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PSYCH 110 - Biopsychology > Chapter 3 - Anatomy of the Nervous System > Flashcards

Chapter 3 - Anatomy of the Nervous System Flashcards

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1
Q

Central nervous system (CNS)

A

The portion of the nervous system within the skull and spine

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2
Q

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

A

The portion of the nervous system outside the skull and spine

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3
Q

Somatic nervous system (SNS)

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that interacts with the external environment

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4
Q

Afferent nerves

A

Nerves that carry sensory signals to the central nervous system

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5
Q

Efferent nerves

A

Nerves that carry motor signals from the central nervous system to the skeletal muscles or internal organs

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6
Q

Autonomic nervous system (ANS)

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that participates in the regulation of the body’s internal environment

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7
Q

Sympathetic nerves

A

Those motor nerves of the autonomic nervous system that project from the central nervous system in the lumbar and thoracic region areas of the spinal cord

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8
Q

Parasympathetic nerves

A

Those autonomic motor nerves that project from the brain to the sacral region of the spinal cord

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9
Q

Cranial nerves

A

The 12 pairs of nerves extending from the brain (e.g., optic nerves, olfactory nerves, and vagus nerves)

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10
Q

Glial cells

A

Several classes of nonneural cells of the nervous system

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11
Q

Oligodendrocytes

A

Glial cells that myelinate axons of the central nervous system; also known as oligodendroglia

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12
Q

Myelin

A

A fatty insulating substance

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13
Q

Myelin sheaths

A

Coverings on the axons of some neurons that are rich in myelin and increase the speed and efficiency of axonal conduction

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14
Q

Schwann cells

A

The glial cells that compose the myelin sheaths of PNS axons and promote the regeneration of PNS axons

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15
Q

Microglia

A

Glial cells that respond to injury or disease by engulfing cellular debris and triggering inflammatory responses

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16
Q

Astrocytes

A

Large, star-shaped glial cells that play multiple roles in the central nervous system

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17
Q

Golgi stain

A

A neural stain that completely darkens a few of the neurons in each slice of tissue, thereby revealing their silhouettes

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18
Q

Niss1 stain

A

A neural stain that has an affinity for structures in neuron cell bodies

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19
Q

Electron microscopy

A

A microscopy technique used to study the fine details of cellular structure

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20
Q

Anterior

A

Toward the nose end of a vertebrate

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21
Q

Posterior

A

Toward the tail end of a vertebrate or toward the back of the head

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22
Q

Dorsal

A

Toward the surface of the back of a vertebrate or toward the top of the head

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23
Q

Ventral

A

Toward the chest surface of a vertebrate or toward the bottom of the head

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24
Q

Medial

A

Toward the midline of the body

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25
Q

Lateral

A

Away from the midline of the body of a vertebrate, toward the body’s lateral surfaces

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26
Q

Superior

A

Toward the top of the primate head

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27
Q

Inferior

A

Toward the bottom of the primate head or brain

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28
Q

Proximal

A

Close to something

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29
Q

Distal

A

Far from something

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30
Q

Horizontal sections

A

Any slices of brain tissue cut in a plane that are parallel to the top of the brain

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31
Q

Frontal sections

A

Any slices of brain tissue cut in a plane that is parallel to the face; also termed coronal sections

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32
Q

Sagittal sections

A

Any slices of brain tissue cut in a plane that is parallel to the side of the brain

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33
Q

Cross section

A

Section cut at a right angle to any long, narrow structure of the central nervous system

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34
Q

Gray matter

A

Portions of the nervous system that are gray because they are composed largely of cell bodies and unmyelinated interneurons

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35
Q

White matter

A

Portions of the nervous system that are white because they are composed largely of myelinated axons

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36
Q

Dorsal horns

A

The two dorsal arms of the spinal gray matter

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37
Q

Meninges

A

The three protective membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (singular meninx)

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38
Q

Dura mater

A

The tough outer meninx

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39
Q

Arachnoid membrane

A

The meninx that is located between the dura mater and the pia mater and has the appearance of a gauzelike spiderweb

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40
Q

Subarachnoid space

A

The space beneath the arachnoid membrane, which contains many large blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid

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41
Q

Pia mater

A

The delicate, innermost meninx

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42
Q

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

A

The fluid that fills the subarachnoid space, the central canal, and the cerebral ventricles

