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Appendix Flashcards

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The Brain flashcards
1
Q

cell

A

basic biological unit of life, defined by a membrane or wall that encloses cytoplasm and, in eukaryote organisms (including all plants and animals), a nucleus

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2
Q

neuroglial cells

A

several types of non-neural cells found in the peripheral and central nervous systems that carry out a variety of functions that do not directly entail signalling

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3
Q

cell body/soma

A

portion of a neuron that houses the cell’s nucleus; axons and dendrites typically extend from the neuronal cell body

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4
Q

organelle

A

subcellular component visible in a light or electron microscope (e.g., nucleus, ribosome, endoplasmic reticulum)

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5
Q

axon

A

extension of a neuron that carries the action potential from the nerve cell body to a target

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6
Q

dendrite

A

extension of a neuron that receives synaptic input; usually branches near the cell body

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7
Q

neural circuit

A

collection of interconnected neurons mediating a specific function

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8
Q

axon hillock

A

initial portion of an axon, closest to the cell body; the point where action potentials are typically initiated

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9
Q

ion channels

A

membrane protein that uses the passive energy of concentration gradients (created by ion pumps) to allow the passage of ions across the cell membrane

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10
Q

ion pump

A

membrane protein that uses metabolic energy to create ion concentration gradients across neuronal membranes

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11
Q

chemical synapse

A

synapse that uses a chemical transmitter agent; the most common type of synapse in the mammalian brain

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12
Q

synaptic cleft

A

small space between a presynaptic and postsynaptic element across which neurotransmitters must diffuse when released

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13
Q

neurotransmitter receptor

A

molecule embedded in the membrane of a postsynaptic cell that binds a neurotransmitter

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14
Q

synaptic vesicle

A

organelle at a synaptic ending that contains neurotransmitter agents

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15
Q

afferent neuron

A

axon that conducts action potentials from the periphery to more central parts of the nervous system

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16
Q

efferent neuron

A

axon that conducts information away from the central nervous system

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17
Q

interneuron

A

neuron in a circuit that lies between primary sensory and primary effector neurons;
neuron that branches locally to innervate other neurons

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18
Q

spinal reflex arc

A

circuit that includes the afferent to efferent components of a response at the level of the spinal cord

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19
Q

sensory neuron

A

nerve cell that is involved in sensory processing

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20
Q

motor neuron

A

nerve cell that innervates skeletal or smooth muscle

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21
Q

excitatory

A

pertaining to a synaptic effect that brings the membrane of the postsynaptic cell closer to threshold, thereby making firing of the postsynaptic cell more likely

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22
Q

inhibitory

A

pertaining to a synaptic effect that makes the firing of the postsynaptic cell less likely

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23
Q

electrophysiological recording

A

various methods of recording electrical activity in the nervous system

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24
Q

synaptic potential

A

membrane potential change (or a conductance change) generated by the action of a chemical transmitter agent. Synaptic potentials allow the transmission of information from one neuron to another

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25
Q

receptor potential

A

membrane potential change that arises at a sensory receptor in the periphery due to a stimulus from the environment

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26
Q

sensory system

A

components of the central and peripheral nervous systems concerned with processing information arising from a particular stimulus category (e.g., light, sound stimuli)

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27
Q

motor system

A

components of the central and peripheral nervous systems that support motor behaviour

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28
Q

effector

A

muscle or gland that provides the output of neural processing

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29
Q

somatic motor system

A

components of the motor system that support skeletal movements mediated by the contraction of skeletal muscles

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30
Q

visceral/automatic motor system

A

very large component of the nervous system that is dedicated to proper functioning of the viscera (all the organs that maintain the well-being of the body and brain)

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31
Q

hyperpolarization

A

changing the membrane potential of a neuron in the negative direction, driving it away from threshold and making it less likely to initiate an action potential

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32
Q

depolarization

A

changing the membrane potential of a neuron in the positive direction, which initiates an action potential if threshold is reached

