PSYCH: The Biology of the Mind
Biological perspective ✔✔✔...
Neuron ✔✔✔A nerve cell; the basic building of the nervous system
Dendrites ✔✔✔the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct
impulses toward the cell body
Axon ✔✔✔The extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which
messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
Myelin ✔✔✔...
Action Potential ✔✔✔A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
Threshold ✔✔✔The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
Synapse ✔✔✔The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell
body of the receiving neuron. the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap of synaptic
cleft
Neurotransmitters ✔✔✔Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.
When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to
receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a
neutral impulse
Reuptake ✔✔✔a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron.
Endorphins ✔✔✔"morphine within" -- natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain
control and to pleasure
Nervous System ✔✔✔The body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting
of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system
Central Nervous System ✔✔✔the brain and the spinal cord
Nerves ✔✔✔Bundled axons that form neutral "cables" connecting the central nervous system
with muscles, glands, and sense organs
Sensory Neurons ✔✔✔...
Motor Neurons ✔✔✔...
Interneurons ✔✔✔...
Somatic Nervous System ✔✔✔The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the
body's skeletal muscles. also called the skeletal nervous system
Biological perspective ✔✔✔...
Neuron ✔✔✔A nerve cell; the basic building of the nervous system
Dendrites ✔✔✔the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct
impulses toward the cell body
Axon ✔✔✔The extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which
messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
Myelin ✔✔✔...
Action Potential ✔✔✔A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
Threshold ✔✔✔The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
Synapse ✔✔✔The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell
body of the receiving neuron. the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap of synaptic
cleft
Neurotransmitters ✔✔✔Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.
When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to
receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a
neutral impulse
Reuptake ✔✔✔a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron.
Endorphins ✔✔✔"morphine within" -- natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain
control and to pleasure
Nervous System ✔✔✔The body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting
of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system
Central Nervous System ✔✔✔the brain and the spinal cord
Nerves ✔✔✔Bundled axons that form neutral "cables" connecting the central nervous system
with muscles, glands, and sense organs
Sensory Neurons ✔✔✔...
Motor Neurons ✔✔✔...
Interneurons ✔✔✔...
Somatic Nervous System ✔✔✔The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the
body's skeletal muscles. also called the skeletal nervous system