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43
Q

Central canal

A

The small cerebrospinal fluid-filled channel that runs the length of the spinal cord

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44
Q

Cerebral ventricles

A

The four cerebrospinal fluid-filled internal chambers of the brain: the two lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, and the fourth ventricle

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45
Q

Choroid plexuses

A

The networks of capillaries that protrude into the ventricles from the pia mater and produce cerebrospinal fluid

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46
Q

Blood-brain barrier

A

The mechanism that impedes the passage of toxic substances from the blood into the brain

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47
Q

Ventral horns

A

The two ventral arms of the spinal gray matter

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48
Q

Dorsal root ganglia

A

Structures just outside the spinal cord that are composed of the cell bodies of dorsal root axons

49
Q

Brain stem

A

The part of the brain on which the cerebral hemispheres rest; in general, it regulates reflex activities that are critical for survival (e.g., heart rate and respiration)

50
Q

Myelencephalon (medulla)

A

The most posterior of the five major divisions of the brain; the medulla

51
Q

Reticular formation

A

A complex network of about 100 tiny nuclei that occupies the central core of the brain stem from the posterior boundary of the myelencephalon to the anterior boundary of the midbrain. Sometimes referred to as “little net” or as the reticular activating system.

52
Q

Metencephalon

A

One of the five major divisions of the brain; it includes the pons and cerebellum

53
Q

Pons

A

The metencephalic structure that creates a bulge on the ventral surface of the brain stem

54
Q

Cerebellum

A

A metencephalic structure that is thought to participate in the storage of memories of learned sensorimotor skills

55
Q

Mesencephalon

A

One of the five major divisions of the brain; it is composed of the tectum and tegmentum

56
Q

Tectum

A

The dorsal surface of the midbrain; the roof

57
Q

Inferior colliculi

A

The structures of the tectum that receive auditory input from the superior olives

58
Q

Superior colliculi

A

Two of the four nuclei that compose the tectum; they receive major visual input

59
Q

Tegmentum

A

The ventral division of the mesencephalon; it includes part of the reticular formation, substantia nigra, and red nucleus

60
Q

Periaqueductal gray

A

The gray matter around the cerebral aqueduct, which contains opiate receptors and activates a descending analgesia circuit

61
Q

Cerebral aqueduct

A

A narrow channel that connects the third and fourth ventricles

62
Q

Substantia nigra

A

The midbrain nucleus whose neurons project via the nigrostriatal pathway to the striatum of the basal ganglia; it is part of the mesotelencephalic dopamine system

63
Q

Red nucleus

A

A structure of the sensorimotor system that is located in the tegmentum of the mesencephalon

64
Q

Diencephalon

A

One of the five major divisions of the brain; it is composed of the thalamus and hypothalamus

65
Q

Thalamus

A

The large two-lobed diencephalic structure that constitutes the anterior end of the brain stem; many of its nuclei are sensory relay nuclei that project to the cortex

66
Q

Massa intermedia

A

The neural structure located in the third ventricle that connects the two lobes of the thalamus

67
Q

Sensory relay nuclei

A

Those nuclei of the thalamus whose main function is to relay sensory signals to the appropriate areas of cortex

68
Q

Lateral geniculate nuclei

A

The six-layered thalamic structures that receive input from the retinas and transmit their output to the primary visual cortex

69
Q

Medial geniculate nuclei

A

The auditory thalamic nuclei that receive input from the inferior colliculi and project to primary auditory cortex

70
Q

Ventral posterior nuclei

A

A thalamic relay nucleus in both the somatosensory and gustatory systems

71
Q

Hypothalamus

A

The diencephalic structure that sits just below the anterior portion of the thalamus

72
Q

Pituitary gland

A

The gland that dangles from, and is controlled by, the hypothalamus

73
Q

Optic chiasm

A

The X-shaped structure on the inferior surface of the diencephalon; the point where the optic nerves decussate

74
Q

Decussate

A

To cross over to the other side of the brain

75
Q

Contralateral

A

Projecting from one side of the body to the other

76
Q

Ipsilateral

A

On the same side of the body

77
Q

Mammillary bodies

A

The pair of spherical nuclei that are located on the inferior surface of the hypothalamus

