Organs and functions
what is the largest part of the human brain responsible for decision making, problem-solving, and voluntary movements?
The cerebrum.
What is the term for the junction between two neurons?
Synapse
What type of cell in the nervous system provides support and nutrition, maintains homeostasis, and participates in signal transmission?
Glial cells.
What is the disorder characterized by chronic, progressive damage to the myelin sheaths in the central nervous system, leading to symptoms like weakness, incoordination, and visual disturbances?
Multiple sclerosis (MS).
What is the name given to the protective coverings of the brain and spinal cord?
Meninges.
Which part of the brain is responsible for regulating balance and coordination?
cerebellum
What type of neuron carries impulses away from the central nervous system to muscles or glands?
Motor neurons (efferent neurons).
What are the star-shaped glial cells in the brain and spinal cord that help form the blood-brain barrier called?
Astrocytes.
Which neurodegenerative disorder is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to motor symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia?
Parkinson's disease.
What term describes the brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience?
Neuroplasticity.
What is the main function of the spinal cord?
To transmit neural signals between the brain and the rest of the body.
What part of the neuron receives signals from other neurons?
Dendrites
Which cells form the myelin sheath in the central nervous system?
Oligodendrocytes.
What is the name of the condition characterized by severe muscle weakness and fatigue, caused by a breakdown in communication between nerves and muscles?
Myasthenia gravis.
What is the name of the chemical substances released by neurons to transmit signals across a synapse?
Neurotransmitters.
Name the part of the brain primarily responsible for regulating heart rate and breathing.
The medulla oblongata.
What is the term for the insulating layer that surrounds many neurons and speeds up the electrical transmission of signals?
Myelin sheath.
What type of glial cell acts as the resident macrophages (immune defense) in the brain and spinal cord?
Microglia.
What genetic disorder affects the nervous system and muscles, leading to loss of motor control and typically manifests in early childhood?
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Which part of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response?
The sympathetic nervous system.
Which structure in the brain is involved in the formation of new memories?
hippocampus
Name the process by which neurotransmitters are released from one neuron to transmit a signal to the next neuron.
Exocytosis.
What are the cells that form myelin in the peripheral nervous system called?
Schwann cells.
Name the rare, inherited degenerative brain disorder that is characterized by involuntary movements, emotional problems, and loss of thinking ability. Huntington's disease.
Huntington's disease.
What is the term for the minimum level of a stimulus required to activate a neuron?
Threshold.