Part of the brain responsible for muscle tone, coordination, and maintaining balance
What is the cerebellum?
Part of the neuron leading from the cell body; some are covered in myelin, which helps speed up the impulse
What is the axon?
The brain and spinal cord compose the section of the nervous system
What is the central nervous system?
Enlarged ventricles due to increased cerebrospinal fluid
What is hydrocephalus?
Test involving withdrawal of CSF which can indicate infections or other abnormalities
What is a lumbar puncture?
Part of the brain that controls breathing, heartbeat and the size/diameter of blood vessels
What is the medulla oblongata?
Chemical substances at the end of an axon which help the nervous impulse cross the synapse to the next neuron
What are neurotransmitters?
The cranial and spinal nerves are part of this section of the nervous system
What is the peripheral nervous system?
Commonly known as 'seizure disorder'
What is epilepsy?
Test involving recording the electrical activity of the brain
What is an EEG/electroencephalogram?
Part of the nerve cell/neuron that first receives the impulse/message
What is dendrite?
White lipid coating on some axons which helps speed up the transmission of the nerve impulse
What is myelin/myelin sheath?
Section of nervous system that is responsible for the 'fight or flight' response
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
What is a CVA (what do the abbreviations stand for and what is the common term?)
What is cerebrovascular accident ; stroke
Disorder involving deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine; classic signs are shuffling gain, tremors, 'pill-rolling', lack of facial expression
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Space between nerve cells
What is the synapse?
The three layers that cover the brain and spinal cord
What are meninges?
'Rest and digest' describes the actions of the section of the nervous system
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
Disorder which involves gradual loss of control over voluntary and then involuntary muscles; mind is not affected; no cure
What is ALS/Lou Gehrig's disease?
A type of neural tube defect where the spinal cord may protrude through malformed vertebrae (occurs during fetal development); most of these can be prevented by adequate Vitamin B9 intake by the mother
What is spina bifida?
Part of the brain that controls the pituitary gland, water balance, and body temperature
What is the hypothalamus?
The innermost layer of the meninges, lying directly on the brain and spinal cord
What is the pia mater?
The two main divisions of the peripheral nervous system
What are the somatic and autonomic divisions of the nervous system?
Autoimmune disorder which involves demyelination of neurons/axons
Gradual, progressive dementia with amyloid deposits and senile plaques present in the brain
What is Alzheimer's?