Chapter 1 Test Flashcards
Glial cells
Take away waste products of neurons, keep the neurons chemical enviorment stable, and insulate them
Neurons
Responsible for information transmission through out the cell
Dendrites
Project out of the cell body like a tree, receives information
Cell body
Contains the nucleolus of the cell
Axon
Long fiber leaving cell body, conduct information from the cell body to the axon terminals in order to trigger the transmission of info with other neurons
Myelin sheath
An insulating later of a white fatty substance, with the sheath the impulse travels faster
Axon terminals
Send signals to other cells
Neurotransmitter
Naturally occurring chemical in the nervous system that specializes in transmitting information between neurons
Synthetic gap
The microscopic gap between neurons across which neurotransmitter a travel to carry their messages to other neurons
Position emission tomography (PET) scan
A visual display of the activity levels in various areas in the brain generated by detecting the amount of position emission created by the metabolization of radioactive glucose in each area
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
A computerized image of the activity levels of various areas in the brain generated by detecting the amount of oxygen brought to each area
Agonists
A drug or poison that increases the activity of one or more neurotransmitters
Antagonist
Drug or poison that decreases the activity of one or more neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine (ACh)
A neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory, and muscle movement
Dopamine
A neurotransmitter involved in arousal and mood states, thought processes, and physical movement
Parkinson’s disease
A disease in which the person had movement problems such as muscle tremors, difficulty initiating movements, and rigidity of movement. These movement problems stem from a scarcity of dopamine in the basal ganglia
Blood brain barrier
A protective mechanism by which the blood capillaries supplying the brain create a barrier that prevents dangerous substances access to the brain
L-dope
A drug for Parkinson’s diesease that contains the precursors to dopamine so that once it is in the brain, it will be converted to dopamine
Serotonin and norepinephrine
Neurotransmitters involved in levels of arousal and mood, sleep, and eating
Selective serotonin reuptake inhabitors (SSRs)
Anti-depressant drugs that achieve their agnostic effect on serotonin and norepinephrine by selectively blocking their reuptake
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
The main inhibitor neurotransmitter in the nervous system. it is involved in lowering arousal and anxiety and regulating movement
Glutamate
The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system. It is involved in memory storage, pain perception, strokes and schizophrenia
Endorphins
A group of neurotransmitters that are involved in pain relief and feelings of pleasure
Central nervous system (CNS)
The brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
The part of the nervous system that links the CNS with the body’s sensory receptors muscles and glands
Interneourons
The neurons that integrate information within the CNS through their communication with each other and between sensory and motor neurons in the spinal cord
Sensory neurons
Neurons in the PNS that carry information to the CNS from sensory receptors muscles and glands
Motor neurons
Neurons in the PNS that carry movement commands from the CNS out to the rest of the body