Brain (AP) Flashcards

6636321664	neuron	a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system	0
6636321665	dendrite	the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body	1
6636321666	axon	the extensions of a neuron, ending in branching terminals fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons	2
6636321667	myelin sheath	a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses	3
6636321668	action potential	a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon	4
6636321669	threshold	the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse	5
6636321670	synapse	the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite of the receiving cell. The tiny gap at this junction if called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft.	6
6636321671	neurotransmitters	chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, these travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse	7
6636321672	reuptake	a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron	8
6636321673	endorphins	"morphine within" -- natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure	9
6636321674	central nervous system	the brain and spinal cord	10
6636321675	peripheral nervous system	the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body	11
6636321676	nerves	bundles of axons the form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs	12
6636321677	somatic nervous system	the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles	13
6636321678	autonomic nervous system	the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart)	14
6636321679	sympathetic nervous system	the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations	15
6636321680	parasympathetic nervous system	the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy	16
6636321681	reflex	a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response	17
6636321682	endocrine system	the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream	18
6636321683	hormones	chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues	19
6636321684	adrenal glands	a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress	20
6636321685	pituitary gland	the endocrine system's most influential gland; under the influence of the hypothalamus, this regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands	21
6636321687	electroencephalogram (EEG)	an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface; these waves are measured by the electrodes placed on the scalp	22
6636321688	CT (computed tomography) scan	a series of X-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body	23
6636321689	PET scan (position emission tomography)	a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a task	24
6636321690	MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue; shows brain anatomy	25
6636321691	fMRI (functional MRI)	a technique for revealing bloodflow and therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans; shows brain activity and structure	26
6636321692	brainstem	the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; responsible for survival functions	27
6636321693	medulla oblongata	the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing	28
6636321694	reticular formation	a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal	29
6636321695	thalamus	the brain's sensory switchboard; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex	30
6636321696	cerebellum	the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; coordinates movement and balance	31
6636321697	limbic system	doughnut-shaped neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) associated with emotions and drives	32
6636321698	amygdala	two lima bean-shaped neural clusters in the limbic system linked to emotion (fear and aggression)	33
6636321699	hypothalamus	this directs maintenance activities (eating, drinking) and helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland	34
6636321700	cerebral cortex	the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center	35
6636321701	glial cells (glia)	cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons	36
6636321702	frontal lobe	portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscles movements and in making plans and judgment	37
6636321703	parietal lobe	portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head; receives sensory input for touch and body position	38
6636321704	occipital lobe	portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields	39
6636321705	temporal lobes	portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information from the opposite ear	40
6636321706	motor cortex	an area at the read of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements	41
6636321707	somatosensory cortex	area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations	42
6636321708	association areas	areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking	43
6636321709	aphasia	impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's or Wernicke's area	44
6636321710	Broca's area	control language expression -- an area in the left frontal lobe that directs the muscle movements involved with speech	45
6636321711	Wernicke's area	control's language reception -- a brain area in the left temporal lobe involved in language comprehension and expression	46
6636321712	Broca's aphasia	a language impairment in which the person has difficulty with the motor functions of speech and only uses nouns and verbs	47
6636321713	Wernicke's aphasia	a language impairment in which the person has difficulty with language comprehension, often speaks in long, complicated sentences that have no meaning	48
6636321714	plasticity	the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience	49
6636321715	corpus callosum	the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them	50
6636321717	left hemisphere	region of the brain the controls the right side of the body, logic, math, science, and language	51
6636321718	right hemisphere	region of the brain the controls the left side of the body, art, creativity, spatial skills, recognizing faces	52
6636321719	sensory neuron	neurons that carry incoming information from sensory organs to the brain and spinal cord	53
6636321720	motor neurons	neurons the carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands	54
6636321721	hippocampus	main memory center of the brain	55
7531112981	Agonist	enhance the action of a neurotransmitter, usually by mimicking it.	56
7531118592	Antagonist	inhibit the action of the neurotransmitter, usually by blocking the receptors.	57