Chapter 7 - The Nervous System and Mental Health Flashcards
Carrying toward a given point, such as the sensory neurons and nerves that carry impulses toward the CNS (root fer means “to carry”)
afferent
The middle layer of the meninges (from the Greek word for spider, because this tissue resembles a spider web)
arachnoid mater
The division of the nervous system that regulates involuntary activities, controlling smooth muscles, cardiac muscle, and glands; the visceral nervous system
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
The fiber of a neuron that conducts impulses away from the cell body
axon
The nervous tissue contained within the cranium; consists of the cerebrum, diencephalon, brainstem, and cerebellum (root: encephal/o)
brain
The part of the brain that consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata
brainstem
the brain and spinal cord
central nervous system (CNS)
The posterior portion of the brain dorsal to the pons and medulla; helps to coordinate movement and to maintain balance and posture (cerebellum means “little brain”) (root: cerebell/o)
cerebellum
The cerebrum’s thin surface layer of gray matter (the cortex is the outer region of an organ) (root: cortic/o)
cerebral cortex
The large upper portion of the brain; it is divided into two hemispheres by the longitudinal fissure (root: cerebr/o)
cerebrum
The watery fluid that circulates in and around the brain and spinal cord as a protection
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
A fiber of a neuron that conducts impulses toward the cell body
dendrite
The 12 pairs of nerves that are connected to the brain
cranial nerves
The part of the brain that contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland; located between the cerebrum and the brainstem
diencephalon
The strong, fibrous outermost layer of the meninges
dura mater
Carrying away from a given point, such as the motor neurons and nerves that carry impulses away from the CNS (root fer means “to carry”)
efferent
A collection of nerve cell bodies outside the CNS (plural: ganglia) (root: gangli/o, ganglion/o)
ganglion
A raised convolution of the surface of the cerebrum (plural: gyri)
gyrus
The part of the brain that controls the pituitary gland and maintains homeostasis
hypothalamus
Any neuron located between a sensory and a motor neuron in a neural pathway, such as the neurons that transmit impulses within the CNS
interneuron
The portion of the brain that connects with the spinal cord. It has vital centers for control of respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure (root: medull/o). Often called simply medulla
medulla oblongata
The three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (singular: meninx) (root: mening/o, meninge/o)
meninges
The part of the brainstem between the diencephalon and the pons; contains centers for coordination of reflexes for vision and hearing
midbrain
Producing movement; describes neurons that carry impulses away from the CNS
motor
A whitish, fatty substance that surrounds certain axons of the nervous system
myelin
A chemical that transmits energy across a synapse.
neurotransmitter
The supportive cells of the nervous system; also called glial cells (from glia meaning “glue;” root: gli/o)
neuroglia
The basic unit of the nervous system; a nerve cell
neuron
A bundle of nerve cell fibers outside the CNS (root: neur/o)
nerve
The part of the automatic nervous system that reverses the response to stress and restores homeostasis. It slows heart rate and respiration rate and stimulates activity of the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems.
parasympathetic nervous system
The portion of the nervous system outside the CNS
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
A simple, rapid, and automatic response to a stimulus
reflex
The innermost layer of the meninges
pia mater
A rounded area on the ventral surface of the brainstem; contains fibers that connect regions of the brain; adjective: pontine
pons
A branch of a spinal nerve that connects with the spinal cord; the dorsal (posterior) root joins the dorsal gray horn of the spinal cord; the ventral (anterior) root joins the ventral gray horn of the spinal cord (root: radicul/o)
root
The nervous tissue contained within the spinal column; extends from the medulla oblongata to the second lumbar vertebra (root: myel/o)
spinal cord
Describing neurons that carry impulses toward the CNS
sensory
The division of the nervous system that controls skeletal (voluntary) muscles
somatic nervous system
A shallow furrow or groove, as on the surface of the cerebrum (plural: sulci)
sulcus
The 31 pairs of nerves that connect with the spinal cord
spinal nerves
The part of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes a response to stress; increases heart rate and respiration rate and delivers more blood to skeletal muscles
sympathetic nervous system
The junction between two neurons; also the junction between a motor neuron and a muscle or gland
synapse
A bundle of nerve cell fibers within the CNS
tract
The part of the brain that receives all sensory impulses, except those for the sense of smell, and directs them to the proper portion of the cerebral cortex (root: thalam/o)
thalamus
The autonomic nervous system
visceral nervous system
A small cavity, such as one of the cavities in the brain in which CSF is produced (root: ventricul/o)
ventricle
Myelinated tissue of the nervous system
white matter
A form of dementia caused by atrophy of the cerebral cortex; presenile dementia
Alzheimer disease (AD)
Injury resulting from a violent blow or shock; a concussion of the brain usually results in loss of consciousness
concussion
A state of reduced comprehension, coherence, and reasoning ability resulting in inappropriate responses to environmental stimuli
confusion
A series of violent, involuntary muscle contractions.
