the nervous system & the brain (5-6) 🎀 Flashcards
neurons
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system
dendrite
the branching extensions of a neuron that receive information and conduct impulses toward the cell body
axon
the extension of a neuron through which neural impulses are sent
terminal button
the end point of a neuron, where neurotransmitters are stored
all or none law
the principle stating that if a neuron fires, then it always fires at the same intensity; all action potentials have the same strength
myelin sheath
protective membrane that wraps around part of certain nerve cells
synapse
the tiny, fluid-filled gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of another
neurotransmitters
a chemical messenger that travels across the synapse from one neuron to the next and influences whether a neuron will generate an action potential
excitatory vs. inhibitory messages
a neurotransmitter effect that makes it more/less likely that the receiving neuron will generate an action potential, or fire
central nervous system
brain and spinal cord
spinal cord
connects the brain to the outside world
corpus callosum
bundle of nerve fibers that allow your brain’s left and right hemispheres to communicate
central core
“old brain” supporting basic life-sustaining functions
limbic system
regulate important functions such as memory, fear, aggression, hunger, and thirst (thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, hippocampus and amygdala)
cerebral cortex
intricate fabric of interconnected neurons that form the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center
