Brain Anatomy
Its name means "little brain," and it keeps you balanced and coordinated.
What is the cerebellum?
Messages pass from one neuron to the next across this tiny gap.
What is a synapse?
Linked to reward and motivation, this chemical is released when you get a notification or a like.
What is dopamine?
Vision is mainly processed in this lobe at the back of your head.
What is the occipital lobe?
A hit to the head that temporarily disrupts brain function, common in contact sports.
What is a concussion?
Connecting the brain to the spinal cord, this structure controls breathing and heart rate without you thinking about it.
What is the brainstem?
Named from the Greek word for "tree," these branches of a neuron receive incoming signals.
What are dendrites?
Many antidepressants work by keeping more of this mood-related chemical active in the brain.
What is serotonin?
Rods help you see in dim light, while these photoreceptors let you see color.
What are cones?
The most common cause of dementia, it slowly destroys memory and thinking skills.
What is Alzheimer's disease?
Named for its seahorse shape, this structure is key for turning experiences into long-term memories.
What is the hippocampus?
This fatty coating insulates axons and makes signals travel faster.
What is myelin?
(myelin sheath)
Also called epinephrine, this hormone powers your "fight or flight" response.
What is adrenaline?
Where the optic nerve leaves your eye there are no photoreceptors, creating this spot your brain quietly fills in.
What is the blind spot?
The 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge raised money to fight this disease, which destroys motor neurons.
What is ALS?
(Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called Lou Gehrig's disease.)
Surgeons sometimes cut this thick bridge between the left and right hemispheres to stop severe seizures, creating "split-brain" patients.
What is the corpus callosum?
When a neuron fires, this "all-or-none" electrical signal races down its axon.
What is an action potential?
These natural painkillers made by your own body are credited with the "runner's high."
What are endorphins?
This snail-shaped, fluid-filled part of the inner ear turns sound waves into nerve signals.
What is the cochlea?
Michael J. Fox has this disease, which causes tremors as dopamine-producing neurons die.
What is Parkinson's disease?
The last brain region to fully mature, around age 25, this front part of the brain handles planning and impulse control.
What is the prefrontal cortex?
Named from the Greek word for "glue," these non-neuron cells support, feed and protect neurons.
What are glial cells?
(glia or neuroglia)
Caffeine keeps you awake by blocking receptors for this chemical, which builds up the longer you stay awake.
What is adenosine?
People with this condition might "see" colors when they hear music or read numbers.
What is synesthesia?
Found in many former NFL players, this brain disease is known by the letters CTE. Give the full name.
What is chronic traumatic encephalopathy?