Neurons
What is a neuron?
A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.
What is the Endocrine System?
The body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.
What does your nervous system do?
Your nervous system takes in information from the world and your body's tissues, to make decisions, and to send back information and orders to the body's tissues.
What are dendrite fibers' purpose?
To receive messages and conduct them towards the cell body.
What are the three main structures in the limbic system?
The Amygdala is for aggression and fear. The hypothalamus is involved in bodily maintenance, pleasurable rewards and control of the hormonal symptoms. The hippocampus processes memory of facts and events fast.
What is action potential?
A nerve impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
Why is the pituitary gland called the "master gland?"
Responding to signals from the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland releases hormones that trigger other endocrine glands to secrete hormones, which in turn influence our brain and our behavior.
What are nerves?
Nerves are bundles of axons that form neural cables that connect the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.
What are your glial cells?
They are cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they also play an important role in learning, thinking, and memory.
What is your somatosensory cortex?
It is the cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes;registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.
What is the meeting place called where neurons end?
Synapses
What are your 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.
What is a reflex?
A simple, autonomic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the "knee-jerk" test.
What is the name of the neuron-produced chemicals that cross the synaptic gap to carry messages to other neurons or to muscles and glands?
Neurotransmitter
Why are association areas important?
Association areas are important because they are involved in integrating, interpreting, and acting on information processed in other areas.
What happens in the synaptic gap?
Neurons send neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) across this tiny space between one neuron's terminal branch and the next neuron's dendrite or cell body.
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues.
What do your motor neurons do?
They carry outgoing messages from the CNS (Central Nervous System) to your muscles and glands.
What are endorphins or "natural opiates?"
Endorphins are natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure.
What is the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them?
The Corpus Callosum
How does our nervous system allow us to experience the difference between a slap and a tap on the back?
Stronger stimuli (the slap) cause more neurons to fire and to fire more frequently than what happens with a weaker stimuli (the tap).
In charge of this whole electrochemical orchestra is that master conductor we call the ______
Brain
What bodily changes will your ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) undergo before and after giving an important speech?
Your ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) will "arouse you." It will increase your heartbeat, raise your blood pressure, slow your digestion, and cool you with perspiration/sweat. After the important speech your body will reverse these effects.
When a neuron fires an action potential, the information travels through the axon, the dendrites, and the cell body, but not in that order. What is the correct order in while action potential moves.
Through the dendrites, then the cell body, then the axon.
What is a "split brain?"
A condition in which the brain's two hemispheres have been isolated by surgery that cut the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them.