Psychology Module 2 Test

What are efferent neurons?

They carry information away from the brain.

What are afferent neurons?

They carry information to the brain.

What are dendrites and where are they located?

They are little hair pieces around the soma that receive messages from other neurons.

What is the soma and where is it located?

It contains the nucleus life center and it is on top of neurons.

What is the hillcock and where is it located?

It is the information collecting ground beneath the soma.

What is the axon and where is it located?

6. It conducts electrical impulses. It extends from the soma to the terminal branches/buttons.

What is the myelin sheath and where is it located?

It is the fatty covering on some axons that speeds along neural impulses.

What are the nodes of ranvier and where are they located?

They are tiny gaps in the myelin sheaths of neurons. The function is unknown.

Where are the terminal branches?

Opposite dendrites.

What are the terminal buttons and what do they do?

10. They release neurotransmitters that communicate with dendrites on the next neuron. They are the nodules at the end of terminal branches.

What are neurotransmitters and where are they located?

11. They are found in terminal branches/buttons and are chemcial messanger molecules that allow communciation between neurons.

What is a neuron’s action potential?

electrical current from a neural firing.

What is synapse?

A microscopic gap between two neurons.

What are receptor sites?

Where neurotransmitters fit into a special “slot”.

What is the refractory period?

The brief period of time in which a neuron cannot fire again.

What are agonists and antagonists?

16. Agonsists are substances that mimic or replicate the effect of a neurotransmitter. Antagonists are substances that block the effect of a neurotransmitter.

What is a psychoactive substance?

17. A substance that has an effect on mental states or functioning, such as caffeine.

What are the two main parts of the nervous system?

Central and Peripheral

What makes up the CNS?

Brain and spinal cord

What makes up the PNS?

All nerves in the body connect so that they may communicate

Name the two parts to the PNS and what they do.

. Somatic-voluntary muscles movements; Autonomic-involuntary functions.

Name the two parts to the autonomic and what they do.

22. Sympathetic-energizes body’s systems to respond to a stressor. Parasympathetic-calms the body after a stressful situation.

What are reflexes?

Automatic reactions to certain stimuli.

What is lesioning?

Purposefully destroying or removing part of the brain through surgery.

What is EEG?

Measures basic brain wave activity.

What is CAT?

Numerous x-rays. Shows brain structure not function.

What is MRI?

Measures/displays info about brain. Structures but not function. More detailed than CAT.

What is PET?

Sees brain activity.

What are the three main sections of the brain?

Hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain.

What are the three main structures of the hindbrain?

Medulla, Pons, Cerebellum

What does the medulla do?

Controls basic functions like breathing and heart rate.

What does Pons do?

Connects hindbrain with other parts., coordinates facial expressions.

What does Cerebellum do?

Helps coordinate muscle movements/balance as well as detailed movements.

What does the midbrain do?

34. It is between hind and fore parts of brain; active in controlling sensory information with motor responses

What does the forebrain?

Consists of topmost parts of the brain.

What are the three parts of the forebrain?

Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Hippocamus

What does the thalamus do?

37. Receives sensory information from the body’s senses and directs to the appropriate areas of the brain.

What does the hypothalamus do?

Regulates metabolic functions.

What does hippocamus do?

39. Regulates processing information from short term memory to long term memory.

What is the amygdala?

Small oval structures that influence emotional response

What is the cerebral cortex?

Contains the two hemispheres

What does the corpus callosum do?

It connects the two hemispheres .

It connects the two hemispheres .

Frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal

Which of the lobes controls general thought and control of emotion?

Frontal

Which of the lobes contains the sensory cortex?

Parietal

Which of the lobes receives and processes visual information?

Occipital

Which of the lobes interprets sound sensory information?

Temporal

What is neural networking?

When existing neurons make stronger connections with other neurons.

What is plasticity?

49. The brain’s adaptation sometimes occurring by growing new tissue to do the task of destroyed portions of the brain.

What is the endocrine system?

50. A series of glands that work together to secrete chemical messengers called hormones.

What is the hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands and stimulates the body?

Adrenaline

What parts help control and regulate the functions of the endocrine system?

Hypothalamus and Pituitary gland

What does the pituitary gland do?

Secretes hormones and helps direct other glands and other functions