Chapter 2: The Biological Perspective

Reticular Formation

________ (RF)**: An area of neurons running through the middle of the medulla and the pons and slightly beyond that is responsible for general attention, alertness, and arousal.

Glutamate

________- Major inhibitory neurotransmitter; involved in sleep and inhibits movement.

Serotonin

________ (5- HT)- Excitatory or inhibitory; involved in sleep, mood, anxiety, and appetite.

Interneurons

________ also make up the bulk of the neurons in the brain.

Positron Emission Tomography

________**: brain- imaging method in which a radioactive sugar is injected into the subject and a computer compiles a color- coded image of the activity of the brain.

Acetylcholine

________ (ACh)- Excitatory or inhibitory; involved in arousal, attention, memory, and controls muscle contractions.

Norepinephrine

________ (NE)- Mainly excitatory; involved in arousal and mood.

Spinal Cord

________**: A long bundle of neurons that carries messages between the body and the brain and is responsible for very fast, lifesaving reflexes.

RTMS

________ and tDCS are noninvasive methods for stimulating the brain.

prenatal development

Glial Cells**: Cells that provide support for the neurons to grow on and around, deliver nutrients to neurons, produce myelin to coat axons, clean up waste products and dead neurons, influence information processing, and during ________, influence the generation of new neurons.

Electroencephalogram

________ (EEG)**: a recording of the electrical activity of large groups of cortical neurons just below the skull, most often using scalp electrodes.

Endorphins

________- Inhibitory neural regulators; involved in pain relief.

Cerebral Hemisphere

________**: the two sections of the cortex on the left and right sides of the brain.

Dopamine

________ (DA)- Excitatory or inhibitory; involved in the control of movement and sensations of pleasure.

Corpus Callosum

________**: a thick band of neurons that connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres.

Pons

________**: the larger swelling above the medulla that relays information from the cortex to the cerebellum, and that plays a part in sleep, dreaming left- right body coordination, and arousal.

Spatial Neglect

________**: condition produced most often by damage to the parietal lobe association areas of the right hemisphere, resulting in an inability to recognize objects or body parts in the left visual field.

synaptic vesicles

Reuptake**: Process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the ________.

Synapse

________ (synaptic gap)**: microscopic fluid- filled space between the axon terminal of one cell and the dendrites or soma of the next cell.

Nerves

________**: bundles of axons coated in myelin that travel together through the body.

fatty substances

Myelin**: ________ produced by certain glial cells that coat the axons of neurons to insulate, protect, and speed up the neural impulse.

Neurogenesis

________**: the formation of new neurons; occurs primarily in prenatal development but may also occur at lesser levels in some brain areas during adulthood.

Afferent

________ (sensory) neuron:** a neuron carries information from the senses to the central nervous system.

Dendrites

________**: branchlike structures of a neuron that receive messages from other neurons.

endocrine glands

Adrenal Glands:** ________ located on top of each kidney that secrete over 30 different hormones to seal with stress, regulate salt intake, and provide a secondary source of sex hormones affecting the sexual changes that occur during adolescence.

cognitive functions

Cerebellum:** part of the lower brain located behind the pons that controls and coordinates involuntary, rapid, fine motor movement, and may have some ________.

Receptor

________ sites**: 3D proteins on the surface of the dendrites or certain cells of the muscles and glands, which are shaped to fit only certain neurotransmitters.

cell body

Soma**: the ________ of the neuron responsible for maintaining the life of the sell.

involuntary response

Reflex**: a(n) ________, one that is not under personal control or choice.

Limbic System

________**: a group of several brain structures located primarily under the cortex and involved in learning, emotion, memory, and motivation.

small structure

Hypothalamus**: ________ in the brain located below the thalamus and directly above the pituitary gland, responsible for motivational behavior such as sleep, hunger, thirst, and sex.

Efferent

________ (motor) neuron:** a neuron that carries messages from the CNS to the muscles of the body.

Occipital Lobe

________**: section of the brain located at the rear and bottom of each cerebral hemisphere containing the primary visual carters of the brain.

sex glands

Gonads**: ________; secretes hormones that regulate sexual development and behavior as well as reproduction.

part of ANS

Sympathetic Division**: ________ that is responsible for reacting to stressful events and bodily arousal;"fight- flight system.

Parietal Lobes

________**: sections of the brain located at the top and back of each cerebral hemisphere containing the centers for touch, temperature, and body position.

branch of life

Neuroscience**: a(n) ________ science that deals with the structure and function of neurons, nerves, and nervous tissue.

Olfactory bulbs

________**: two bulb- like projections of the brain located just above the sinus cavity and just below the frontal lobes that receive information from the olfactory receptor cells.

hormone

Oxytocin**: ________ released by the posterior pituitary gland that is involved in reproductive and parental behaviors.

Motor Pathway

________**: nerves coming from CNS to the voluntary muscles, consisting of efferent neurons.

Neuron

________**: is the specialized cell in the nervous system that receives and sends messages within that system.

spinal cord

Medulla**: the first large swelling at the top of the ________, forming the lowest part of the brain, which is responsible for life- sustaining functions such as breathing, swallowing, and heart rate.

Synaptic Vesicles

________**: saclike structures found inside the synaptic know containing chemicals.

spinal cord

Interneuron:** a neuron found in the center of the ________ that receives information from the afferent neurons and sends commands to the muscles through the efferent neurons.