Chapter 48, Campbell & Reece, 7th Ed.
Terms : Hide Images
| 407182672 | acetylcholine | One of the most common neurotransmitters; functions by binding to receptors and altering the permeability of the postsynaptic membrane to specific ions, either depolarizing or hyperpolarizing the membrane. | |
| 407182673 | action potential | A rapid change in the membrane potential of an excitable cell, caused by stimulus-triggered, selective opening and closing of voltage-sensitive gates in sodium and potassium ion channels. | |
| 407182674 | Alzheimer's disease | An age-related dementia (mental deterioration) characterized by confusion, memory loss, and other symptoms. | |
| 407182675 | aspartate | An amino acid that functions as a CNS neurotransmitter. | |
| 407182676 | astrocyte | A glial cell that provides structural and metabolic support for neurons. | |
| 407182677 | autonomic nervous system | A subdivision of the motor nervous system of vertebrates that regulates the internal environment; consists of the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric divisions. | |
| 407182678 | axon | A typically long extension, or process, from a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body toward target cells. | |
| 407182679 | axon hillock | The conical region of a neuron's axon where it joins the cell body; typically the region where nerve signals are generated. | |
| 407182680 | basal nuclei | A cluster of nuclei deep within the white matter of the cerebrum. | |
| 407182681 | biogenic amine | A neurotransmitter derived from an amino acid. | |
| 407182682 | biological clock | An internal timekeeper that controls an organism's biological rhythms. The biological clock marks time with or without environmental cues but often requires signals from the environment to remain tuned to an appropriate period. See also circadian rhythm. | |
| 407182683 | bipolar disorder | Depressive mental illness characterized by swings of mood from high to low; also called manic-depressive disorder. | |
| 407182684 | blood-brain barrier | A specialized capillary arrangement in the brain that restricts the passage of most substances into the brain, thereby preventing dramatic fluctuations in the brain's environment. | |
| 407182685 | brainstem | Collection of structures in the adult brain, including the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla oblongata; functions in homeostasis, coordination of movement, and conduction of information to higher brain centers. | |
| 407182686 | cell body | The part of a cell, such as a neuron, that houses the molecules. | |
| 407182687 | central canal | The narrow cavity in the center of the spinal cord that is continuous with the fluid-filled ventricles of the brain. | |
| 407182688 | central nervous system (CNS) | In vertebrate animals, the brain and spinal cord. | |
| 407182689 | cerebellum | Part of the vertebrate hindbrain located dorsally; functions in unconscious coordination of movement and balance. | |
| 407182690 | cerebral cortex | The surface of the cerebrum; the largest and most complex part of the mammalian brain, containing sensory and motor nerve cell bodies of the cerebrum; the part of the vertebrate brain most changed through evolution. | |
| 407182691 | cerebral hemisphere | The right or left side of the vertebrate brain. | |
| 407182692 | cerebrospinal fluid | Blood-derived fluid that surrounds, protects against infection, nourishes, and cushions the brain and spinal cord. | |
| 407182693 | cerebrum | The dorsal portion of the vertebrate forebrain, composed of right and left hemispheres; the integrating center for memory, learning, emotions, and other highly complex functions of the central nervous system. | |
| 407182694 | corpus callosum | The thick band of nerve fibers that connect the right and left cerebral hemispheres in placental mammals, enabling the hemispheres to process information together. | |
| 407182695 | cranial nerve | A nerve that leaves the brain and innervates an organ of the head or upper body. | |
| 407182696 | dendrite | One of usually numerous, short, highly branched processes of a neuron that convey nerve impulses toward the cell body. | |
| 407182697 | depolarization | An electrical state in an excitable cell whereby the inside of the cell is made less negative relative to the outside than at the resting membrane potential. A neuron membrane is depolarized if a stimulus decreases its voltage from the resting potential of -70 mV in the direction of zero voltage. | |
| 407182698 | dopamine | A biogenic amine closely related to epinephrine and norepinephrine. | |
| 407182699 | effector cell | A muscle cell or gland cell that performs the body's responses to stimuli; responds to signals from the brain or other processing center of the nervous system. | |
| 407182700 | endorphin | Any of several hormones produced in the brain and anterior pituitary that inhibits pain perception. | |
| 407182701 | enteric division | Complex networks of neurons in the digestive tract, pancreas, and gallbladder; normally regulated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system. | |
| 407182702 | epinephrine | A catecholamine hormone secreted from the adrenal medulla that mediates fight-or-flightresponses to short-term stress; also functions as a neurotransmitter. | |
| 407182703 | epithalamus | A brain region, derived from the diencephalon, that contains several clusters of capillaries that produce cerebrospinal fluid. | |
| 407182704 | equilibrium potential (Eion) | The magnitude of a cell's membrane voltage at equilibrium; calculated using the Nernst equation. | |
| 407182705 | excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) | An electrical change (depolarization) in the membrane of a postsynaptic neuron caused by the binding of an excitatory neurotransmitter from a presynaptic cell to a postsynaptic receptor; makes it more likely for a postsynaptic neuron to generate an action potential. | |
