action potential

1a

brief electrical charge

travels down an axon
1b

adrenal glands

2a

just above kidneys,

adrenals secrete
hormones adrenaline
and nonadrenaline
2b

agonists

3a

excites- molecule may be

similar enough to
neurotransmitter to mimic its
effects or may block the
neurotransmitter's reputake
3b

amygdala

4a

the almond shape clusters

in the brain. Linked to
emotion- influence
aggression and fear
4b

antagonists

5a

inhibits- can be a drug

molecule that inhibits a
neurotransmitter's
release
5b

aphasia

6a

loss of ability to
understand or express
speech, caused by brain
damage
6b

association areas

7a

a region of the cortex of the

brain that connects sensory
and motor areas, and that is
thought to be concerned
with higher mental activities.
7b

Autonomic Nervous
System
8a

PNS- controls glands and

muscles of internal organs (such
as heart). Its sympathetic division
arouses; its parasympathetic
division calms
8b

axon

9a

extension of neuron, ending

in branching terminal fibers
through which messages
pass to other neurons or to
muscles or glands
9b

behavior genetics

10a

focuses on role of genetics in

human behavior. Examines
behavior patterns which are
familial and hereditary in
origin.
10b

biological psychology

11a

looks at the link between biology and

psychological events such as how
information travels throughout our
bodies (neural impulses, axons,
dendrites, etc.), how different
neurotransmitters effect sleep,
dreams, and other behaviors.

11b

brainstem

12a

oldest part and central core of

brain; beginning where spinal
cord swells as it enters skull.
Responsible for automatic
survival funtions
12b

Broca's Area

13a

usually located in left frontal

lobe. Necessary for combining
sounds into words and arranging
words into meaningful
sentences. Physical movement
of lips and mouth

13b

Central Nervous System

(CNS)
14a

the brain and spinal cord

14b

cerebellum

15a

"little brain" attached to the

rear of the brain stem. Helps
coordinate voluntary
movement and balance
15b

cerebral cortex

16a

the outer layer of the cerebrum

(the cerebral cortex), composed
of folded gray matter and
playing an important role in
consciousness.
16b

chromosomes

17a

threadlike structures
made of DNA molecules
that contain the genes
17b

cognitive neuroscience

18a

study of how the physical brain

and nervous system combine
with the body, mind, intellect and
other intangible factors of life to
create patterns of thought and
behavior.

18b

consciousness

19a

the state of being awake

and aware of one's
surroundings
19b

Corpus Callosum

20a

band of neural fibers that is

the connection between the
two hemispheres. Carries
messages between the
hemispheres
20b

CT (computed
tomography) scan- CAT
Scan
21a

series of x-ray photographs

taken from different angles and
combined by computer into a
composite representation of a
slice through the body
21b

dendrite

22a

bushy, branching extensions

of a neuron that receive
messages and conduct
impulses toward the body
cell
22b

DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid)
23a

contains genetic
information that makes up
chromosomes. Has 2
strands that form a double
helix

23b

dual processing

24a

A theory that response to stimuli

allows control of behavior in 2
pathways. One is very fast and
automatic, involuntary. Second is
slower, deliberate, and voluntary
24b

electroencephalogram

25a

amplified recording of
the words of electrical
activity that sweep across
the brain's surface
25b

endocrine

26a

slow moving chemical

messenger. Glands that
secrete hormones into
bloodstream
26b

endorphins

27a

"morphine within"- natural,

opiate like
neurotransmitters linked to
pain control and pleasure
27b

environment

28a

all of the external factors

around us that influence
us
28b

Evolutionary Psychology

29a

Explains our thoughts,

feelings, and behaviors
in terms of our inherited
biological characteristics
29b

fMRI (functional MRI)

30a

detects blood rushing to

the back of the brain,
which processes visual
information
30b

frontal lobes

31a

portion of cerebral cortex lying

just behind the forehead.
Involved in speaking and muscle
movements and in making plans
and judgments.
31b

Genes

32a

biochemical units of heredity

that make up chromosomes;
segment of DNA capable of
synthesizing a protein
32b

genome

33a

complete instructions for

making an organism
33b

glial cells

34a

cells which provide structural

and nutritional support of
neurons, without becoming
involved in the transmission
of action potentials.
34b

heritability

35a

proportion of variation among

individuals that we can attribute
to genes. Heritability of a trait
may vary depending on the
range of populations and
environments studied.

