The Brain Flashcards
Function of Neurons
Transfer info across the brain and nervous system
Structure of a Neuron
Soma (cell body)
Dendrites
Axon
Myelin Sheath
Terminal Buttons
Synapse
Soma (Cell body)
contains nucleus and controls cell function
dendrites
transmits impulses from other cells to the cell body
axon
where impulses come from
myelin sheath
wraps around the axon and acts as insulation for the neuron
terminal buttons
sends signals to other neurons
synapse
connects neurons to each other
goes from the brain to the body to the muscle
glia cells
removes waste
adds structure
mirror neurons
neurons that are activated by seeing another person perform an action
resting potential
stable, negative charge of an inactive neuron
depolarization
less negative charge on the inside of a cell than the outside
action potential
brief change in a neuron’s electrical charge
all or none principle
nerves either fire at full strength or not at all
refractory period
when response to a second stimulant is slowed because the first stimulant is still being processed
synaptic cleft
the space that a nerve impulse is transmitted across
what are neurotransmitters and how do they send messages
chemical messengers
they release, go to the synapse then attach to the receptors
receptor sites
where neurotransmitters are found
reuptake
when neurotransmitters are sponged up from the cleft by the presynaptic membrane
agonists
mimic a certain neurotransmitter
antagonist
blocks a certain neurotransmitter
synaptic pruning
when the synapses sever certain connections that they no longer need
acetycholine
the only transmitter between motor neurons and voluntary muscles
linked to memory
undersupply leads to alzheimers
dopamine
reward center
controls voluntary movements, learning and attention
undersupply leads to Parkinson’s and oversupply leads to schizophrenia
norepinephrine
alertness and arousal
undersupply can depress mood
serotonin
regulates sleep and wakefulness, mood and hunger
undersupply leads to depression
GABA
only produces inhibitory postsynaptic potential
undersupply leads to seizures, tremors, insomnia and anxiety
endorphins
resembles opiates in structure and effects
body’s natural pain killer
central nervous system
brain, spinal cord, cerebrospinal fluid
peripheral nervous system
somatic nervous system
autonomic nervous system
somatic vs. autonomic
somatic - voluntary movements; throwing, kicking, writing
autonomic - involuntary and has the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) systems
cerebellum
coordinates muscle movements and balance
hindbrain
medulla
controls breathing and circulation
hindbrain
pons
controls sleep, arousal and fear
hindbrain
reticular formation
carries stimulations related to sleep and arousal
midbrain
thalamus
incoming/outgoing signals
forebrain
hypothalamus
regulates hunger, thirst, and temperature control
forebrain
hippocampus
involved in learning and memory
limbic system
amygdala
involved in emotion and aggression/fear
limbic system
corpus callosum
connects and allows communication between hemispheres
in the cerebral cortex
frontal lobe
controls muscle movements and higher-level functioning
parietal lobe
registers sense of touch, smell, taste, etc
occipital lobe
where visual signals are sent
temporal lobe
devoted to auditory processing and encoding memory
motor cortex
causes voluntary muscle contractions in the fingers, lips, tongue, etc
somatosensory cortex
receives signals from different areas of the body
left brain vs right brain
left deals with language and logic, right deals with spatial navigation and facial recognition
broca’s area
left frontal lobe area that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
wernicke’s area
left temporal lobe area involved in language comprehension
split brain research (sperry’s famous experiment)
sperry did experiments on split brain patients (patients who had their corpus callosum split so their brains were in two separate halves)
he would have them cover one eye and read words then cover the other and try to draw them. it showed how either side of the brain processed specific language functions vs visual functions
endocrine system
body system that produces and regulates hormones
role of the pancreas
produces enzymes and hormones
role of pituitary gland
produces growth hormone and promotes sexual reproduction
adrenal glands
regulates metabolism, immune system, blood pressure and controls the responses to stress
