Ch. 2 Neuroscience

Question 1

Neuroplasticity

Answer 1

brains ability to change by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

Question 2

Neuron

Answer 2

a nerve cell; basic building block of nervous system

Question 3

Cell body

Answer 3

contains the nucleus

Question 4

dendrites

Answer 4

neurons branching extensions that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

Question 5

axon

Answer 5

segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or muscles/glands

Question 6

glial cells

Answer 6

cells in nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory

Question 7

action potential

Answer 7

neural impulse; brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Question 8

threshold

Answer 8

level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Question 9

refractory period

Answer 9

brief resting pause that occurs after neuron has fired

Question 10

all-or-none response

Answer 10

neurons reaction of either firing or not firing

Question 11

synapse

Answer 11

junction between the axon tip of sending neuron

Question 12

neurotransmitters

Answer 12

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons

Question 13

reputake

Answer 13

neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by sending neuron

Question 14

agonist

Answer 14

molecule that increases neurotransmitters action

Question 15

antagonist

Answer 15

molecule that inhibits/blocks a neurotransmitters action

Question 16

nervous system

Answer 16

consists of all three nerve cells of peripheral and central nervous system

Question 17

CNS

Answer 17

brain and spinal cord

Question 18

Peripheral Nervous System

Answer 18

sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body

Question 19

nerves

Answer 19

bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the CNS with muscles, glands, and sensory organs

Question 20

sensory neurons

Answer 20

neurons that carry incoming info from the body’s tissue and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

Question 21

motor neurons

Answer 21

neurons that carry outgoing info from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands

Question 22

interneurons

Answer 22

neurons within the brain and spinal cord

Question 23

Somatic nervous system

Answer 23

division of peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles

Question 24

sympathetic nervous system

Answer 24

division of autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy

Question 25

parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 25

division of autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving energy

Question 26

endocrine system

Answer 26

body’s slow chemical communication system

Question 27

hormones

Answer 27

chemical messengers that are manufactured by endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues

Question 28

adrenal glands

Answer 28

pair of endocrine glands that sits above kidneys and secretes hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress

Question 29

pituitary gland

Answer 29

most influential gland, regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

Question 30

brainstem

Answer 30

oldest part and central core of the brain, responsible for automatic survival functions

Question 31

medulla

Answer 31

base of brainstem, controls heartbeat and breathing

Question 32

thalamus

Answer 32

brains sensory control center, directs messages to sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

Question 33

reticular formation

Answer 33

nerve network that travels through brainstem into the thalamus, filters info and plays a role in arousal

Question 34

cerebellum

Answer 34

“little brain” at rear of brainstem, processes sensory input, coordinates movement, output and balance, enables nonverbal learning and memory

Question 35

limbis system

Answer 35

neural system located below cerebral hemispheres, associated with emotions and drives

Question 36

amygdala

Answer 36

two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in limbic system, linked to emotion

Question 37

hypothalamus

Answer 37

neural structure in limbic system below the thalamus, directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via pituitary gland, linked to emotion and reward

Question 38

frontal lobes

Answer 38

portion of cerebral cortex, involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments

Question 39

parietal lobes

Answer 39

portion of cerebral cortex, receives sensory input for touch and body positions

Question 40

occipital lobes

Answer 40

portion of cerebral cortex, includes areas that receive info from visual fields

Question 41

temporal lobes

Answer 41

portion of cerebral cortex, includes auditory areas, each receiving info from opposite ear

Question 42

motor cortex

Answer 42

portion of cerebral cortex, controls voluntary movement

Question 43

somatosensory cortex

Answer 43

portion of cerebral cortex, registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

Question 44

neurogenesis

Answer 44

formation of new neurons

Question 45

corpus callosum

Answer 45

large band of neural fibers connecting two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

Question 46

split brain

Answer 46

condition resulting from surgery that separates brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers connecting them