CH 10 Neuro- Definitions Flashcards
acetylcholine
neurotransmitter chemical released at the ends of nerve cells
afferent nerve
af- toward/ferent-carry- towards brain- carries messages towards the brain and spinal cord
arachnoid membrane
middle/spider-like- middle layer of the three membranes (meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord. arachne means spider.
astrocyte
astro/star, cyte/cell- type of glial (neuroglial) cell that transports water and salts from capillaries in the nervous system
autonomic nervous system
involuntary- nerves that control involuntary body functions of muscles, glands and internal organs
axon
microscopic fiber that is part of a neuron and carries nervous impulses along a nerve cell
blood brain barrier (BBB)
protective separation between the blood and brain cells. this makes it difficult for substances such as anti cancer drugs to penetrate capillary walls to enter the brain
brainstem
posterior portion of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord; includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata
cauda equina (horse tail)
collection of spinal nerves below the end of the spinal cord
cell body
part of a nerve cell that contains the nucleus
central nervous system CNS
brain and spinal cord
cerebellum
posterior part of the brain that coordinates muscle movements and maintains balance
cerebral cortex
outer region of the brain containing sheets of nerve cells; gray matter of the brain
cerebreospinal fluid
CSF- circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord
cerebrum
voluntary- largest part of the brain- responsible for voluntary muscular activity, vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought and memory
cranial nerves
nerves carry messages to and from the brain to all parts of head and neck and also (in the case of the vagus nerve) to other parts of the body. there are 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
dendrite
miocroscopic branching fiber of a nerve cell (neuron) that is the first part to receive the nervous impulse
dura mater
hard mother- thich, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord
efferent nerve
ef-away, ferent- carry- carries messages away from the brain and spinal cord; motor nerve.
ependymal cell
glial cell that lines membranes within the brain and spinal cord and helps form cerebrospinal fluid
ganglion
collection of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system
ganglia
plural; ganglion
glial cell (neuroglial cell)
supportive and connective nerve cell that does not carry nervous impulses. examples are astrocytes, microglial cells, ependymal cells, and oligodendrocytes. glial cells can reproduce themselves, as opposed to neurons
gyrus
sheet of nerve cells that produces a rounded ridge on the surface of the cerebral cortex; convolution