| 407182706 | forebrain | One of three ancestral and embryonic regions of the vertebrate brain; develops into the thalamus, hypothalamus, and cerebrum. | |
| 407182707 | gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) | An amino acid that functions as a CNS neurotransmitter. | |
| 407182708 | ganglion | A cluster (functional group) of nerve cell bodies in a centralized nervous system. | |
| 407182709 | gated ion channel | A gated channel for a specific ion. By opening and closing such channels, a cell alters its membrane potential. | |
| 407182710 | glia | Supporting cells that are essential for the structural integrity of the nervous system and for the normal functioning of neurons. | |
| 407182711 | glutamate | An amino acid that functions as a CNS neurotransmitter. | |
| 407182712 | glycine | An amino acid that functions as a CNS neurotransmitter. | |
| 407182713 | graded potential | A local voltage change in a neuron membrane induced by stimulation of a neuron, with strength proportional to the strength of the stimulus and lasting about a millisecond. | |
| 407182714 | gray matter | Regions of dendrites and clusters of neuron cell bodies within the CNS. | |
| 407182715 | growth cone | Responsive region at the leading edge of a growing axon. | |
| 407182716 | hindbrain | One of three ancestral and embryonic regions of the vertebrate brain; develops into the medulla oblongata, pons, and cerebellum. | |
| 407182717 | hyperpolarization | An electrical state whereby the inside of the cell is made more negative relative to the outside than at the resting membrane potential. A neuron membrane is hyperpolarized if a stimulus increases its voltage from the resting potential of -70 mV, reducing the chance that the neuron will transmit a nerve impulse. | |
| 407182718 | hypothalamus | The ventral part of the vertebrate forebrain; functions in maintaining homeostasis, especially in coordinating the endocrine and nervous systems; secretes hormones of the posterior pituitary and releasing factors that regulate the anterior pituitary. | |
| 407182719 | inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) | An electrical charge (hyperpolarization) in the membrane of a postsynaptic neuron caused by the binding of an inhibitory neurotransmitter from a presynaptic cell to a postsynaptic receptor; makes it more difficult for a postsynaptic neuron to generate an action potential. | |
| 407182720 | interneuron | An association neuron; a nerve cell within the central nervous system that forms synapses with sensory and motor neurons and integrates sensory input and motor output. | |
| 407182721 | lateralization | Segregation of functions in the cortex of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. | |
| 407182722 | ligand-gated ion channel | A protein pore in the plasma membrane that opens or closes in response to a chemical signal, allowing or blocking the flow of specific ions. | |
| 407182723 | limbic system | A group of nuclei (clusters of nerve cell bodies) in the lower part of the mammalian forebrain that interact with the cerebral cortex in determining emotions; includes the hippocampus and the amygdala. | |
| 407182724 | long-term memory | The ability to hold, associate, and recall information over one's life. | |
| 407182725 | long-term potentiation (LTP) | An enhanced responsiveness to an action potential (nerve signal) by a receiving neuron. | |
| 407182726 | major depression | Depressive mental illness characterized by experiencing a low mood most of the time. | |
| 407182727 | medulla oblongata | The lowest part of the vertebrate brain, commonly called the medulla; a swelling of the hindbrain dorsal to the anterior spinal cord that controls autonomic, homeostatic functions, including breathing, heart and blood vessel activity, swallowing, digestion, and vomiting. | |
| 407182728 | membrane potential | The charge difference between a cell's cytoplasm and the extracellular fluid, due to the differential distribution of ions. Membrane potential affects the activity of excitable cells and the transmembrane movement of all charged substances. | |
| 407182729 | midbrain | One of three ancestral and embryonic regions of the vertebrate brain; develops into sensory integrating and relay centers that send sensory information to the cerebrum. | |
| 407182730 | motor neuron | A nerve cell that transmits signals from the brain or spinal cord to muscles or glands. | |
| 407182731 | myelin sheath | In a neuron, an insulating coat of cell membrane from Schwann cells that is interrupted by nodes of Ranvier, where saltatory conduction occurs. | |
| 407182732 | neocortex | In the mammalian brain, the outermost region of the cerebral cortex. | |
| 407182733 | nerve | A ropelike bundle of neuron fibers (axons and dendrites) tightly wrapped in connective tissue. | |
| 407182734 | nerve cord | A ropelike arrangement of neurons characteristic of animals with bilateral symmetry and cephalization. | |
| 407182735 | nerve net | A weblike system of neurons, characteristic of radially symmetrical animals, such as Hydra. | |
| 407182736 | neuron | A nerve cell; the fundamental unit of the nervous system, having structure and properties that allow it to conduct signals by taking advantage of the electrical charge across its cell membrane. | |
| 407182737 | neuropeptide | A relatively short chain of amino acids that serves as a neurotransmitter. | |
| 407182738 | neurotransmitter | A chemical messenger released from the synaptic terminal of a neuron at a chemical synapse that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to and stimulates the postsynaptic cell. | |
| 407182739 | norepinephrine | A hormone that is chemically and functionally similar to epinephrine. | |
