Neuroscience
This hormone, often called the "stress hormone," is released by the adrenal glands during stressful situations.
What is cortisol
This part of the brainstem controls vital life functions like heartbeat and breathing.
What is the medulla
This vitamin, produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight, helps absorb calcium for strong bones.
What is vitamin D
This type of exercise is shown to release endorphins, which can help improve mood and reduce stress.
What is aerobic exercise
This part of the brain, responsible for decision-making and complex thinking, is the last to fully mature.
What is the prefrontal cortex
This part of the brain is responsible for regulating emotions and is heavily involved in fear responses.
What is the amygdala
This process, essential for mental health, involves the brain's removal of unnecessary neural connections, typically happening during childhood and adolescence.
What is synaptic pruning
This hormone, important for regulating blood sugar, is produced in the pancreas.
What is insulin
This neurotransmitter, often reduced in people with depression, is associated with mood, sleep, and appetite.
What is serotonin
This field of psychology studies how the presence, thoughts, or actions of others can influence an individual’s behavior.
What is social psychology
This neurotransmitter, often associated with pleasure, plays a critical role in motivation and reward pathways.
What is dopamine
This hormone, linked to bonding and affection, is often called the "love hormone" and plays a role in social relationships.
What is oxytocin
Foods high in this macronutrient are the primary source of energy for the brain
What are carbohydrates
Spending time in nature has been found to lower stress and improve this mental function, essential for goal-setting and self-control.
What is executive function
This type of conditioning, discovered by Ivan Pavlov, involves learning through association, as seen with dogs salivating at a bell.
What is classical conditioning
Chronic stress can cause shrinkage in this part of the brain associated with memory and learning.
What is the hippocampus
The flu shot stimulates this immune system response, creating antibodies specific to the influenza virus.
What is adaptive immune response
The gut-brain axis involves this nerve, which communicates between the gut and the brain.
What is the vagus nerve
This phenomenon, observed during and after stressful events, occurs when people feel numb or disconnected from reality.
What is dissociation
This psychological theory describes a hierarchy of needs, beginning with physiological needs and ending in self-actualization.
This branch of the autonomic nervous system prepares the body for "fight or flight" during stress.
What is the sympathetic nervous system
This genetic study examines how much behavior and personality are influenced by genes versus environment.
What is behavioral genetics
Chronic inflammation has been associated with this mental health condition, affecting mood, energy, and motivation
What is depression
This mental health condition, characterized by fluctuating high and low moods, is associated with changes in brain chemistry and structure.
What is bipolar disorder
This cognitive bias describes the tendency to focus on information that confirms one’s preexisting beliefs, ignoring contradicting information.
What is confirmation bias