Nervous System Flashcards
Acetylcholine (ACh)
most common neurotransmitter; used in brain and transmission to muscles
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
enzyme which dissolves Ach
Action potential
upswing or depolarization; when a nerve impulse is sent out from a cell body, the sodium gates in the postsynaptic neuron open and the sodium enters into the cell— causes a switch of charges
Adrenal medulla
inner part of the adrenal gland; makes adrenaline and norepinephrine
Adrenaline/epinephrine
hormone released from adrenal glands and prepares the body for fight or flight
All or none response
action potentials either happen or they don’t; there is no such thing as a “partial firing” of a neuron
Autonomic nervous system
communicates with internal organs and glands; controls things you’re unaware of (automatic)
Axomembrane
surrounds axon
Axon
carries impulses away from cell body
Axoplasm
plasma in the membrane of an axon
Calcium ion
has a positive charge of 2+; maintains positive and negative charge balance inside and outside neuron
Cell body
contains nucleus; coordinates cell activities
Central nervous system (CNS)
consists of brain and spinal cord; does not repair well, therefore, it has three levels of protection (bone casing, meninges, cerebral spinal fluid); takes in sensory information, process information, and send out motor signals
Cerebellum
“little brain” in Latin; responsible for muscle control and allows the body to maintain its sense of balance and coordination as it responds to stimuli
Cerebrum
largest part of the brain; central processing area, responsible for voluntary activity + where memory is kept
Corpus callosum
myelinated nerve fibres which connect the two brain hemispheres together; allow for communication between both areas
Dendrite
carries impulses to cell body (receives message)
Depolarization
when sodium gates open and the inside of the neuron becomes positively charged
Effector
muscle gland receiving reflex
Excitatory neurotransmitter
neurotransmitter that excites the neuron into firing; this passes the impulse to the next cell
Hypothalamus
a neural structure lying below the thalamus; centre for homeostasis within the body, sampling and responding to changes in the blood passing through it to maintain a constant internal environment; causes release of hormones through the pituitary glands
Impulse
signal (electricity) which travels along nerve fibres and releases neurotransmitters; the means by which information is passed on
Inhibitory neurotransmitter
block or prevent the chemical message from being passed on any further