78
Q

Telencephalon

A

The most superior of the brain’s five major divisions

79
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

The layer of neural tissue covering the cerebral hemispheres of humans and other mammals

80
Q

Neurons

A

Cells of the nervous system that are specialized for the reception, conduction, and transmission of electrochemical signals

81
Q

Multipolar neuron

A

A neuron with more than two processes extending from its cell body

82
Q

Unipolar neuron

A

A neuron with one process extending from its cell body

83
Q

Bipolar neuron

A

A neuron with two processes extending from its cell body

84
Q

Interneurons

A

Neurons with short axons or no axons at all, whose function is to integrate neural activity within a single brain structure

85
Q

Nuclei

A

The DNA-containing structures of cells; also, clusters of neuronal cell bodies in the central nervous system (singular nucleus)

86
Q

Ganglia

A

Clusters of neuronal cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system (singular ganglion)

87
Q

Tracts

A

Bundles of axons in the central nervous system

88
Q

Nerves

A

Bundles of axons in the peripheral nervous system

89
Q

Fissures

A

The large furrows in a convoluted cortex

90
Q

Sulci

A

Small furrows in a convoluted cortex

91
Q

Gyri

A

The cortical ridges that are located between fissures or sulci

92
Q

Longitudinal fissure

A

The large fissure that separates the two cerebral hemispheres

93
Q

Cerebral commissures

A

Tracts that connect the left and right cerebral hemispheres

94
Q

Corpus callosum

A

The largest cerebral commissure

95
Q

Central fissure

A

The large fissure that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe

96
Q

Lateral fissure

A

The large fissure that separates the temporal lobe from the frontal lobe

97
Q

Frontal lobe

A

The most anterior of the four cerebral lobes

98
Q

Parietal lobe

A

One of the four cerebral lobes; it is located just posterior to the central fissure

99
Q

Temporal lobe

A

One of the four major cerebral lobes; it lies adjacent to the temples and contains the hippocampus and amygdala

100
Q

Occipital lobe

A

The most posterior of the four cerebral lobes; its function is primarily visual

101
Q

Precentral gyrus

A

The gyrus located just anterior to the central fissure; its function is primarily motor

(plural: precentral gyri)

102
Q

Postcentral gyrus

A

The gyrus located just posterior to the central fissure; its function is primarily somatosensory

(plural: postcentral gyri)

103
Q

Superior temporal gyri

A

The plural of superior temporal gyrus

104
Q

Neocortex

A

Six-layered cerebral cortex of relatively recent evolution; it constitutes 90 percent of human cerebral cortex

105
Q

Pyramidal cells

A

Large multipolar cortical neurons with a pyramid-shaped cell body, an apical dendrite, and a very long axon

106
Q

Stellate cells

A

Small star-shaped cortical interneurons

107
Q

Columnar organization

A

The functional organization of the neocortex in vertical columns; the cells in each column form a mini-circuit that performs a single function

108
Q

Hippocampus

A

A structure of the medial temporal lobes that plays a role in various forms of memory

109
Q

Limbic system

A

A collection of interconnected nuclei and tracts that ring the thalamus

110
Q

Amygdala

A

A structure in the anterior temporal lobe, just anterior to the hippocampus; plays a role in emotion

111
Q

Cingulate cortex

A

The cortex of the cingulate gyri, which are located on the medial surfaces of the frontal lobes

112
Q

Cingulate gyri

A

Large gyri located on the medial surfaces of the frontal lobes, just superior to the corpus callosum

(singular: cingulate gyrus)

113
Q

Fornix

A

The major tract of the limbic system; it connects the hippocampus with the septum and mammillary bodies

114
Q

Septum

A

A midline nucleus of the limbic system, located near the anterior tip of the cingulate cortex

115
Q

Basal ganglia

A

A collection of subcortical nuclei (e.g., striatum and globus pallidus)

116
Q

Caudate

A

The tail-like structure that is part of the striatum

117
Q

Putamen

A

A structure that is joined to the caudate by a series of fiber bridges; together the putamen and caudate compose the striatum

118
Q

Striatum

A

A structure of the basal ganglia that is the terminal of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway

119
Q

Globus pallidus

A

A structure of the basal ganglia that is located between the putamen and thalamus

PSYCH 110 - Biopsychology (18 decks)

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