General Nervous System
This is a complex, highly organized system that coordinates all the activities of the body. It is the body system that includes the brain and spinal cord.
What is the nervous system?
The mass of nerve tissue that is well-protected by membranes and the cranium.
What is the brain?
The number of membranes that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord.
What is three (membranes)?
The two parts of the peripheral nervous system.
What are the somatic and the autonomic nervous systems?
This is an inflammation of the meninges of the brain and/or spinal cord. It is caused by a bacterium, a virus, a fungus, or a toxin.
What is meningitis?
The basic structural unit of the nervous system.
What is a neuron?
The largest and highest section of the brain.
What is the cerebrum?
The thick, tough, outer layer of meninges.
What is the dura mater?
The number of cranial nerves in the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
What are 12 pairs (of cranial nerves)?
A seizure syndrome.
What is epilepsy?
The part of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord.
What is the central nervous system (CNS)?
The section of the brain below the back of the cerebrum. It is responsible for muscle coordination, balance, posture and muscle tone.
What is the cerebellum?
The innermost layer of meninges that is closely attached to the brain and spinal cord. It contains many blood vessels.
What is the pia mater?
The number of spinal nerves in the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
What are 31 pairs of spinal nerves?
An excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain ventricles, usually caused by a congenital (i.e., at birth) defect.
What is hydrocephalus?
This is the space between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites of other neurons.
What is a synapse?
The lowest part of the brainstem that connects the brain with the spinal cord. It is the part of the brain that is responsible for regulating heartbeat, respirations, swallowing, coughing and blood pressure.
What is the medulla oblongata?
A clear, colorless fluid that circulates between the brain ventricles and through the meninges. It carries nutrients to some parts of the brain/spinal cord, and helps to remove metabolic products and wastes from the brain/spinal cord.
What is cerebrospinal fluid?
The two divisions of the autonomic system. These two systems usually work together to maintain homeostatis in the body and to control involuntary body functions at proper rates.
What are the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?
This is the technical term for a stroke.
What is a cerebrovascular accident (CVA)?
This is a lipid (fat) covering of axons that increases the rate of impulse transmission and insulates/maintains the axon.
The section of the brain located between the cerebrum and the midbrain, which contains the thalamus and the hypothalamus.
What is the diencephalon?
The middle layer of meninges that is delicate and weblike and is loosely attached to the other meninges to allow space for cerebrospinal fluid to flow between the layers of meninges.
What is the arachnoid membrane?
This division of the autonomic nervous system is known as the fight or flight response. In times of emergency, this division prepares the body to act by increasing heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure, and slowing activity in the digestive tract.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
This is a chronic, progressive condition involving degeneration of brain cells, usually in persons over 50 years of age.
What is Parkinson's Disease?