35b

hippocampus

36a

elongated ridges on floor of each

lateral ventricle of brain. Memory
framing, organizing, and storing.
Connecting emotions and senses
such as sound and smell and
sound to memory
36b

hormones

37a

chemical messages, mostly

those manufactured by
endocrine glands that are
produced in one tissue and
affect another
37b

hypothalamus

38a

lies below the thalamus. It directs

several maintenance activities
(eating, drinking, body temp. ).
BASIC EMOTIONS: fighting
(anger), hunger, sex, fear
38b

identical twins

39a

twins who develop from a

single fertilized egg that splits
in two, creating two
genetically identical
organisms.
39b

interaction

40a

dependence of the effect

of one factor (such as
environment) on another
factor (such as heredity)
40b

interneuron

41a

CNS that internally

communicate and intervene
between sensory inputs and
motor outputs
41b

lesion

42a

tissue destruction. A lesion is

a naturally or experimentally
caused destruction of brain
tissue
42b

limbic system

43a

a complex system involving several

areas near the edge of the cortex
concerned with instinct and mood. It
controls the basic emotions (fear,
pleasure, anger) and drives (hunger,
sex, dominance, care of offspring).
43b

medulla

44a

base of the brain stem.

Controls heartbeat and
breathing
44b

Molecular Genetics

45a

subfield of biology that

studies the molecular
structure and function of
genes
45b

motor cortex

46a

narrow strip of cortex located on back

edge of frontal lobe and extends down
its side. Involved in initiation of all
voluntary movements. Right motor
cortex controls muscles on left side of
body and vice versa.
46b

motor neurons

47a

neurons that carry outgoing

information from central
nervous system to muscles
and glands
47b

MRI (magnetic
resonance imaging)
48a

technique that uses magnetic

fields and radio waves to produce
computer generated images that
distinguish among different types
of soft tissue; allows to see
structures within brain
48b

Mutation

49a

changing of the structure of a gene,

resulting in a variant form that may be
transmitted to subsequent
generations, caused by the alteration
of single base units in DNA, or the
deletion, insertion, or rearange
49b

myelin

50a

layer of fatty tissue that

encases fibers of many
neutrons; enables vastly
greater transmission speed
of neural impulses
50b

natural selection

51a

principle that among range of

inherited trait variations, those
that lead to increased
reproduction and survival will
most likely be passed on to
succeeding generations

51b

Nerves

52a

neural "cables"
containing many axons.
52b

Neurogenesis

53a

produces neurons
through the division of
non-neuronal cells
53b

Neurogenesis

54a

process by which neurons are

generated from neural stem cells
and progenitor cells. Most active
during pre-natal development.
Can't be healed once damaged
(nerve cells)

54b

neuron

55a

nerve cell; basic building

block of the nervous
system
55b

neurotransmitters

56a

chemical messages that

traverse synaptic gaps
between neurons
56b

occipital lobes

57a

located at very back of brain.

Involved in processing visual
information, includes seeing
colors and perceiving and
recognizing objects, animals, and
people

57b

Parasympathetic
Nervous System
58a

division of ANS that

calms the body,
conserving its energy
58b

Parietal Lobes

59a

located directly behind the

frontal lobe. Processes sensory
information from body partstouching, feeling temp. and pain,
attending and perceiving objects
59b

Peripheral Nervous
System (PNS)
60a

sensory and motor

neurons that connect
CNS to rest of body.
60b

PET (positron emission

tomography) scan
61a

visual display of brain activity

that detects where
radioactive form of glucose
goes while brain performs a
given task
61b

pituitary gland

62a

endocrine system's must

influential gland under influence
of the hypothalamus, pituitary
regulates growth and controls
other endocrine glands`
62b

Plasticity

63a

brain's capacity for

modification, as evident in
brain reorganization
following damage
63b

pons

64a

part of the brainstem

that links the medulla
oblongata and the
thalamus
64b

Reflex

65a

simple, automatic, inborn

response to a sensory
stimulus, such as the
knee-jerk response
65b

reputake

66a

process when excess

neurotransmitters are
reabsorbed by sending a
neuron
66b

reticular formation

67a

inside the brainstem

(between your ears). Nerve
network in brainstem that
plays an important role in
controlling arousal
67b

sensory cortex

68a

narrow strip of cortex

located on the front
edge of parietal lobe and
extends down its side
68b

sensory neurons

69a

neurons that carry incoming

information from sense
receptors to the central
nervous system
69b

Somatic Nervous System

70a

division of peripheral
nervous system that
controls the body's
skeletal muscles.
70b

split brain

71a

condition in which two

hemispheres of brain are isolated
by cutting the connection fibers
between them allows researchers
to study which processes each
hemisphere does.
71b

Sympathetic Nervous
System
72a

division of ANS that

arouses the body,
mobilizing its energy in
stressful situations
72b

synapse

73a

connection between two

neurons. Information is
transmitted
73b

temperament

74a

person's characteristic
emotional reactivity and
intensity
74b

temporal lobes

75a

located directly below

parietal lobe. Involved in
hearing, speaking coherently,
and understanding verbal
and written material
75b

thalamus

76a

located at top of brain stem- the

brain's sensory switchboard.
Directs messages to sensory
receiving areas in the cortex and
transmits replies to the
cerebellum and medulla

76b

threshold

77a

level of stimulation
required to trigger a
neural impulse
77b

Wernicke's Area

78a

usually located in left

temporal lobe. Necessary for
speaking in coherent
sentences and
understanding speech.
78b