bio definitions

• genes 


  carry info that gets passed from one generation to the next
• hormones

  special chemical messengers in the body that are created in the endocrine gland. They control most major bodily functions for example metabolism
• pheromones 


  chemical substance produced by an animal and released into the environment affecting the behaviour or physcology of others or its own species
• genetics

  study of the patterns of inheritance of specific traits
• brain imaging technique


  
  

  use of various techniques to either directly or indirectly image the structure, function, activity of the nervous system
• localisation 


  a theory that specific behaviours can be linked to specific parts of the brain
• neuroplasticity

  the brains ability to alter its own structure following changes within the body or in the external environment
• Neurotransmitters

  chemicals that travel across a synapse that arereleased in the brain and and can affect thebehaviour or mood of an individual
• Neurotransmission 


  a process that sees different chemicals released across a synapse between two neurons that can affect memory or behaviour
• inhibitory neurotransmitter

  • will prevent a neuron from firing a second action potential and inhibit the use of the chemical
  • this behaviour will stop and is only short-term
• example of an inhibitory neurotransmitter


  serotonin
• example of an exhibitory neurotransmitter


  acetylcholine
• excitatory neurotransmitter

  increases the likelihood of a second actionpotential in the post synaptic neuron Thisbehaviour will continue and is long-term.
• antagonist

  drug that can change an excitatory chemical to an inhibitory
• example of an agonist

  SSRI
• example of an antagonist


  Scopolamine
• agonist


  drug that changes an inhibitory chemical to an excitatory one