The Neuron
The long part of the neuron that carries the electrical signal
What is the axon?
What is the electrical signal that travels down the neuron called?
What is an action potential?
The neurotransmitter that helps muscles move
What is acetylcholine?
This condition causes sadness and low mood due to dopamine and serotonin imbalance
What is depression?
Neurotransmitters are chemical ______ that send messages between neurons.
What are messengers?
The space where neurotransmitters are released
What is the synapse?
When the signal reaches the end of the axon, what enters the neuron?
What is calcium?
The neurotransmitter linked with happiness and mood
What is serotonin?
This disorder causes obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors due to serotonin and glutamate imbalance
What is OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)?
Neurotransmission helps us do what three things every day?
What are think, move, and react?
The fatty coating that helps signals travel faster
What is the myelin sheath?
Calcium causes tiny sacs to release neurotransmitters. What are those sacs called?
What are synaptic vesicles?
The neurotransmitter that controls pleasure and motivation
What is dopamine?
This disorder causes emotional instability and impulsive behavior due to GABA and serotonin imbalance
What is borderline personality disorder (BPD)?
What chemical breaks down acetylcholine so signals stop firing?
What is acetylcholinesterase?
The end of the neuron where neurotransmitters are released
What is the axon terminal?
When neurotransmitters attach to the next cell, what do they bind to?
What are receptors?
The neurotransmitter that calms the brain
What is GABA?
A neurotransmitter imbalance can affect this important organ system
What is the nervous system?
Which system includes the brain and spinal cord?
What is the central nervous system (CNS)?
The direction in which an impulse travels through a neuron
What is from dendrites → axon → axon terminal?
Name one way neurotransmitters are removed after sending their message.
What is reuptake, enzyme breakdown, or drifting away?
The neurotransmitter that excites neurons and helps learning
What is glutamate?
When neurotransmitters are unbalanced, it can lead to problems with these two things
What are mood and behavior?
What happens if the brain has too much excitation and not enough calming signals?
What are seizures?