Biological Psychology Week 2 [The Nervous System] Flashcards
learn
Hemisphere
One of the two halves of the brain, typically divided into the left and right hemispheres, each responsible for different functions.
Lobe
Major divisions of the brain, such as the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, each responsible for different cognitive and sensory functions.
Sulcus/Sulci
A groove or furrow on the surface of the brain, separating adjacent gyri.
Gyrus/Gyri
A ridge or convolution on the surface of the brain, typically separated by sulci.
Homunculus
A representation of the human body in the brain, often shown in motor or sensory cortex maps, illustrating the relative size of body parts based on sensory or motor function.
Neuron
A nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses in the nervous system
nerve
A bundle of axons (nerve fibers) that transmit electrical signals between the brain, spinal cord, and the rest of the body.
Dendrite
The branched extensions of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons.
Soma
The cell body of a neuron, containing the nucleus and essential cellular machinery.
Axon
The long, slender projection of a neuron that transmits electrical impulses away from the soma.
Myelin
A fatty substance that surrounds and insulates axons, speeding up electrical signal transmission.
Schwann Cell
A type of glial cell in the peripheral nervous system that produces myelin.
Potential Difference
The difference in electrical charge across a membrane, which creates the electrical signal in neurons.
Saltatory Conduction
The process by which an action potential jumps from one node of Ranvier to another along a myelinated axon, increasing the speed of signal transmission.
