Life 47- The Mammalian Nervous System

Question 1

Nucleus

Answer 1

1) In cells, the centrally located compartment of eukaryotic cells that is bounded by a double membrane and contains the chromosomes.
2) In the Brain, an identifiable group of neurons that share commone characteristics or functions.

Question 2

Midbrain

Answer 2

One of the three regions of the vertebrate brain. Part of the brainstem, it serves as a relay station for sensory signals sent to the cerebral hemisphere

Question 3

Associative learning.

Answer 3

A form of learning in which two unrelated stimuli become linked to the same response

Question 4

Procedural memory

Answer 4

Memory of motor tasks. Cannot be consciously recalled and described.

Question 5

Thalamus

Answer 5

A region of the vertebrate forebrain; involved in integration of sensory input.

Question 6

Brainstem

Answer 6

The portion of the vertebrate brain between the spinal cord and the forebrain, made up of the medulla, pons, and midbrain

Question 7

Sympathetic nervous system

Answer 7

The division of the autonomic nervous system that works in opposition to the parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 8

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 8

A graphic recording of electrical potentials from the brain.

Question 9

Declarative memory

Answer 9

Memory of people, places, events, and things that can be consciously recalled and described.

Question 10

Parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 10

The division of the autonomic nervous system that works in opposition to the sympathetic nervous system

Question 11

Forebrain

Answer 11

The region of the vertebrate brain that comprises the cerebrum, thalamus, and hypothalamus

Question 12

Receptive field

Answer 12

The area of visual space that activates a particular cell in the visual system

Question 13

Cerebellum

Answer 13

The brain region that controls muscular coordination; located at the anterior end of the hindbrain

Question 14

Autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Answer 14

The portion of the peripheral nervous system that controls such involuntary functions as those of guts and glands.

Question 15

Reticular system

Answer 15

A central region of the vertebrate brainstem that includes complex fibre tracts conveying neuronal signals between the forebrain and the spinal cord, with collateral fibres to a variety of nuclei that are involved in autonomic functions, including arousal from sleep

Question 16

Aphasia

Answer 16

A deficit in the ability to use or understand words

Question 17

Angular gyrus

Answer 17

A part of the human brain believed to essential for integrating spoken and written language.

Question 18

Primary motor cortex

Answer 18

The region of the cerebral cortex that contains motor neurons that directly stimulate specific muscle fibres to contract.

Question 19

Slow-wave sleep

Answer 19

A state of deep, restorative sleep characterised by high-amplitude slow waves in the EEG

Question 20

White matter

Answer 20

In the central nervous system, tissue that is rich in axons.

Question 21

Amygdala

Answer 21

A component of the limbic system that is involved in fear and fear memory

Question 22

Pons

Answer 22

Region of the brainstem anterior to the medulla

Question 23

Broca’s area

Answer 23

A portion of the human brain essential for speech. Located in the frontal lobe just in front of the primary motor cortex.

Question 24

Limbic system

Answer 24

A group of evolutionarily primitive structures in the vertebrate telecephalon that are involved in emotions, drives, instinctive behaviours, learning, and memory.

Question 25

Immediate memory

Answer 25

A form of memory for events happening in the present that is almost perfectly photographic, but lasts only seconds.

Question 26

Optic Chiasm

Answer 26

Structure on the lower surface of the vertebrate brain where the two optic nerves come together.

Question 27

Binocular vision

Answer 27

Overlapping visual fields of an animal’s two eyes; allow the animal to see in three dimensions

Question 28

Spinal reflex

Answer 28

The conversion of afferent to efferent information in the spinal cord without participation of the brain

Question 29

Wernicke’s area

Answer 29

A region in the temporal lobe of the human brain that is involved with the sensory aspects of language.

Question 30

Hindbrain

Answer 30

The region of the devolving vertebrate brain that gives rise to the medulla, pons, and cerebellum.

Question 31

Association cortex

Answer 31

In the vertebrate brain, the portion of the cortex involved I n higher order information processing; integrates information form different sensory modalities and from memory.

Question 32

REM sleep

Answer 32

A sleep state characterised by vivid dreams, skeletal muscle relaxation, and rapid eye movement.

Question 33

Cerebrum

Answer 33

The dorsal anterior portion of the forebrain, making up the largest part of the Brain of mammals; the chief coordination centre of the nervous system

Question 34

Monosynaptic reflex

Answer 34

A neural reflex that begins in a sensory neuron and makes a single synapse before activating a motor neurons.

Question 35

Diencephalon

Answer 35

The portion of the vertebrate forebrain that develops into the thalamus and hypothalamus

Question 36

Medulla

Answer 36

1) The inner, core region of an organ

2) the portion of the brainstem that connects to the spinal cord.

Question 37

Long-term depression (LTD)

Answer 37

A long-lasting decrease in the responsiveness resulting from continuous, repetitive, Low-level stimulation.

Question 38

Gray matter

Answer 38

In the nervous system, tissue that is rich in neuronal cell bodies.

Question 39

Telencephalon

Answer 39

The outer, surrounding structure of the embryonic vertebrate forebrain, which develops into the cerebrum.

Question 40

Primary somatosensory cortex

Answer 40

The region of the cerebral cortex that receives input form mechanosensors distributed throughout the Body

Question 41

Cerebral cortex

Answer 41

The thin layer of gray matter (neuronal cell bodies) that overlies the cerebrum

Question 42

Hippocampus

Answer 42

A part of the forebrain that takes part in the long-term memory formation.