Brain + Neurons Flashcards
Nervous System
The highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its actions and sensory information by transmitting signals to and from different parts of its body.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
A network of nerves that relaxes your body after periods of stress or danger. It also helps run life-sustaining processes, like digestion, during times when you feel safe and relaxed.
Sympathetic
A network of nerves that helps your body activate its “fight-or-flight” response. This system’s activity increases when you’re stressed, in danger or physically active.
Neurons
They are information messengers. They use electrical impulses and chemical signals to transmit information between different areas of the brain, and between the brain and the rest of the nervous system.
Glial Cells
These cells are non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system that do not produce electrical impulses. They provide supporting functions to the nervous system.
Astrocytes
exchange materials between neurons and cappilaries
Dendrites
Dendrites are appendages that are designed to receive communications from other cells.
Microglial Cells
Immune defense against invading microorganism
Ependymal Cells
Create, secrete and circulate cerebrospinal fluid
Oligodendrocytes
Produce insulating barrier called myelin sheath, CNS
Satellite Cells
Surround and support neuron cell bodies
Schwann Cells
Produce insulating barrier called myelin sheath, PNS
Dendrites
Appendages that are designed to receive communications from other cells.
Cell Body (Soma)
The information received via the dendrites from thousands of other neurons is collected and integrated.
Axon
Tube-like structure that carries neural signals away from the cell body via the axon terminals.
Terminal Buttons
The small knobs at the end of an axon that release chemicals called neurotransmitters.
Myelin Sheath
This myelin sheath allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells.
Resting Potential
The imbalance of electrical charge that exists between the interior of electrically excitable neurons (nerve cells) and their surroundings.
Action Potential
The change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell.
Depolarization
A change occurs inside a cell that causes the distribution of electric charges to alter, leaving the cell with a less negative charge than the outside.
Hyperpolarization
A change in a cell’s membrane potential that makes it more negative.
Refractory Period
The refractory period of a neuron is the time in which a nerve cell is unable to fire an action potential
Nodes of Ranvier
Microscopic gaps found within myelinated axons. Their function is to speed up propagation of action potentials along the axon via saltatory conduction.
Synapse
The site of transmission of electric nerve impulses between two nerve cells or between a neuron and a gland or muscle cell (effector).
Neurotransmitters
A chemical substance that is released at the end of a nerve fiber by the arrival of a nerve impulse and, by diffusing across the synapse or junction, causes the transfer of the impulse to another nerve fiber, a muscle fiber, or some other structure.
Synaptic Vesicles
In a neuron, they store various neurotransmitters that are released at the synapse.
Excitatory Influence
Excitatory neurotransmitters have excitatory effects on the neuron. This means they increase the likelihood that the neuron will fire an action potential.
Inhibitory Influence
Inhibitory neurotransmitters have inhibitory effects on the neuron. This means they decrease the likelihood that the neuron will fire an action.
Reuptake
The absorption by a presynaptic nerve ending of a neurotransmitter that it has secreted.
Enzyme Deactivation
A mechanism that makes neurotransmitters inactive
Central Nervous System
Made up of the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System
Encompasses nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
Automatic Nervous System
Responsible for the less voluntary actions of your body, such as controlling your heart rate and other bodily functions.
Somatic Nervous System
Involved in voluntary behavior, such as when you reach for an object.
Serotonin
Plays a key role in such body functions as mood, sleep, digestion, nausea, wound healing, bone health, blood clotting and sexual desire.
GABA
GABA is a neurotransmitter that blocks impulses between nerve cells in the brain.
Dopamine
A chemical released in the brain that makes you feel good
Epinephrine
A hormone and medication which is involved in regulating visceral functions. Adrenaline
Norepinephrine
Plays an important role in your body’s “fight-or-flight” response.
Psychoactive Drugs
a chemical substance, that changes functions of the nervous system, and results in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition or behavior.
Depressants
Depressant substances reduce arousal and stimulation. They affect the central nervous system, slowing down the messages between the brain and body. Alcohol, Barbiturates, Opiods.
Stimulants
Stimulants are a class of drugs that speed up messages traveling between the brain and body. They can make a person feel more awake, alert, confident or energetic. Cocaine, methamphetamine, caffeine.
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that alter a person’s awareness of their surroundings as well as their own thoughts and feelings.
Brain Stem
The lower part of the brain that’s connected to the spinal cord
Pons
It handles unconscious processes and jobs, such as your sleep-wake cycle and breathing.
Medulla
Its location means it’s where your brain and spinal cord connect, making it a key conduit for nerve signals to and from your body. It also helps control vital processes like your heartbeat, breathing and blood pressure.
Cerebellum
The primary role has traditionally thought to comprise balance and motor control. Studies also support multiple functions of the cerebellum including emotion regulation, inhibiting impulsive decision making, attention, and working memory
Reticular Formation
The primary regulator of arousal and consciousness. During sleep, the center normally suppresses the individual’s level of consciousness.
Insula
Houses the primary gustatory cortex, which is necessary for the sense of taste and is important for perceiving disgust. Plays a role in your ability to be aware of bodily states related to emotion, such as when you are nervous and feel your heart racing
Thalamus
Incoming receptor for everything that comes into brain: related to hearing, seeing, touching, and tasting. It also regulates sleep, alertness, and wakefulness.
Hypothalamus
Body’s thermostat
Controls pituitary gland which control endocrine system
Amygdala
Commonly thought to form the core of a neural system for processing fearful and threatening stimuli
Hippocampus
Plays a vital role in regulating learning, memory encoding, memory consolidation, and spatial navigation
Cerebral Cortex
The outer layer that lies on top of your cerebrum.
Frontal Lobe
Key in planning and movement, judgement, as well as directing and maintaining attention
Motor Cortex (Frontal)
An area within the cerebral cortex of the brain that is involved in the planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements.
Prefrontal Lobe (Frontal)
Planning, directing, maintaining information and attention
Broca’s Area (Frontal)
Controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.
Orbitofrontal Cortex (Frontal)
Part of the prefrontal cortex behind the eyes, implicated in social functioning, important for social impulse control, and damage can lead to socially inappropriate behavior.
Parietal Lobe
Vital for sensory perception and integration, including the management of taste, hearing, sight, touch, and smell.
Somatosensory Cortex (Parietal)
Responsible for processing somatic sensations: touch, temperature, and pain.
Association Cortex (Parietal)
Plays a pivotal role in spatial cognition and motor control of the eyes and the extremities.
Temporal Lobe
Most commonly associated with processing auditory information and with the encoding of memory
Wernicke’s Area (Temporal)
Region of the brain that contains motor neurons involved in the comprehension of speech.
Auditory Cortex (Temporal)
The part of the temporal lobe that processes auditory information in humans. Related to language.
Auditory Cortex (Temporal)
The part of the temporal lobe that processes auditory information in humans. Related to language.
Occipital Lobe
Responsible for visual perception, including color, form and motion.
Occipital Lobe
Responsible for visual perception, including color, form and motion.
Visual Cortex
Primary cortical region of the brain that receives, integrates, and processes visual information relayed from the retinas.
Broca’s Aphasia
A form of aphasia in which the person knows what they want to say but is unable to produce the words or sentence.
Corpus Callosum
Large bundle of more than 200 million myelinated nerve fibers that connect the two brain hemispheres, permitting communication between the right and left sides of the brain.
Somatic Nervous System
