Psych 101 CH2
Terms
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- neurons
- cells that transmit information within the nervous system
- glial cells (glia)
- cells in the nervous system that compromise the support system for neurons
- dendrites
- fibers projecting out of the cell body of a neuron whose function is to recieve information from other neurons
- cell body
- part of neuron, contains nucleus and the other biological machinery to keep the cell alive and that decides whether or not to generate a neural impulse in order to pass incoming information on to other neurons
- axon
- long, singular fiber projecting out of the cell body of a neuron whose function is to conduct the neural impulse from the cell body to the axon terminals triggering chemical communication with other neurons
- myelin sheath
- insulating layer covering an axon that allows for faster neural impulses
- neurotransmitter
- a naturally occuring chemical in the nervous system that specializes in transmitting information between neurons
- synapse (synaptic gap)
- microscopic gap between neurons across which neurotransmitters travel to carry their messages to other neurons
- positron emission tomography (PET)
- a visual display of the activity levels in various areas of the brain generated by detecting the amount of positron emission created by the metabolization of radioactive glucose in each area
- fMRI (functional magnetic response imaging)
- a computerized image of the activity levels of various areas in the brain generated by detecting the amount of oxygen brought to each area
- agonist
- a drug or poison that increases the activity of one or more neurotransmitters
- antagonist
- a drug or posion that decreases the activity of one or more of the neurotransmitters
- ACh (acetylcholine)
- neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory, and muscle movement
- dopamine
- a neurotransmitter involved in arousal and mood states, thought process, and physical movement
- Parkinson's disease
- a disease in which the person has movement problems such as muscle tremors, difficulty initiating movements, and rigidity of movement. These movement problems stem from a scarcity of dopamine in the basal ganglia.
- blood-brain barrier
- protective mechanism by which the blood capilaries supplying the brain create a barrier that prevents dangerous substances access to the brain
- L-dopa
- a drug for Parkinson's disease that contains the precursors to dopamine so that once it's in the brain, it will be converted to dopamine
- serotonin and norepinephrine
- neurotransmitters involved in levels of arousal and mood, sleep, and eating
- SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)
- drugs that achieve their agonistic effect on serotonin by selectively blocking its reuptake
- GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
- the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system. It is involved in lowering arousal and anxiety and regulating movement
- glutamate
- the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system. It is involved in memory storage, pain, perception, strokes, and schizophrenia
- endorphins
- a group of neurotransmitters that are involved in pain relief and feelings of pleasure