The Nervous System Flashcards
A white crystalline derivative of choline that is released at the ends of nerve fibers in the somatic and parasympathetic nervous systems
Acetylcholine
The change in electrical potential that occurs between the inside and outside of a nerve or muscle fiber when it is stimulated, serving to transmit nerve signals.
Action potential
Total or partial loss of sensation, especially tactile sensibility.
Anesthesia
One of the three meninges, the protective membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.
Arachnoid mater
A star-shaped neuroglial cell of ectodermal origin.
Astrocytes
The system of nerves and ganglia that innervates the blood vessels, heart, smooth muscles, viscera, and glands and controls their involuntary functions, consisting of sympathetic and parasympathetic portions.
Autonomic Nervous System
The appendage of the neuron that transmits impulses away from the cell body.
Axon
Any of a group of amines composed of a pyrocatechol molecule and the aliphatic portion of an amine.
Catecholamines
The compact area of a nerve cell that constitutes the nucleus and surrounding cytoplasm, excluding the axons and dendrites.
Cell body
The portion of the vertebrate nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord. Also called cerebrospinal axis .
Central Nervous System
Of, pertaining to, or affecting the cerebrum and its associated blood vessels.
Cerebrovascular
The tissue in the brain responsible for making cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Choroid plexus
Any of the various branched protoplasmic extensions of a nerve cell that conducts impulses from adjacent cells inward toward the cell body. Also called dendritic process , dendron , neurodendrite , neurodendron .
Dendrites
An area of skin that is supplied with the nerve fibers of a single, posterior, spinal root.
Dermatomes
A monoamine neurotransmitter formed in the brain by the decarboxylation of dopa and essential to the normal functioning of the central nervous system.
Dopamine
A ganglion on the dorsal root of each spinal nerve, containing the cell bodies of sensory nerves.
Dorsal root ganglion
The tough fibrous membrane covering the brain and the spinal cord and lining the inner surface of the skull. Also called dura , pachymeninx .
Dura mater
A muscle, a gland, or an organ capable of responding to a stimulus, especially a nerve impulse.
Effector
The delicate connective tissue surrounding nerve fibres within a bundle.
Endoneurium
Any of a group of peptide hormones that bind to opiate receptors and are found mainly in the brain.
Endorphins
The dense sheath of connective tissue that surrounds the trunk of a nerve.
Epineurium
A small bundle of nerve or muscle fibers.
Fascicles
Group of nerve cells forming a nerve center, especially one located outside the brain or spinal cord. Also called neuroganglion .
Ganglion
The billions of nerve cells in the brain are structurally supported by the hairlike filaments
Glia cells
Accumulation of serous fluid within the cranium.
Hydrocephalus
A nerve cell found entirely within the central nervous system that acts as a link between sensory neurons and motor neurons.
lnterneuron
The three membranes that enclose the vertebrate brain and spinal cord: the pia mater, arachnoid, and dura mater.
Meninges
Any of the small neuroglial cells of the central nervous system. Also called Hortega cel
Microglia
A nerve cell that conducts impulses to a muscle, gland, or other effector.
Motor neuron
A chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system in which gradual destruction of myelin occurs in patches throughout the brain or spinal cord or both
Multiple Sclerosis
A soft, white, fatty material in the membrane of Schwann cells and certain neuroglial cells: the substance of the myelin sheath.
Myelin
A specialized, impulse-conducting cell that is the functional unit of the nervous system
Neurons
Any of the various chemical substances, such as acetylcholine, that transmit nerve impulses across a synapse.
Neurotransmitter
Small gaps in the myelin sheath of medullated axons
Nodes of Ranvier
A substance, both a hormone and neurotransmitter, secreted by the adrenal medulla and the nerve endings of the sympathetic nervous system. Also called levarterenol , noradrenalin .
Norepinephrine
Their main functions are to provide support and to insulate the axons (the long projection of nerve cells) in the central nervous system
Oligodendrocytes
The portion of the nervous system lying outside the brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous System
The part of the autonomic nervous system originating in the brain stem and the lower part of the spinal cord that, in general, inhibits or opposes the physiological effects of the sympathetic nervous system.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
The sheath of connective tissue that encloses a bundle of nerve fibers.
Perineurium
The fine vascular membrane that closely envelops the brain and spinal cord under the arachnoid and the dura mater.
Pia mater
Neurons whose cell bodies lie in the central nervous system and whose efferent fibers terminate in the autonomic ganglia.
Preganglionic neuron
A neuron that is placed beyond a ganglion. It transmits electrical and chemical signals.
Postganglionic neuron
A neuron from the axon terminal of which an electrical impulse is transmitted across a synaptic cleft to the cell body or one or more dendrites of a postsynaptic neuron.
Presynaptic neuron
A neuron to the cell body or dendrite of which an electrical impulse is transmitted across a synaptic cleft by the release of a chemical neurotransmitter from the axon terminal of a presynaptic neuron.
Postsynaptic neuron
A specialized cell or group of nerve endings that responds to sensory stimuli.
Receptors
The nerve pathways followed by an impulse during a reflex.
Reflex arc
A form of nerve impulse conduction in which the impulse jumps from one Ranvier’s node to the next, rather than traveling the entire length of the nerve fiber.
Saltatory conduction
A cell of the peripheral nervous system that wraps around a nerve fiber, jelly-roll fashion, forming the myelin sheath.
Schwann cells
A nerve cell that conducts impulses from a sense organ to the central nervous system.
Sensory neuron
A vasoconstrictor, liberated by blood platelets, that inhibits gastric secretion and stimulates smooth muscle
Serotonin
Of, relating to, or affecting the body, especially as distinguished from a body part.
Somatic
The part of the autonomic nervous system originating in the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spinal cord that in general inhibits or opposes the physiological effects of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Sympathetic Nervous System
The junction across which a nerve impulse passes from an axon terminal to a neuron, a muscle cell, or a gland cell.
Synapse
The small gap, measured in nanometers, between an axon terminal and any of the cell membranes in the immediate vicinity.
Synaptic cleft
A combining form of cerebellum.
cerebell/o
A combining form of cerebrum
cerebr/o
A combining form meaning “tree-like”
dendr/o
A combining form meaning “brain”
encephal/o
A combining form meaning “fiber”
fibr/o
A combining form representing meninges
mening/o
A combining form meaning “marrow” ,“of the spinal cord ” .
myel/o
A combining form meaning “muscle”.
my/o
A combining form meaning “nerve,” “nerves, ” “nervous system ”.
neur/o
