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67 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Sensory neurons
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carrying information to your brain
afferent |
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Motor neurons
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carry info through muscles from our brain
efferent |
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Interneurons
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neurons connected to other neurons
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neurons
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cells in the nervous system that communicate with one another to perform info-processing tasks
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cell body
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the part of a neuron that coordinates info-processing tasks and keeps the cell alive
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dendrites
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the part of a neuron that receives info from other neurons and relays it to the cell body
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axon
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part of the neuron that transmits info to other neurons, muscles, or glands
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myelin sheath
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an insulating layer of fatty material
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gilal cells
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support cells found in the nervous system
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synapse
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the junction or region between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another
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Action Potential
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An electric signal that is conducted along an axon to a synapse
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Threshold
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minimum stimulus energy needed to trigger an impulse
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neurotransmitters
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chemicals that transmit information across the synapse to a receiving neuron's dendrites
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Postsynaptic Potentials
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-aka graded potentials
-voltage charge at a receptor site on a postsynaptic cell membrane -higher or lower the probability of an action potential in the receiving cell |
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Excitatory PSP
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Depolarizes receiving cell, higher action potential
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Inhibitory PSP
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Hyperpolarizes receiving cell, lower action potential
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Agonists
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positive affect on increasing between nerve cells
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Antagonists
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negative affect/block post-synaptic receptors
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Acetylcholine(Ach)
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-muscle movements,and control
-memory and cognition -regulation of attention, learning, sleeping, dreaming, and memory -Alzheimer's disease occurs with deterioration of these neurons |
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Dopamine
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-regulates motivation, pleasure, and emotional arousal
-things that feel good -anything that's addictive -motor control in the brain -plays role in drug addiction -High levels linked to schizophrenia -Low levels linked to Parkinson's disease |
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Glutamate
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-main and major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in info transmission throughout the brain
-Too much can cause seizures |
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GABA
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-primary inhibitory neurotransmitter
-stops firing of neurons -alcohol affects GABA, making people more "social" when drinking |
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Norepinephrine
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-influences mood and arousal
-involved in states of vigilance or a heightened awareness of dangers in the environment -arousal, stimulating alertness -excitatory affect on body -low levels = mood disorders |
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Serotonin
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-involved in regulation of sleep and wakefulness, eating and agressive behavior
-low levels = mood disorders -hallucinations -anti-depressant |
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Endorphins
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-chemicals that act within the pain pathways and emotion centers of the brain
-decreases pain, increases calmness/good feeling |
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Schizophrenia
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-hallucinations, delusions, irrational beliefs
-disordered and tangential speech -social withdrawal |
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Nervous System
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Interacting network of neurons that conveys electrochemical info throughtout the body
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Central Nervous System
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brain and spinal cord
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Peripheral nervous system
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connects the central nervous system to the body's organs and muscles
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Somatic Nervous system
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-set of nerves that conveys info into and out of the central nervous system
-part of peripheral system |
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Autonomic nervous system
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-set of nerves that carries involuntary and automatic commands that control blood vessels, body organs, and glands
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Sympathetic nervous system
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-set of nerves that prepares the body for action in threatening situations
-activates -flight or fight, arousal |
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Parasympathetic nervous system
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-helps the body return to a normal resting state
-calms -digestion, relaxtion |
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spinal reflexes
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simple pathways in the nervous system that rapidly generate muscle contractions
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CT scan
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Computerized axial tomography, picture of brain structure
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MRI
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clear picture of individual structures of the brain
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Electroencephalogram(EEG)
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a device used to record electrical activity in the brain
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PET scan
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-injection of radioactive isotope
-scanned by radiation detectors as person performs perceptual or cognitive tasks |
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fMRI
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-shows changes of oxygen levels
-can see images light up during different situations |
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hindbrain
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area of brain that coordinates info coming into and out of the spinal cord
-referred to as the brain stem -controls repiration, alertness, and motor skills |
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medulla
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-extension of the spinal cord into the skull that coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration
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reticular formation
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regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal
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cerebellum
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a large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills
smooths out actions ex. riding bike, playing piano, balancing while walking |
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Pons
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-relays info from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain
-found in hindbrain |
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Midbrain
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-sits on top of hindbrain
-contains tectum and tegmentum |
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Tectum
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-orients an organism in the environment
-receives stimulus input from the eyes, ears, and skin and moves the organism in a coordinated way toward the stimulus |
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Tegmentum
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-involved in movement and arousal
-also helps orient an organism toward sensory stimuli |
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Forebrain
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-highest level of the brain literally and figuratively
-controls complex cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor functions |
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Cerebral cortex
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outermost layer of the brain
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subcortical structures
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areas of the forebrain housed under the cerebral cortex near the very center of the brain
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Thalamus
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relays and filters info from the senses and transmits the info to the cerebral cortex
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Hypothalamus
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-regulates body temp, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior
-fighting, fleeing, feeding and mating |
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Pituitary gland
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-releases hormones that direct the functions of many other glands
-"Master Gland" |
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hippocampus
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critical for the creation and storage of new memories
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amygdala
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emotional arousal
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Broca's area
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-expressive aphasia
-production of speech |
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Wernicke's area
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-receptive aphasia
-don't understand language |
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Superior colliculus
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visual relay
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Lateral colliculus
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auditory relay
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Reticular Activating System
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Arousal system detector
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Corpus Callosum
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connects large areas of the cerebral cortex on each side of the brain and supports communication of information across the hemispheres
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Occipital lobe
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vision
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Parietal lobe
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-skin senses
-somatosensory cortex |
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Prospagnosia
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inability to recognize spaces
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Temporal Lobe
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-Hearing and language
-auditory cortex |
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Frontal Lobe
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-Executive
-movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement |
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Association Areas
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help provide sense and meaning to info registered in the cortex
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