Nervous System Flashcards
one of the most complicated structures in the animal kingdom, containing billions of neurons
nervous system
brain and spinal cord; central processing unit of the body
central nervous system
the rest of the nerves of the body
peripheral nervous system
largest central organ of the nervous system
brain
anterior part of the brain
forebrain
parts that make up the forebrain
cerebrum, hypothalamus, thalamus
smaller and central part of the brain
midbrain
parts that make up the midbrain
tectum, tegmentum
central region of the brain
hindbrain
parts that make up the hindbrain
cerebellum, medulla, pons
cylindrical bundle of nerve fibers within the spine
spinal cord
dark, butterfly-shaped region of the brain made up of nerve cell bodies
gray matter
surrounds gray matter in the spinal cord and contains cell coated in myelin
white matter
connects different parts of the body to the CNS
peripheral nervous system
responsible for transmitting messages from tissues/organs to the CNS
afferent nerve fibers