| 407182740 | oligodendrocyte | A type of glial cell that forms insulating myelin sheaths around the axons of neurons in the central nervous system. | |
| 407182741 | parasympathetic division | One of three divisions of the autonomic nervous system; generally enhances body activities that gain and conserve energy, such as digestion and reduced heart rate. | |
| 407182742 | Parkinson's disease | A motor disorder caused by a progressive brain disease and characterized by difficulty in initiating movements, slowness of movement, and rigidity. | |
| 407182743 | peripheral nervous system (PNS) | The sensory and motor neurons that connect to the central nervous system. | |
| 407182744 | pons | Portion of the brain that participates in certain automatic, homeostatic functions, such as regulating the breathing centers in the medulla. | |
| 407182745 | postsynaptic cell | The target cell at a synapse. | |
| 407182746 | presynaptic cell | The transmitting cell at a synapse. | |
| 407182747 | radial glia | In an embryo, supporting cells that form tracks along which newly formed neurons migrate from the neural tube; can also act as stem cells that give rise to neurons and other glia. | |
| 407182748 | reflex | An automatic reaction to a stimulus, mediated by the spinal cord or lower brain. | |
| 407182749 | refractory period | The short time immediately after an action potential in which the neuron cannot respond to another stimulus, owing to an increase in potassium permeability. | |
| 407182750 | resting potential | The membrane potential characteristic of a nonconducting, excitable cell, with the inside of the cell more negative than the outside. | |
| 407182751 | reticular formation | A system of neurons, containing over 90 separate nuclei, that passes through the core of the brainstem. | |
| 407182752 | saltatory conduction | Rapid transmission of a nerve impulse along an axon, resulting from the action potential jumping from one node of Ranvier to another, skipping the myelin-sheathed regions of membrane. | |
| 407182753 | schizophrenia | Severe mental disturbance characterized by psychotic episodes in which patients lose the ability to distinguish reality from hallucination. | |
| 407182754 | Schwann cell | A type of glial cells that forms insulating myelin sheaths around the axons of neurons in the peripheral nervous system. | |
| 407182755 | sensory neuron | A nerve cell that receives information from the internal and external environments and transmits the signals to the central nervous system. | |
| 407182756 | serotonin | A biogenic amine synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan. | |
| 407182757 | short-term memory | The ability to hold information, anticipations, or goals for a time and then release them if they become irrelevant. | |
| 407182758 | somatic nervous system | The branch of the motor division of the vertebrate peripheral nervous system composed of motor neurons that carry signals to skeletal muscles in response to external stimuli. | |
| 407182759 | spatial summation | A phenomenon of neural integration in which the membrane potential of the postsynaptic cell is determined by the combined effect of EPSPs or IPSPs produced nearly simultaneously by different synapses. | |
| 407182760 | spinal nerve | In the vertebrate peripheral nervous system, a nerve that carries signals to or from the spinal cord. | |
| 407182761 | stretch-gated ion channel | Protein pore in a cell's plasma membrane that opens when the membrane is mechanically deformed, allowing the passage of certain ions. | |
| 407182762 | substance P | A neuropeptide that is a key excitatory signal that mediates our perception of pain. | |
| 407182763 | suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) | A pair of structures in the hypothalamus of mammals that functions as a biological clock. | |
| 407182764 | sympathetic division | One of three divisions of the autonomic nervous system of vertebrates; generally increases energy expenditure and prepares the body for action. | |
| 407182765 | synapse | The locus where one neuron communicates with another neuron in a neural pathway; a narrow gap between a synaptic terminal of an axon and a signal-receiving portion (dendrite or cell body) of another neuron or effector cell. Neurotransmitter molecules released by synaptic terminals diffuse across the synapse, relaying messages to the dendrite or effector. | |
| 407182766 | synaptic cleft | A narrow gap separating the synaptic knob of a transmitting neuron from a receiving neuron or an effector cell. | |
| 407182767 | synaptic terminal | A bulb at the end of an axon in which neurotransmitter molecules are stored and released. | |
| 407182768 | synaptic vesicle | Membranous sac containing neurotransmitter molecules at the tip of the presynaptic axon. | |
| 407182769 | temporal summation | A phenomenon of neural integration in which the membrane potential of the postsynaptic cell in a chemical synapse is determined by the combined effect of EPSPs or IPSPs produced in rapid succession. | |
| 407182770 | thalamus | One of two integrating centers of the vertebrate forebrain. Neurons with cell bodies in the thalamus relay neural input to specific areas in the cerebral cortex and regulate what information goes to the cerebral cortex. | |
| 407182771 | threatened species | A species that is considered likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. | |
| 407182772 | threshold | The potential an excitable cell membrane must reach for an action potential to be initiated. | |
| 407182773 | ventricle | (1) A heart chamber that pumps blood out of a heart. (2) A space in the vertebrate brain, filled with cerebrospinal fluid. | |
| 407182774 | voltage-gated ion channel | A specialized ion channel that opens or closes in response to changes in membrane potential. | |
| 407182775 | white matter | Tracts of axons within the CNS. |