convulsion
A gradual and usually irreversible loss of intellectual function
dementia
State of deep unconsciousness from which one cannot be roused
coma
Obstruction of a blood vessel by a blood clot or other material carried in the circulation
embolism
A chronic disease involving periodic sudden bursts of electric activity from the brain, resulting in seizures
epilepsy
Insufficient or nonrestorative sleep despite ample opportunity to sleep
insomnia
Inflammation of the brain
encephalitis
Inflammation of the meninges
meningitis
Brief, uncontrollable episodes of sleep during the day
narcolepsy
Temporary or permanent loss of function.
paralysis
A sudden attack, as seen in epilepsy.
seizure
Brief periods of breathing cessation during sleep
sleep apnea
Sudden interference with blood flow in one or more cerebral vessels leading to oxygen deprivation and necrosis of brain tissue; caused by a blood clot in a vessel (ischemic stroke) or rupture of a vessel
stroke
Development of a blood clot within a vessel
thrombosis
A form of depression with episodes of mania (a state of elation); manic depressive illness
bipolar disorder
A false belief inconsistent with knowledge and experience
delusion
A feeling of fear, worry, uneasiness, or dread
anxiety
A disorder of unknown cause consisting of self-absorption, lack of response to social contact and affection, preoccupations, stereotyped behavior, and resistance to change
autism
A false perception unrelated to reality or external stimuli
hallucination
A mental state characterized by profound feelings of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, and lack of interest or pleasure in activities
depression
A form of anxiety disorder marked by episodes of intense fear
panic disorder
A mental state characterized by jealousy, delusions of persecution, or perceptions of threat or harm
paranoia
An extreme, persistent fear of a specific object or situation
phobia
A mental disorder extreme enough to cause gross misperception of reality with delusions and hallucinations
psychosis
Persistent emotional disturbances that follow exposure to life-threatening, catastrophic events, such as trauma, abuse, natural disasters, and warfare
PTSD
any disease of the nervous system
neuropathy
x-ray image of the spinal cord
myelogram
inflammation of the spinal cord
myelitis
Study of the mind
psychology
Study of the nervous system
neurology
How many pairs of cranial nerves are there?
12
Largest part of the brain
cerebrum
Highest functioning part of the brain
cerebral cortex
The terms dura, pia, and arachnoid pertain to the:
meninges
The visceral nervous system is described as:
autonomic
The innermost layer of the meninges is the:
pia mater
The number of pairs of spinal nerves is:
31
The autonomic nervous system is separated into:
sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions
The support cells of the nervous system are:
neuroglia
Myeloradiculitis is inflammation of the:
spinal cord and spinal nerve roots
Hernia of the meninges is:
a meningocele
The adjective form of medulla is:
medullary
White matter is covered with:
myelin
Radiculitis is inflammation of:
nerve roots
Aphasia affects:
speech
Epilepsy is characterized by:
seizures
The common term for a cerebrovascular accident is a:
stroke
Cerebral angiography is:
radiography of vessels in the brain
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is marked by:
repetitive behaviors
Dysthymia is a form of:
depression
Polysomnography is a study of:
sleep
A neuroleptic drug is used to treat:
psychosis
A network, as of nerves, is a:
plexus