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33
Q

threshold potential

A

membrane potential at which a nerve cell fires an action potential

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34
Q

central nervous system

A

brain and spinal cord of vertebrates (by analogy, the central nerve cord and ganglia of invertebrates)

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35
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

all the nerves and neurons that lie outside the brain and spinal cord

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36
Q

nucleus (pl. nuclei)

A

anatomically discrete collection of neurons within the brain; typically serves a particular function

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37
Q

subcortical

A

pertaining to brain structures other than the cerebral cortex

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38
Q

tract

A

major white matter (axonal) pathway in the brain

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39
Q

myelin

A

membranous wrapping of axons by certain classes of glial cells that makes brain regions with axonal pathways look whitish

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40
Q

gray matter

A

regions of the central nervous system that are rich in neuronal cell bodies; includes the cerebral and cerebellar cortices, the nuclei of the brain, and the central portion of the spinal cord

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41
Q

white matter

A

large axon tracts in the brain and spinal cord; these tracts have a whitish cast when viewed in freshly cut material

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42
Q

sensory ganglia

A

collections of neurons in the peripheral nervous system that comprise the cell bodies of afferent sensory neurons

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43
Q

dorsal root ganglia

A

segmental sensory ganglia of the spinal cord that contain the first-order sensory neurons whose axons project centrally

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44
Q

cranial nerve ganglia

A

sensory or motor ganglia associated with the 12 cranial nerves

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45
Q

autonomic ganglia

A

collections of autonomic motor neurons outside the central nervous system that innervate visceral smooth muscles, cardiac muscle, and glands

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46
Q

sympathetic division

A

component of the autonomic motor system that contributes to the mobilization of energy to prepare the body for action

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47
Q

parasympathetic division

A

component of the autonomic motor system that mediates restorative metabolic functions

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48
Q

enteric division

A

division of the autonomic motor system that is specifically concerned with regulating the behaviour of the gut

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49
Q

brainstem

A

portion of the brain that lies between the diencephalon and the spinal cord; comprises the midbrain, pons, and medulla

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50
Q

forebrain

A

anterior portion of the brain that includes the cerebral hemispheres (the telencephalon and diencephalon)

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51
Q

midbrain

A

most rostral of the three components of the brainstem; identified by the superior and inferior colliculi on its dorsal surface, and the cerebral peduncles on its ventral aspect

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52
Q

pons

A

one of the three components of the brainstem, lying between the midbrain rostrally and the medulla caudally

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53
Q

medulla

A

most caudal of the three components of the brainstem, extending from the pons to the spinal cord

54
Q

cranial nerves

A

nerves projecting from the cranial motor nuclei to sense organs or muscles, mostly of the face, head, eyes, or neck

55
Q

superior colliculi

A

paired structures that form part of the roof of the midbrain; important in orienting movements of the head and eyes

56
Q

inferior colliculi

A

paired structures on the dorsal surface of the midbrain; concerned with auditory processing

57
Q

substantia nigra

A

nucleus at the base of the midbrain that receives input from a number of cortical and subcortical structures.
The dopaminergic cells of the substantia nigra send their output to the caudate or putamen

58
Q

ventral tegmental area (VTA)

A

part of the midbrain that contains many dopaminergic neurons and is important for reward and learning

59
Q

spinal cord

A

portion of the central nervous system that extends from the lower end of the brainstem (the medulla) to the cauda equina. It sits within a protective tube, or column, created by the vertebrae of the spine

60
Q

dorsal horn

A

dorsal portion of the spinal cord gray matter, which contains neurons that process sensory information

61
Q

lateral horn

A

lateral portion of the spinal cord gray matter, which mediates sympathetic motor responses

62
Q

ventral horn

A

ventral portion of the spinal cord gray matter, which contains the primary motor neurons

63
Q

cerebral hemisphere

A

two halves of the forebrain

64
Q

gyri

A

ridges in the folded cerebral cortex

65
Q

sulcus (pl. sulci)

