brain & neuropsychology

• Fight or flight response


  Immediate physiological response to threat or stress, involving adrenaline release and physiological arousal
• The James-Lange theory


  Theory suggesting physiological changes precede emotional experiences, interpreted by the brain
• Cerebellum


  Located at the base of the brain, coordinates movement and sensory input
• fMRI


  Functional MRI scan measuring brain activity by tracking blood oxygen levels
• Nervous system


  Comprises CNS (brain, spinal cord) and PNS, transmits signals throughout the body
• CT scan


  X-ray scan creating detailed cross-sectional images of the body, including the brain
• ANS


  Autonomic Nervous System, operates involuntarily with sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions
• Localisation


  Theory that specific brain areas control distinct functions and behaviors
• PET Scan


  Positron Emission Tomography scan observing live brain activity using a radioactive substance
• Neurotransmitter


  Chemical released from synaptic vesicles, transmitting signals between neurons
• Cerebral cortex


  Outer layer of the brain responsible for conscious awareness and cognitive functions
• Excitatory


  Neurotransmitters like adrenaline increasing positive charge, enhancing neuron firing
• Neurons


  Cells communicating through electrical and chemical signals in the nervous system
• Synaptic transmission


  Process where neurons communicate by sending chemical messages across synapses
• CNS


  Central Nervous System comprising the brain and spinal cord, responsible for complex commands
• Inhibitory


  Neurotransmitters like serotonin decreasing the likelihood of neuron firing
• Hebb's theory of learning & neuronal growth


  Theory suggesting synaptic connections strengthen with learning, enhancing brain efficiency
• Interpretive cortex


  Area in the temporal lobe storing emotional interpretations of memories
• PNS


  Peripheral Nervous System transmitting information between CNS and rest of the body
• Emotion


  Strong feeling driving behavior, with important motivational properties
• SNS


  Sympathetic Nervous System causing physiological arousal in response to stress
• Cognitive neuroscience


  Study of how mental processes and brain activity influence each other
• Neurological damage


  Loss of function or behavior change due to events like illness or injury damaging neurons
• Episodic memory


  Memory for personal events, including details of when, where, and emotional context
• Semantic memory


  Memory storing facts, concepts, and knowledge of the world
• RELAY


  Connects sensory to motor with short dendrite and axon.
• MOTOR


  From CNS to muscles/glands with short dendrite, long axon.
• Plasticity


  Brain's ability to change and develop, adapting to new experiences.
• Engram


  Trace of learning, can be permanent with rehearsal.
• Cell Body


  Contains nucleus with DNA, part of cell assemblies.
• Myelin Sheath


  Fatty covering of axon for insulation and signal speed.
• Terminal Button


  End of axon involved in synapse, part of electrical transmission.
• Synapse


  Where neurons communicate via neurotransmitters.
• Excitation


  Increases postsynaptic neuron's charge, more likely to fire.
• Inhibition


  Decreases postsynaptic neuron's charge, less likely to fire.
• Summation


  Neuron fires with more excitatory than inhibitory signals.
• Hebb's Theory


  States that synaptic connections strengthen with use.
• Dendrite


  Receives signals from other neurons.
• Soma


  Cell body containing nucleus.
• Node of Ranvier


  Gap in myelin sheath along the axon.