Category 1: The Nervous System
What two structures make up the central nervous system?
Brain and spinal cord
Which lobe of the brain is responsible for processing visual information?
Occipital lobe
What part of a neuron receives messages from other neurons?
Dendrites
What is the process of detecting information through our senses called?
Sensation
What are the two types of photoreceptors found in the retina?
Rods and cones
Which nervous system connects the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body?
Peripheral nervous system
Which brain structure is primarily responsible for forming long-term memories?
Hippocampus
What protective covering helps electrical signals travel faster along the axon?
Myelin sheath
What is the process of interpreting sensory information called?
Perception
What snail-shaped structure in the inner ear contains the hair cells responsible for hearing?
Cochlea
Which nervous system activates the fight-or-flight response?
Sympathetic nervous system
Which part of the brain helps coordinate movement and balance?
Cerebellum
Which neurotransmitter is associated with reward, motivation, and movement?
Dopamine
You walk into a room with a strong smell, but after several minutes you barely notice it. What is this called?
Sensory adaptation
Which sense has strong connections to the amygdala and hippocampus, allowing it to trigger memories and emotions?
Smell (olfaction)
Which nervous system helps the body return to a relaxed state after danger?
Parasympathetic nervous system
What structure connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain?
Corpus callosum
What is the tiny gap between two communicating neurons called?
Synaptic cleft
What is the process of converting sensory information into electrical signals the brain can understand?
Transduction
You close your eyes and touch your nose with your finger. Which sensory system allows you to know where your hand is without looking?
Kinesthetic system (proprioception)
A doctor taps your knee, causing your leg to kick automatically. What type of reflex is this?
Somatic reflex
A person understands what others are saying but has difficulty producing speech after a brain injury. Which area was likely damaged?
Broca's area
A drug attaches to a receptor and blocks a neurotransmitter from activating it. Is this an agonist or antagonist?
Antagonist
What do psychologists call sensory information presented below the threshold of conscious awareness?
Subliminal stimulus
After spinning in circles, you feel dizzy because fluid continues moving in which structures of the inner ear?
Semicircular canals