A

valleys that arise from the folding of the cerebral hemisphere between gyri

66
Q

fissure

A

deep cleft in the surface of the brain; can be either between two lobes (e.g., the lateral fissure between the frontal and temporal lobes) or an especially deep sulcus (e.g., the calcarine fissure in the occipital lobe)

67
Q

cerebral cortex

A

superficial gray matter of the cerebellum

68
Q

lobes

A

four major regions of the cerebral cortex: the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes

69
Q

central sulcus

A

major sulcus on the lateral aspect of the cerebral hemispheres that forms the boundary between the frontal and parietal lobes. Its anterior bank contains the primary motor cortex; the posterior bank contains the primary sensory cortex

70
Q

precentral gyrus

A

gyrus that lies just anterior to the central sulcus; contains the primary motor cortex

71
Q

motor cortex

A

region of the cerebral cortex anterior to the central sulcus that is concerned with motor behavior; includes the primary motor cortex in the precentral gyrus, and associated premotor cortical areas in the frontal lobe

72
Q

lateral/Sylvian fissure

A

cleft on the lateral surface of the human brain that separates the temporal and frontal lobes

73
Q

insula

A

portion of the cerebral cortex that is buried within the depths of the Sylvian fissure (lateral sulcus)

74
Q

postcentral gyrus

A

gyrus that lies just posterior to the central sulcus; contains the primary somatosensory cortex

75
Q

somatosensory cortex

A

region of the parietal lobe that receives information about touch, pressure and vibration at the body surface

76
Q

olfactory tracts

A

projection from the olfactory bulbs to higher olfactory centers

77
Q

olfactory bulbs

A

olfactory relay station that receives axons from the olfactory cranial nerve and transmits this information via the olfactory tract to higher centers

78
Q

olfactory nerve

A

first cranial nerve; runs from the olfactory mucosa to the olfactory bulb

79
Q

parahippocampal gyrus

A

cortical gyrus in the medial temporal lobe adjacent to the hippocampus; plays a role in declarative memory, emotion, and responses to olfactory stimuli

80
Q

hippocampus

A

specialized cortical structure located in the medial portion of the temporal lobe; in humans, concerned with declarative memory, among many other functions

81
Q

uncus

A

part of the cerebral cortex near the hippocampus and associated with hippocampal function

82
Q

pyriform cortex

A

component of the cerebral cortex in the temporal lobe pertinent to olfaction; so named because of its pearlike shape

83
Q

optic chiasm

A

crossing of optic nerve axons from the nasal portions of the retinas in humans and other mammals such that the temporal visual fields are represented in the contralateral cerebral hemispheres

84
Q

hypothalamus

A

collection of small but critical nuclei in the diencephalon that lies just inferior to the thalamus; governs reproductive, homeostatic, and circadian functions

85
Q

mammillary bodies

A

small prominences on the ventral surface of the diencephalon; functionally, part of the caudal hypothalamus

86
Q

cerebral peduncles

A

major fiber bundles that connect the brainstem to the cerebral hemispheres

87
Q

parieto-occipital sulcus

A

sulcus between the occipital and parietal lobes of the cerebral hemispheres

88
Q

calcarine sulcus

A

major sulcus on the medial aspect of the human occipital lobe; the primary visual cortex lies largely within this sulcus

89
Q

cingulate sulcus

A

sulcus on the medial aspect of the cerebral hemispheres defined by the cingulate gyrus

90
Q

cingulate gyrus

A

gyrus that surrounds the corpus callosum

91
Q

corpus callosum

A

large midline fiber bundle that connects the cortices of the two cerebral hemispheres

92
Q

diencephalon

A

portion of the brain that lies just rostral to the brainstem; comprises the thalamus and hypothalamus

93
Q

thalamus

A

collection of nuclei that forms the major component of the diencephalon. Has many functions; a primary role is to relay sensory information from the periphery to the cerebral cortex

94
Q

pulvinar

A

nucleus of the thalamus that mediates interactions among several sensory association areas of the cortex

