23 Key Terms of the Biological Basis of Behaviour
- action potential
- electrical signal that moves down the neurone’s axon
- agonist
- drug that mimics or strengthens the effects of a neurotransmitter
- all-or-none
- phenomenon that incoming signal from another neurone is either sufficient or insufficient to reach the threshold of excitation
- amygdala
- structure in the limbic system involved in our experience of emotion and tying emotional meaning to our memories
- antagonist
- drug that blocks or impedes the normal activity of a given neurotransmitter
association cortex
areas of the cortex that are not primary sensory areas, responsible for more complex processing and combining information from multiple senses
- auditory cortex
- strip of cortex in the temporal lobe that is responsible for processing auditory information
- autonomic nervous system
- controls our internal organs and glands
- axon
- major extension of the soma
- biological perspective
- view that psychological disorders like depression and schizophrenia are associated with imbalances in one or more neurotransmitter systems
- Broca’s area
- region in the left hemisphere that is essential for language production
- central nervous system (CNS)
- brain and spinal cord
central sulcus
a deep groove separating the temporal lobe and the frontal and parietal lobes
- cerebellum
- hindbrain structure that controls our balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills, and it is thought to be important in processing some types of memory
- cerebral cortex
- surface of the brain that is associated with our highest mental capabilities
- computerized tomography (CT) scan
- imaging technique in which a computer coordinates and integrates multiple x-rays of a given area
contralateral
a term that refers to something on the opposite side of the body from a particular structure or phenomenon. Eg. The left hemisphere is contralateral to the right hand.
- corpus callosum
- thick band of neural fibres connecting the brain’s two hemispheres
degradation
the process by which an enzyme breaks neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft down into their components so that they can no longer interact with the receptors on the post synaptic neurone.
- dendrite
- branch-like extension of the soma that receives incoming signals from other neurones
- electroencephalography (EEG)
- recording the electrical activity of the brain via electrodes on the scalp
- fight or flight response
- activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, allowing access to energy reserves and heightened sensory capacity so that we might fight off a given threat or run away to safety
- forebrain
- largest part of the brain, containing the cerebral cortex, the thalamus, and the limbic system, among other structures
- frontal lobe
- part of the cerebral cortex involved in reasoning, motor control, emotion, and language; contains motor cortex
Frontal Lobe Syndrome
a set of common symptoms that can occur after damage to t