Psychology 3/4

• The Central Nervous System (CNS): a major division of the nervous system comprising the brain and spinal cord, which receives neural messages from and transmits neural messages to the peripheral nervous system
• Brain: a complex organ contained within the skull that coordinates mental processes and behaviour, and regulates bodily activity
• Spinal Cord: a cable of nerve tissue that extends from the brain, connecting it to the peripheral nervous system
• Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): a major division of the nervous system comprising every neuron in the body outside the CNS
• Somatic Nervous System: a division of the peripheral nervous system that transmits neural messages related to voluntary motor movement
• Skeletal Muscles: muscles connected to the skeleton that carry out voluntary motor movements
• Autonomic Nervous System: a division of the peripheral nervous system that regulates visceral muscles, organs, and glands, and transmits neural messages to the central nervous system about their activity
• Visceral muscles, organs, and glands: muscles, organs, and glands not connected to the skeleton that are predominantly self-regulating and do not require conscious control
• Sympathetic Nervous System: a division of the autonomic nervous system that activates visceral muscles, organs, and glands, preparing the body to respond to a threat or stressor
• Parasympathetic Nervous System: a division of the autonomic nervous system that maintains the optimal and balanced functioning of visceral muscles, organs, and glands
• Neuron: a nerve cell that receives and transmits neural information
• Motor Neurons (Efferent Neurons): neurons that transmit neural messages about motor movement from the CNS to the PNS
• Sensory Neurons (Afferent Neurons): neurons that transmit neural messages about bodily sensations from the PNS to the CNS
• Interneurons: neurons that transfer neural messages between sensory neurons and motor neurons
• Conscious Response: a deliberate and voluntary action that is initiated by the brain and performed intentionally by the body
• Sensory Receptor: a nerve ending that detects internal sensations in the body and external sensations from the environment
• Unconscious Response: an automatic and involuntary action that is performed by the body independently of the brain
• Spinal Reflex: an unconscious response to sensory stimuli that is initiated by interneurons in the spinal cord independently of the brain
• Reflex Arc: the path along which the neural signal is transmitted as part of the spinal reflex
• Neural Synapse: the region that includes the axon terminals of the presynaptic neuron, the synaptic gap, and the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron
• Presynaptic Neuron: the neuron that releases neurochemicals into the neural synapse
• Axon Terminal (Terminal Button): the end of a neuron that releases neurochemicals into the neural synapse
• Synaptic Gap: the space between the presynaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron
• Postsynaptic neuron: the neuron that receives neurochemicals from the neural synapse
• Dendrite: a branched extension of a neuron on which receptor sites are located
• Receptor Site: a protein molecule on the dendrites of a neuron that receives neurochemicals
• Neurochemical: a chemical substance that transmits neural information within the nervous system
• Synaptic Transmission: the chemical conveyance of neural information between two neurons across a neural synapse
• Neurotransmitter: a chemical molecule that has an effect on one or two postsynaptic neurons
• Action Potential: an electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron
• Excitatory Effect: when the neurotransmitter increases the likelihood of the post synaptic neuron firing an action potential
• Glutamate: the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system
• Inhibitory Effect: when the neurotransmitter decreases the likelihood of the postsynaptic neuron firing an action potential
• GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid): the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system
• Neuromodulator: a chemical molecule that has an effect on multiple postsynaptic neurons
• Dopamine: a neuromodulator primarily responsible for voluntary motor improvement, the experience of pleasure, and reward-based learning
• Serotonin: a neuromodulator primarily responsible for the regulation of mood and sleep
• Sprouting: the ability of dendrites or axons to develop new extensions or branches
• Rerouting: the ability of a neuron that is connected to a damaged neuron to create an alternative synaptic connection with an undamaged neuron
• Pruning: the elimination of synaptic connections that are not adequately activated