95
Q

tegmentum

A

central gray matter of the brainstem

96
Q

cerebellum

A

prominent hindbrain structure that is concerned with motor coordination, posture, balance, and some cognitive processes; composed of a three-layered cortex and deep nuclei, and attached to the brainstem by the cerebellar peduncles

97
Q

cereberral cortex

A

superficial gray matter of the cerebral hemispheres

98
Q

folia (sing. folium)

A

ridges and valleys that are apparent in the cerebellar cortex

99
Q

caudate

A

one of the three major nuclei that make up the basal ganglia in the cerebral hemispheres; together with the putamen, serves as the input structure for the globus pallidus
damage to the caudate nucleus leads to hyperkinetic movement disorders such as Huntington’s disease

100
Q

putamen

A

one of the three major nuclei that make up the basal ganglia

101
Q

striatum

A

input nuclei of the basal ganglia, consisting of the caudate and the putamen.
so called because of the striped appearance of these structures in brain sections

102
Q

globus pallidus

A

one of the three major nuclei that make up the basal ganglia in the cerebral hemispheres; relays information from the caudate and putamen to the thalamus

103
Q

basal ganglia

A

group of nuclei lying deep in the subcortical white matter of the frontal lobes that organize motor behavior
the caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus are major components of the basal ganglia; the subthalamic nucleus and substantia nigra are often included
The basal ganglia are mainly associated with movement (primarily learning and remembering how to do something). They are also associated with language, attention, and planning

104
Q

septal/basal/forebrain nuclei

A

complex of primarily cholinergic nuclei that lies between the hypothalamus in the diencephalon and the orbital cortex of the frontal lobes; concerned with alertness and memory, among other functions

105
Q

amygdala

A

collection of nuclei in the temporal lobe that forms part of the limbic system; its major functions concern autonomic, emotional, and sexual behavior

106
Q

anterior commissure

A

small midline fiber tract that lies at the anterior end of the corpus callosum; like the callosum, it connects the two hemispheres

107
Q

fornix (pl. fornices)

A

axon tract, best seen from the medial surface of the divided brain, that interconnects the hypothalamus and hippocampus

108
Q

internal capsule

A

large white matter tract that lies between the diencephalon and the basal ganglia; contains, among others, sensory axons that run from the thalamus to the cortex and motor axons that run from the cortex to the brainstem and spinal cord

109
Q

lateral ventricles

A

major ventricle in each of the two cerebral hemispheres

110
Q

third ventricle

A

midline component of the ventricular system at the level of the diencephalon

111
Q

cerebral aqueduct

A

portion of the ventricular system that connects the third and fourth ventricles

112
Q

fourth ventricle

A

ventricular space that lies between the pons and the cerebellum

113
Q

cerebrospinal fluid

A

normally clear and cell-free fluid that fills the ventricular system of the central nervous system; produced by the choroid plexus in the lateral ventricles

114
Q

choroid plexus

A

specialized epithelium in the ventricular system that produces cerebrospinal fluid

115
Q

stroke

A

clinical and neuropathological result of interruption of the blood supply to one or another region of the brain

116
Q

brain lesion

A

localized region of brain damage

117
Q

ischemia

A

paucity or complete lack of blood supply; a common cause of stroke

118
Q

circle of Willis

A

ring of arteries at the base of the midbrain; connects the posterior and anterior cerebral circulation

119
Q

reticular formation

A

core of the brainstem

120
Q

anterior

A

in front of

121
Q

superior

A

above

122
Q

inferior

A

below

123
Q

posterior

A

behind

124
Q

dorsal

A

back

125
Q

ventral

A

front

126
Q

axial

A

horizontal (vízszintes)

127
Q

sagittal

A

dividing the two hemispheres

128
Q

coronal

A

frontal (függőleges)

129
Q

rostral

A

direction toward the nose (beak/csőr)

130
Q

caudal

A

direction to the base of the skull (tail/farok)

131
Q

contralateral

A

on the other side

132
Q

ipsilateral

A

on the same side

Brain & Cognition (8 decks)

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