Area between the dendrites of one neuron and the terminal buttons of another; space neurotransmitters travel |
| Receptor | Area on the dendrites that bonds with specific neurotransmitters and receive chemical signals |
| Reuptake | Process where neurotransmitters are reabsorbed in the terminal buttons they were released from |
| Cingulate cortex | Structure above the corpus callosum involved with decision making and emotion (front half) and memory and visual processing (back half) |
| Executive functions | Cognitive processes that allow for self-regulation and control of behavior |
| Glia | Support cells in the nervous system |
| Nucleus accumbens | Structure involved with reward and addiction |
| Orbitofrontal cortex | Part of the frontal lobe involved with impulse control and flavor perception (located behind the eyes) |
| Prefrontal cortex | Most forward part of the frontal lobe involved with self-regulation, impulse control, and decision making |
Created by:
doctorpenguin
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