Central Nervous System (CNS)
the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
•All nerves and neurons that are not contained in the
... [Show More] brain and spinal cord but that run through the body itself.
•Includes somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
Brainpower
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Neurons
•The basic units of the nervous system; cells that receive, integrate, and transmit information in the nervous system.
•They operate through electrical impulses, communicate with other neurons through chemical signals, and form neural networks.
dendrites
branchlike extensions of the neuron that detect information from other neurons.
cell body (soma)
the site in the neuron where information from thousands of other neurons is collected and integrated
Axon
a long, narrow outgrowth of a neuron by which information is conducted from the cell body to the terminal buttons.
terminal buttons
at the ends of axons, small nodules that release chemical signals from the neuron into the synapse.
Synapse
the gap between the terminal buttons of a "sending" neuron and the dendrites of a "receiving" neuron; the site at which chemical communication occurs between neurons.
Action Potential (AP)
the electrical signal that passes along the axon and subsequently causes the release of chemical from the terminal buttons.
action potential
the change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell.
Resting Membrane Potential (RMP)
•the electrical charge of a neuron when it is not active.
•When a neuron is resting, not active, the electrical charge inside and outside the membrane is different.
•Occurs because the ratio of negative to positive ions is greater inside the neuron than outside it.
myelin sheath
a fatty material, made up of glial cells, that insulates some axons to allow for faster movement of electrical impulses along the axon.
nodes of Ranvier
small gaps of exposes axon between the segments of myelin sheath, where action potentials take place.
all-or-none principle
the principle that when a neuron fires, it fires with the same potency each time; a neuron either fires or not--it cannot partially fire, although the frequency of firing can vary.
neurotransmitters
chemical substances that transmit signals from one neuron to another
receptors
In neurons, specialized protein molecules on the postsynaptic membrane; neurotransmitters bind to these molecules after passing across the synapse.
Reuptake
the process whereby a neurotransmitter is taken back into the presynaptic terminal buttons, thereby stopping its activity.
Acetylcholine (ACh)
the neurotransmitter responsible for motor control at the junction between nerves and muscles; it is also involved in mental processes such as learning, memory, sleeping, and dreaming.
Norepinephrine (NE)
a monoamine neurotransmitter involved in states of arousal and attention
Serotonin
a monoamine neurotransmitter important for a wide range of psychological activity, including emotional states, impulse control, and dreaming
Dopamine
a monoamine neurotransmitter involved in motivation, reward, and motor control over voluntary movement.
GABA
gamma-aminobutyric acid; the primary inhibitory transmitter in the nervous system
glutamate
the primary excitatory transmitter in the nervous system
endorphins
neurotransmitters involved in natural pain reduction and reward
Broca's area
a small portion of the left frontal region of the brain, crucial for the production of language
electroencephalograph (EEG)
a device that measures electrical activity in the brain
positron emission tomography (PET)
a method of brain imaging that assesses metabolic activity by using a radioactive substance injected into the bloodstream
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
a method of brain imaging that uses a powerful magnetic field to produce high-quality images of the brain
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
an imagine technique used to examine changes in the activity of the working human brain by measuring changes in the blood's oxygen levels
transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
the use of strong magnets to briefly interrupt normal brain activity as a way to study brain regions
brain stem
an extension of the spinal cord; it houses structures that control functions associated with survival, such as heart rate, breathing, swallowing, vomiting, urination, and orgasm.
cerebellum
a large, convoluted protuberance at the back of the brain stem; it is essential for coordinated movement and balance.
thalamus
the gateway to the brain; it receives almost all incoming sensory information before that information reaches the cortex
Hypothalamus
a brain structure that is involved in the regulation of bodily functions, including body temperature, body rhythms, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels; it also influences our basic motivated behaviors.
hippocampus
a brain structure that is associated with the formation of memories.
Amygdala
a brain structure that serves a vital role in learning to associate things with emotional responses and in processing emotional information.
basal ganglia
a system of subcortical structures that are important for the planning and production of movement.
cerebral cortex
the outer layer of brain tissue, which forms the convoluted surface fo the brain; the site of all thoughts, perceptions, and complex behaviors.
corpus callosum
a massive bridge of millions of axons that connects the hemispheres and allows information to flow between them
occipital lobes
regions of the cerebral cortex--at the back of the brain--important for vision.
parietal lobes
regions of the cerebral cortex --in the front of the occipital lobes and behind the frontal lobes--important for the sense of touch and for attention to the environment.
temporal lobes
regions of the cerebral cortex--below the parietal lobes and in front fo the occipital lobes--important for processing auditory information, for memory, and for object and face perception.
frontal lobes
regions of the cerebral cortex--at the front of the brain--important for movement and higher-level psychological processes associated with the prefrontal cortex.
prefrontal cortex
the frontmost portion of the frontal lobes, especially prominent in humans; important for attention, working, memory, decision making, appropriate social behavior, and personality.
Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
a component of the peripheral nervous system; it transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the central nervous system and the skin, muscles, and joints.
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
A component of the peripheral nervous system; it transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the central nervous system and the body's glands and internal organs.
sympathetic divison
a division of the autonomic nervous system; it prepares the body for action.
endocrine system
a communication system that uses hormones to influence thoughts, behaviors, and action.
hormones
chemical substances, released from endocrine glands, that travel through the bloodstream to targeted tissues; the tissues are subsequently influenced by the hormones.
pituitary gland
a gland located at the base of the hypothalamus; it sends hormonal signals to other endocrine glands, controlling their release of hormones.
gonads
the main endocrine glands involved in sexual behavior; in males, the testes; in females, the ovarie [Show Less]