Parts of The Neuron
Another name for a cell body
What is a soma?
Atrophy of the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobe due to the accumulation of amyloid-beta senile plaques and tau proteins/neurofibrillary tangles
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
The most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter
What is glutamate?
This part of the brain controls basic life functions such as breathing and heart rate
What is the brainstem?
The sensory organ associated with olfaction
What is the nose?
The name of the fatty encasing of an axon
What is myelin sheath?
Complex motor disorder characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
The most common inhibitory neurotransmitter
What is GABA?
This part of the brain is responsible for coordinating voluntary movements and maintaining balance
What is the cerebellum?
This type of sensory receptor in the skin detects pressure and vibration
What are mechanoreceptors?
Rootlike extensions of the cell that stretch out from the cell body
What are dendrites?
An autosomal dominant neurological disorder that leads to severe physical and mental disabilities
What is Huntington’s Disease?
Known as the "reward chemical," this neurotransmitter plays a major role in pleasure and addiction
What is dopamine?
This lobe of the brain is responsible for processing visual information
What is the occipital lobe?
This part of the ear contains hair cells that convert sound vibrations into neural signals
What is the cochlea?
The ends of the axons
What is an axon terminal?
Progressive, degenerative disease in which the brain, spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system are destroyed
What is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?
This neurotransmitter is critical for muscle contraction and is also involved in memory and learning
What is acetylcholine?
This almond-shaped structure is involved in processing emotions like fear and aggression
What is the amygdala?
The sensory cells responsible for detecting color in the retina
What are cones?
Space between the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron and the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron
What is a synapse?
Rapidly worsening brain disorder caused by prion proteins; often leads to dementia and eventual death
What is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease?
This neurotransmitter, also a stress hormone, increases heart rate and energy levels in fight-or-flight situations
What is norepinephrine?
This bundle of nerves connects the two hemispheres of the brain, allowing them to communicate
What is the corpus callosum?
This lesser-known sense helps you detect the position and movement of your body parts
What is proprioception?