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51 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Neuron |
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system. (p. 49) |
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Dendrites |
a neuron’s bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body. (p. 49) |
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Axon |
the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands. (p. 49) |
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Myelin Sheath |
a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing |
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Action Potential |
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. (p. 50) |
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Threshold |
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse. (p. 51) |
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Synapse |
the junction between the axon tip of the sending |
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Neurotransmitters |
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on |
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Reuptake |
a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron. (p. 53) |
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Endorphins |
“morphine within”—natural, opiatelike |
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Nervous System |
the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central |
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Central Nervous System (CNS) |
the brain and spinal cord. (p. 56) |
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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) |
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body. (p. 56) |
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Nerves |
bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs. (p. 56) |
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Sensory Neurons |
neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord. (p. 56) |
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Motor Neurons |
neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands. (p. 56) |
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Interneurons |
neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs. (p. 56) |
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Somatic Nervous System |
the division of the peripheral nervous system |
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Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) |
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms. (p. 56) |
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Sympathetic Nervous System |
the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations. (p. 56) |
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Reflex |
a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response. (p. 58) |
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Endocrine System |
the body’s “slow” chemical communication |
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Hormones |
chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues. (p. 59) |
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Adrenal Glands |
a pair of endocrine glands that sit just |
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Pituitary Gland |
the endocrine system’s most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands. (p. 60) |
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Lesion |
tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or |
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Electroencephalogram (EEG) |
an amplified recording of the waves of |
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Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan |
a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while |
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) |
a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy. (p. 62) |
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Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) |
a technique for revealing bloodflow and, (p. 62) |
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Brainstem |
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions. (p. 64) |
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Medulla |
the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat |
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Thalamus |
the brain’s sensory switchboard, located |
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Reticular Formation |
a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and plays an important role in controlling arousal. (p. 65) |
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Cerebellum |
the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance. (p. 65) |
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Limbic System |
neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated |
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Amygdala |
two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the |
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Hypothalamus |
a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward. (p. 670) |
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Cerebral Cortex |
the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center. (p. 69) |
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Glial Cells (glia) |
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning and thinking. (p. 69) |
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Frontal Lobes |
portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments. (p. 69) |
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Parietal Lobes |
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position. (p. 69) |
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Occipital Lobes |
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields. (p. 69) |
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Temporal Lobes |
portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear. (p. 69) |
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Motor Cortex |
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements. (p. 70) |
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Sensory Cortex |
area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations. (p. 73) |
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Association Areas |
areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved |
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Plasticity |
the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, |
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Neurogenesis |
the formation of new neurons. (p. 76) |
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Corpus Callosum |
the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages |
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Split Brain |
a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them. (p. 77) |