Chapter 2 Notes PDF

Plasticity The brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience. Neuron A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system. Cell Body The part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell's life-su...

Plasticity The brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience. Neuron A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system. Cell Body The part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell's life-support center. Dendrites Neuron extensions that receive and integrate messages and conduct them toward the cell body. Axon The neuron extension that sends messages to other neurons or to muscles and glands. Action Potentials A nerve impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. Glial Cells Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory. Synapses The junction between the axon tip of a sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of a receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft. Neurotransmitter Neuron-produced chemicals that cross the synaptic gap to carry messages to other neurons or to muscles and glands. All-or-None Law A neuron's reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing. Threshold The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse. Refractory Period In neural processing, a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state. Nervous System The body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Peripheral Nervous Systems The sensory and motor neurons connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body. Central Nervous systems The brain and spinal cord. The Endocrine System The body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. Hormones Chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues. The Limbic System Neural system (including the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives. Frontal Lobes The portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments. Parietal Lobes The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position. Occipital Lobes The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields. Temporal Lobes The portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes areas that receive information from the ears. Motor Cortex The cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes; controls voluntary movements. Somatosensory Cortex The cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes; registers and processes body touch and movement sensations. Association Areas Cerebral cortex areas involved primarily in higher mental functions, such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking Corpus Collosum A large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them. Neurogenesis The formation of new neurons. Consciousness Our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment. Selective Attention Focusing conscious awareness on a particular stimulus. Inattentional and Change Blindness Failing to notice changes in the environment; a form of inattentional blindness.