biopsych

• Biological psychology


  The branch of psychology in which the biological foundations of behavior, emotions, and mental processes are studied
• Research methods in biological psychology

  • Histology - studying the microscopic structure of the nervous system
  • Autopsy - studying the structure of the nervous system following death
  • Imaging - studying structure and activity of the nervous system
• Computerized tomography (CT)


  An imaging technology in which computers are used to enhance X-ray images, studying the structure and diagnosing structural damage
• Positron emission tomography (PET)


  An imaging technique that provides information regarding the localization of brain activity, studying the relative activity of nervous system structures
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)


  An imaging technique that provides very high-resolution structural images, studying structure in very fine detail
• Functional MRI


  A technology using a series of MRI images taken 1 to 4 seconds apart to assess the activity of the brain, studying the activity of nervous system structures
• Electroencephalogram (EEG)


  A technology for studying the activity of the brain through recordings from electrodes placed on the scalp, studying brain activity, primarily during sleep or seizures
• Evoked potentials


  An alteration in the EEG recording produced in response to the application of a particular stimulus, an adapted EEG used to study the brain's response to specific stimuli
• Magnetoencephalography (MEG)


  A technology for recording the magnetic output of the brain, studying brain activity
• Single-cell recordings


  Identifying the stimulus responsible for activating an individual neuron
• Stem cell


  An undifferentiated cell that can divide and differentiate into other types of cells, growing replacement tissue for repairing damaged organs, including the brain and spinal cord
• Rostral/Anterior


  A directional term meaning toward the head of a four-legged animal
• Caudal/Posterior


  A directional term meaning toward the tail of a four-legged animal
• Inferior/Ventral


  A directional term meaning toward the belly of a four-legged animal
• Superior/Dorsal


  A directional term meaning toward the back of a four-legged animal
• Neuraxis


  An imaginary line that runs the length of the spinal cord to the front of the brain
• Midline


  An imaginary line dividing the body into two equal halves
• Ipsilateral


  A directional term referring to structures on the same side of the midline
• Contralateral


  A directional term referring to structures on opposite sides of the midline
• Medial


  A directional term meaning toward the midline
• Lateral


  A directional term meaning away from the midline
• Proximal


  A directional term that means closer to center; usually applied to limbs; opposite of distal
• Distal


  A directional term meaning farther away from another structure, usually in reference to limbs
• Coronal sections


  An anatomical section dividing the brain front to back, parallel to the face; also known as a frontal section
• Sagittal section


  An anatomical section that is parallel to the midline
• Midsagittal section


  A sagittal section that divides the brain into two approximately equal halves
• Horizontal/Axial section


  An anatomical section that divides the brain from top to bottom
• Central nervous system


  The brain and spinal cord
• Spinal cord


  A long cylinder of nervous tissue extending from the medulla to the first lumbar vertebra
• Vertebral column


  The bones of the spinal column that protect and enclose the spinal cord
• Spinal nerves


  • Cervical (8)
  • Thoracic (12)
  • Lumbar (5)
  • Sacral (5)
  • Coccygeal (1)
• White matter


  An area of neural tissue primarily made up of myelinated axons
• Gray matter


  An area of neural tissue primarily made up of cell bodies
• Hindbrain


  The most caudal division of the brain, including the medulla, pons, and cerebellum
• Myelencephalon (medulla)


  The most caudal part of the hindbrain
• Nuclei


  Collections of cell bodies that share a function
• Reticular formation


  A collection of brainstem nuclei, located near the midline from the rostral medulla up into the midbrain, that regulate sleep and arousal
• Metencephalon


  The division of the hindbrain containing the pons and cerebellum
• Pons


  A structure located in the metencephalon between the medulla and midbrain that forms connections between the medulla and higher brain centers as well as with the cerebellum
• Cerebellum


  A structure located in the metencephalon that participates in balance, muscle tone, muscle coordination, some types of learning, and possibly higher cognitive functions in humans