Nervous System Basics
These two main divisions of the nervous system are abbreviated CNS and PNS.
What are the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system?
These branching neuron structures receive signals.
What are dendrites?
This brain region processes sensory information and supports judgment, memory, and association skills.
What is the cerebrum?
These protective coverings surround the brain and spinal cord.
What are the meninges?
This autonomic division prepares the body for fight-or-flight.
What is the sympathetic division?
This input pathway carries sensory information to the CNS.
What is the afferent pathway?
This part of a neuron contains the nucleus and other organelles and is responsible for metabolism.
What is the cell body?
This brain region helps coordinate movement and maintain balance.
What is the cerebellum?
This thick, outermost meningeal layer protects the CNS.
What is the dura mater?
This autonomic division promotes rest and digestion.
What is the parasympathetic division?
This output pathway carries motor instructions from the CNS to muscles and glands.
What is the efferent pathway?
This part of a neuron sends signals to other neurons.
What is the axon?
This structure in the diencephalon acts as a relay station.
What is the thalamus?
This wispy, delicate meningeal layer lies between the dura mater and pia mater.
What is the arachnoid mater?
The spinal cord has this many segments, each with a pair of spinal nerves.
What is 31?
These basic building blocks of the nervous system conduct electrical impulses.
What are neurons?
These chemical messengers leave the axon terminal and carry signals across the synaptic cleft.
What are neurotransmitters?
This structure in the diencephalon controls temperature, appetite, and hormones.
What is the hypothalamus?
This innermost meningeal layer attaches directly to neural tissue.
What is the pia mater?
This many pairs of cranial nerves serve mainly the head and neck.
What is 12?
These cells support neurons and do not conduct electrical impulses.
What are neuroglial (glial) cells?
This insulating material surrounds axons and speeds action potentials by allowing signals to skip between nodes.
What is myelin?
This part of the brain controls vital functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.
What is the brain stem?
Found in the subarachnoid space, this fluid cushions the CNS and transports nutrients and waste.
What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
These automatic responses can be coordinated by the spinal cord without first involving the brain.
What are spinal reflexes?