Unit 2 Term List Flashcards
Glia
Cells found throughout the nervous system that provide structural support for neurons.
Myelin Sheath
Surrounds and protects axons. Acts to speed up the transmission of signals that move along axons. Comprised of glia cells.
Synaptic Vesicles
Sac-like structures that contain neurotransmitters.
Resting Potential
The neuron’s stable, negative charge when the cell is inactive.
Action Potential
A very brief shift in a neuron’s electrical charge that travels along an axon.
Absolute Refractory Period
The time between action potentials.
All-Or-None-Law
An individual neuron either fires all of its voltage or none of its voltage.
Postsynaptic Potential
Begins immediately following the binding of the neurotransmitter molecules to the receptor site. The important question is: Will the next neuron fire an action potential?
Receptor Site
The location on the dendrite wall where the neurotransmitter binds (chemically joins).
Excitatory Neurotransmitter
Increases the likelihood the next neuron will fire an action potential.
Inhibitory Neurotransmitter
Decreases the likelihood the next neuron will fire an action potential.
5 Step Process of Neurotransmitters
- Synthesis and storage
- Release
- Binding
- Inactivation and removal
- Reuptake
Agonist
A chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.
Antagonist
A chemical that opposes the action of a neurotransmitter.
Peripheral Nervous System
This system is comprised of all nerves outside of the central nervous system.
Autonomic Nervous System
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary functions.
Sympathetic Nervous System
The branch of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes the body’s resources for emergencies.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
The branch of the autonomic nervous system that conserves bodily resources.
Somatic Nervous System
The division of the peripheral nervous system that connects to voluntary muscles and sensory receptors.
Afferent Nerves
Nerves in the somatic nervous system that move impulses toward the central nervous system.
Efferent Nerves
Nerves in the somatic nervous system that move impulses away from the central nervous system.
Hindbrain Region
Includes the cerebellum, the medulla, and the pons. The most primitive region of the brain.
Medulla
Responsible the regulating unconscious functions such as breathing.
Pons
Regulates arousal levels. The word “pons” is Latin for “bridge”.
Cerebellum
A large and deeply folded structure that regulates physical balance.
Midbrain Region
The segment of the brainstem that lies between the hindbrain and the forebrain.
Reticular Formation
Regulates sleep and wakefulness. The reticular formation runs through both the hindbrain and the midbrain regions.
Forebrain Region
The largest and most complex region of the brain, encompassing a variety of structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum.
Thalamus
The brain’s relay center. All sensory information goes to the thalamus first; the thalamus then relays the information to other structures in the brain.
Cerebrum
The part of the forebrain that is responsible for cognition and reasoning. The brain’s largest and most complex structure - it consists of four lobes: the occipital lobe, the parietal lobe, the temporal lobe, and the frontal lobe.
Broca’s Area
An area of the brain that plays an important role in speech production.
Wernicke’s Area
An area of the brain involved in language comprehension.
Corpus Callosum
The brain structure that connects the two cerebral hemispheres.
Endocrine System
We will focus on five glands: the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, the pancreas gland, the adrenal glands (pair), and the gonads (pair).
Cerebral Hemispheric Specialization
A theory that hypothesizes that the left and right hemispheres of the cerebrum perform different tasks, have differing modes of thinking, and suggests that each person has a dominant hemisphere.
Neurons
Specialized cells of the nervous system that transmit electrical and chemical signals in the body.
Soma (Cell Body)
The region of the neuron that includes structures that nourish the cell, and a nucleus containing DNA.
Dendrites
Tiny, branchlike fibers extending from the cell body that receive messages from other neurons and send information in the direction of the cell body.
Axon
Skinny tube-like structure of a neuron that extends from the cell body and sends messages to other neurons through its terminals.
Synapse
The place where the axon terminal of a sending neuron meets the dendrite of a neighboring neuron or other type of cell receiving its signal; junction between neurons where communication occurs.
Neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers that neurons use to communicate at the synapse.
Central Nervous System
A major component of the human nervous system; includes the brain and spinal cord.
Hypothalamus
A small structure located below the thalamus that maintains the internal environment within a healthy range; helps regulate sleep-wake cycles, sexual behavior, and appetite.
Limbic System
A collection of structures that regulates emotions and basic drives such as hunger, and aids in the creation of memories.
Neuroscience
The study of the brain and other parts of the nervous system.
Biological Psychology
The branch of psychology that focuses on how the brain and other biological systems influence human behavior.
Phrenology
An early approach to explaining the functions of the brain by trying to link the physical structure of the skull with a variety of characteristics.
Ablation
The act of destroying parts of a living animal’s brain to look at what functions were lost
White Matter
Axons wrapped in myelin
Gray Matter
Neuron cell bodies and glia cells
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Relays messages from neurons to muscles in the body (enables movement).
Norepinephrine (Ne)
Helps prepare the body for stressful situations and maintain attention (also regulates arousal and sleep).
Serotonin
Helps control appetite, mood, anxiety, and sleep/breathing (involves feelings of pleasure and happiness).
Dopamine (Da)
Impacts attention, learning through rewards, and the regulation of body movements (also associated with romantic love).
Endorphins
Naturally produced opioids that regulate the secretion of other neurotransmitters and are released in response to pain (they block pain receptor sites).
Reflex Arc
An automatic response to a sensory stimulus, using a simple pathway of communication from sensory neurons through interneurons in the spinal cord and back out through motor neurons.
Frontal Lobe
Controls voluntary movements and directs higher-level cognitive activities, such as language, emotions, control of social behavior, and decision making.
Parietal Lobe
Receives and processes sensory information such as touch, pressure, temperature, and spatial orientation.
Occipital Lobe
Processes visual information
Temporal Lobe
Processes auditory information
Hippocampus
A pair of seahorse-shaped structures that create new memories and generate new neurons.
Amygdala
A pair of almond-shaped structures that processes aggression and basic emotions such as fear, as well as associated memories.
