Neurotransmitter Mayhem
This neurotransmitter is responsible for muscle contraction and memory formation, and its deficiency is linked to Alzheimer's disease.
Acetylcholine
Damage to this brain structure would result in inability to form new long-term memories
Hippocampus
This is the resting charge of a neuron's interior, maintained at approximately negative 70 millivolts. Waiting to be charged to fire...
Resting Potential
This hemisphere is typically dominant for language production and comprehension in most people.
Left Hemisphere
This hormone, released by the pineal gland in darkness, makes us feel sleepy and regulates our circadian rhythm.
Melatonin
These drugs, including cocaine and amphetamines, excite neural activity and increase dopamine and norepinephrine.
Stimulants
This lobe at the back of your head is dedicated entirely to processing visual information.
Occipital Lobe
An SSRI increases this neurotransmitter in the synapse by preventing its reuptake, helping to treat depression.
Serotonin
This brain region controls vital functions like breathing and heart rate. Damage here is typically fatal.
Medulla
All-or-Nothing Principle: This principle states that once __________ is reached, the neuron fires at full strength or doesn't fire at all.
Threshold
The right hemisphere controls this side of the body due to neural pathway crossover.
Left side
During this sleep stage, we experience vivid dreams and temporary muscle paralysis.
REM (Rapid Eye Movement)
These drugs, including alcohol and benzodiazepines, slow neural activity by increasing GABA.
Depressants
This "little brain" at the base of your skull is responsible for balance, coordination, and fine motor movements.
Cerebellum
This neurotransmitter is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system. It helps neurons communicate by stimulating them to fire signals. It's crucial for learning, memory, and overall brain function.
Glutamate
Damage to this area in the left frontal lobe results in slow, labored speech where people know what they want to say but struggle to form words.
Broca's Area
Daily Double!!! During this brief period after firing, the neuron cannot fire again, ensuring signals travel in one direction only.
Refractory Period
This side of the brain controls spacial awareness and the ability to "see the big picture" of topics
Right Hemisphere
Across a full night, sleep cycles show this pattern: early cycles have more of this restorative stage, while later cycles have longer REM periods.
NREM Stage 3 (or Deep Sleep/Slow-Wave Sleep)
This type of drug blocks receptors, preventing neurotransmitters from binding and reducing neural activity.
Antagonist
This sensory relay station receives all sensory information (except smell) before it reaches the cortex.
Thalamus
This neurotransmitter is often called the "feel-good" or "reward" chemical. People with Parkinson's disease have low levels of this neurotransmitter, which affects both movement and motivation. Antipsychotic drugs block its receptors.
Dopamine
Damage to this lobe would decrease your executive functioning and ability to make good decisions.
Frontal lobe
Daily Double!!! This fatty substance wraps around axons, insulating them and dramatically increasing the speed of neural transmission.
Myelin Sheath
A split-brain patient sees the word 'KEY' in their left visual field only. When asked what they saw, they would say this.
"nothing" or "I didn't see anything"
This sleep disorder involves sudden, uncontrollable sleep attacks and is caused by loss of hypocretin neurons.
Narcolepsy
This type of drug binds to receptors and activates them, mimicking a neurotransmitter's effects.
Agonist
This limbic structure regulates the fighting, fleeing, feeding, and reproduction. It also controls body temperature and links the nervous and endocrine systems.
Hypothalamus
This is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and slows brain activity. Anti-anxiety medications like benzodiazepines enhance its effects, and alcohol increases its activity.
GABA
Damage to this limbic system part may result in loss of appetite regulation and inability to regulate thirst - can lead to dangerous dehydration or overhydration
Extreme weight loss or weight gain or can lead to dangerous dehydration or overhydration
Hypthalamus
This process removes neurotransmitters from the synapse by reabsorbing them into the sending neuron for recycling.
Reuptake
This structure connects the two hemispheres. When severed in split-brain patients, the left hand literally doesn't know what the right hand is doing.
Corpus Callosum
What stage of sleep is considered Deep Sleep with slow wave Delta waves helping consolidate memories and learning?
NREM 3
SSRIs work by preventing this process, leaving more of the neurotransmitter seretonin in the synapse for longer periods.
Reuptake (or reabsorption)
This brain structure, also called the RAS, controls arousal and alertness. Damage to it can result in a coma
Reticular Activating System
Runner's high is caused by these natural opiates. Morphine and heroin are agonists of these, mimicking their pain-relieving and euphoric effects.
Endorphins
Damage to this "master gland" could result in:
Pituitary Gland
While neurons transmit signals, these support cells perform critical functions including forming the myelin sheath, removing waste, and regulating neurotransmitter levels.
Glial Cells
Split-brain surgery was originally performed as a last-resort treatment for this neurological condition.
Epilepsy
According to this theory, dreams are the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural firing during REM sleep.
Activation-Synthesis Theory
This develops because repeated drug use causes the brain to reduce its natural production of neurotransmitters or a decrease in receptor sensitivity (or number of receptors).
Addiction disorder
This strip of cortex in the parietal lobe receives various information from your body. Different areas correspond to different body parts, with more space devoted to sensitive areas like hands and lips.
Sensory Cortex (or Somatosensory Cortex)