Structures Flashcards
Brain stem
Lower Portion of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord. Includes pons and medulla oblongata
Axon
Microscopic fiber that carries nervous impulse along nerve cell
Central nervous system
Brain and the spinal cord
Cerebellum
Posterior part of brain that coordinates muscle movement and maintains balance
Cerebrospinal fluid
Circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord
Cerebral cortex
Outer region of cerebrum, containing sheets of nerve cells; gray matter of brain
Cerebrum
Largest part of brain, responsible for voluntary muscular activity, vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought, and memory
Cranial nerves
12 pairs of nerves that carry messages to and from the brain with regard to the head and neck
Ganglion
Collection of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system
Hypothalamus
Portion of brain beneath the thalamus; controls sleep, appetite, body temperature, and secretions from pituitary gland
Medulla oblongata
Part of brain above spinal cord, controls breathing, heartbeat, and size of blood vessels; nerve fibers cross over here
Meninges
Three protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord
Myelin sheath
Covering of white fatty tissue that surrounds and insulates the axon of a nerve cell. Myelin speeds impulse conduction along axons
Neuron
Nerve cell that carries impulses throughout the body
Neurotransmitter
Chemical messenger released at end of a nerve cell. Stimulates or inhibits another cell (nerve,muscle, or gland cell) example: acetylcholine, norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin
Parasympathetic nerves
Involuntary, autonomic nerves that regulate normal body functions such as heart rate, breathing, and muscles of gastrointestinal tract
Peripheral nervous system
Nerves outside the brain and spinal cord; cranial, spinal, and autonomic nerves
Spinal nerves
Thirty one pairs of nerves arising from the spinal cord
Sympathetic nerves
Autonomic nerves that influence bodily functions involuntary in times of stress
Synapse
Space through which a nervous impulse travels between nerve cells or between nerve and muscle or glandular cells
Thalamus
Main relay center of brain. Conducts impulses between spinal cord and cerebrum; incoming sensory messages are relayed through thalamus to appropriate centers in cerebrum
Ventricles (brain)
Canals in the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid
