ch 3 keywords

Key Words and Concepts

• Action Potential: A potential electrical signal that travels down the axon of a neuron.
• Adrenal Glands: Located atop the kidneys, these glands secrete hormones related to stress responses.
• Agonist: A drug that mimics or enhances the effects of a neurotransmitter.
• All-or-None Phenomenon: Incoming signals from another neuron are either sufficient to reach a threshold or not.
• Allele: A specific form of a gene.
• Amygdala: Part of the limbic system involved in emotional experiences and memory.
• Antagonist: A drug that blocks or inhibits a neurotransmitter's normal activity.
• Auditory Cortex: Located in the temporal lobe, this area processes auditory information.
• Autonomic Nervous System: Controls internal organs and glands.
• Axon: A major extension of the soma.
• Biological Perspective: Views psychological disorders as arising from imbalances in neurotransmitter systems.
• Broca's Area: Located in the left hemisphere, crucial for language production.
• Central Nervous System (CNS): Composed of the brain and spinal cord.
• Cerebellum: A hindbrain structure responsible for balance, coordination, movement, and certain types of memory.
• Cerebral Cortex: Associated with higher-level mental functions.
• Chromosome: A long strand of genetic information.
• Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan: An imaging technique using multiple X-rays.
• Corpus Callosum: A thick band of neural fibers connecting the two hemispheres of the brain.
• Dendrite: Branch-like extensions of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons.
• Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA): A helix-shaped molecule composed of nucleotide base pairs.
• Diabetes: A disease connected to insufficient insulin production.
• Dominant Allele: An allele whose phenotype is expressed when present in an individual.
• Electroencephalography (EEG): A technique that records the brain's electrical activity using electrodes placed on the scalp.
• Endocrine System: A series of glands producing hormones.
• Epigenetics: The study of gene-environment interactions.
• Fight or Flight Response: Activation of the sympathetic nervous system to access energy reserves and heighten sensory capacity.
• Forebrain: The largest part of the brain, containing the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and limbic system.
• Fraternal Twins: Develop from different fertilized eggs.
• Frontal Lobe: Responsible for reasoning, motor control, emotion, and language.
• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI): A technique that shows changes in metabolic activity within the brain over time.
• Gene: A sequence of DNA.
• Genetic Environmental Correlation: Genes affect environment and the environment influences the expression of genes.
• Genotype: The genetic makeup of an individual.

Further Concepts

• Glial Cells: Support neurons, providing insulation, communication, and nutrient/waste transport.
• Gonads: Secrete hormones crucial for reproduction.
• Gyrus (Gyri): Bumps or ridges on the cerebral cortex.
• Hemisphere: Left or right half of the brain.
• Heterozygous: Composed of two different alleles.
• Hindbrain: Medulla, pons, and cerebellum housed here.
• Hippocampus: In the temporal lobe, plays a role in learning and memory.
• Homeostasis: Maintaining biological conditions at optimal levels.
• Homozygous: Composed of two identical alleles.
• Hormone: Chemical messenger produced by endocrine glands.
• Hypothalamus: Regulates sexual motivation, behavior, and homeostatic processes.
• Identical Twins: Develop from a single fertilized egg.
• Lateralization: Specialization of brain hemispheres for specific functions.
• Limbic System: Involved in processing emotion and memory.
• Longitudinal Fissure: A deep groove in the brain's cortex.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Uses magnetic fields to create images of brain tissue.
• Medulla: A hindbrain structure controlling autonomic functions (breathing, blood pressure, heart rate).
• Membrane Potential: Charge difference across a neuronal membrane.
• Midbrain: Between the forebrain and hindbrain, contains the reticular formation.
• Motor Cortex: Involved in planning and coordinating movement.
• Mutation: A permanent change in a gene.
• Myelin Sheath: Fatty substance insulating axons that speeds up nerve impulses.

Continued Concepts

• Nervous System: Controls thoughts, responses, and movements.
• Neuron: Connects information and performs tasks within the nervous system.
• Neuroplasticity: The nervous system's ability to change.
• Neurotransmitter: A chemical messenger within the nervous system.
• Nodes of Ranvier: Openings in the myelin sheath that speed up nerve impulses.
• Occipital Lobe: Processes visual information.
• Pancreas: Secretes hormones to regulate blood sugar.
• Parasympathetic Nervous System: Controls daily body functions.
• Parietal Lobe: Processes sensory and perceptual information.
• Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Connects brain and spinal cord to muscles and senses.
• Phenotype: Observable traits of an individual (physical and behavioral).
• Pituitary Gland: Produces hormones that regulate fluid levels and direct other endocrine glands.
• Polygenic: Multiple genes determining a specific trait.
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan: Monitors blood flow in the brain using a radioactive substance.
• Prefrontal Cortex: Higher-level cognitive functions.
• Psychotropic Medication: Treatments for psychiatric symptoms.
• Range of Reaction: Genes set boundaries within which interactions with the environment affect expression.

Additional Concepts

• Receptor: A protein that a neurotransmitter binds to on a cell surface.
• Recessive Allele: An allele whose phenotype is only expressed if both copies are present.
• Reticular Formation: Regulates sleep/wake cycles, arousal, alertness, and motor activity.
• Resting Potential: Neurons' readiness state before signals are received.
• Reuptake: Process where neurotransmitters are absorbed back into the neuron that released them.
• Semipermeable Membrane: Allows specific molecules to pass through while others are blocked.
• Soma (Cell Body): Contains the neuron's nucleus and other organelles.
• Somatic Nervous System: Relays sensory and motor information to/from the CNS.
• Somatosensory Cortex: Processes sensory information like touch, temperature, and pain.
• Substantia Nigra: Produces dopamine; involved in movement control.
• Sulcus (Sulci): Depressions or grooves in the cerebral cortex.
• Synaptic Clefts: Gaps between neurons where communication occurs.
• Synaptic Vesicles: Storage sites for neurotransmitters.
• Temporal Lobe: Involved in hearing, memory, emotion, and language.
• Terminal Buttons (Axon Terminals): Contain synaptic vesicles.
• Thalamus: Sensory relay station for the brain.
• Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection: Organisms better suited survive and reproduce.
• Threshold of Excitation: Membrane charge triggering neuron activation.
• Thyroid: Regulates growth, metabolism, and appetite.
• Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA): Important in reward, mood, and dopamine production.
• Wernicke's Area: Crucial for speech comprehension.

Test your knowledge on key concepts from Psychology Chapter 4. This quiz covers important topics like the limbic system, neurotransmitters, and brain functions. See how well you understand the foundations of emotional processing and brain anatomy.