Chapter 4 - The Brain And Nervous System

Front 1

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Back 1

The portion of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord

Front 2

Spinal Cord

Back 2

A collection of neurons and supportive tissue running from the base of the brain down the center of the back, protected by a column of bones (the spinal column).

Front 3

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Back 3

All portions of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord; it includes sensory and motor nerves.

Front 4

Spinal Reflexes

Back 4

Behaviors produced by spinal cord without help from the brain - automatic, requiring no conscious effort.

Front 5

Sensory Nerves

Back 5

Carry messages from special receptors in the skin, muscles, and other internal and eternal sense organs to the spinal cord, which sends them along to the brain.

Front 6

Motor Nerves

Back 6

Carry orders from the central nervous system (CNS) to muscles, glands, and internal organs.

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Somatic Nervous System

Back 7

The subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that connects to sensory receptors and to skeletal muscles; sometimes called the skeletal nervous system.

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Autonomic Nervous System

Back 8

The subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that regulates the internal organs and glands.

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Sympathetic Nervous System

Back 9

The subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes bodily resources and increases the output of energy during emotion and stress.

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Parasympathetic Nervous System

Back 10

The subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that operates during relaxed states and that conserves energy.

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Neuron

Back 11

A cell that conducts electrochemical signals; the basic unit of the nervous system; also called a nerve cell.

Front 12

Glia

Back 12

Cells that support, nurture, and insulate neurons, remove debris when neurons die, enhance the formation and maintenance of neural connections, and modify neuronal functioning.

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Dendrites

Back 13

A neuron's branches that receive information from other neurons and transmit it toward the cell body.

Front 14

Cell Body

Back 14

The part of the neuron that keeps it alive and determines whether or not it will fire.

Front 15

3 Main Parts of Neuron

Back 15

Dendrites, Cell body and Axon

Front 16

Axon

Back 16

A neuron's extending fiber that conducts impulses away from the cell body and transmits them to other neurons.

Front 17

Myelin Sheath

Back 17

A fatty insulation that may surround the axon of a neuron.

Front 18

Nerve

Back 18

A bundle of nerve fibers (axons and sometimes dendrites) in the peripheral nervous system.

Front 19

Nodes

Back 19

Constrictions in Myelin Sheath, divided it into segments and make it look like a string of link sausages.

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Neurogenesis

Back 20

The production of new neurons from immature stem cells.

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Stem Cells

Back 21

Immature cells that renew themselves and have the potential to develop into mature cells; given encouraging environments, stem cells from early embryos can develop into any cell type.

Front 22

Synapse

Back 22

The site where transmission of a nerve impulse from one nerve cell to another occurs; it includes the axon terminal, the synaptic cleft, and receptor sites in the membrane of the receiving cell.

Front 23

Action Potential

Back 23

A brief change in electrical voltage that occurs between the inside and the outside of an axon when a neuron is stimulated; it serves to produce an electrical impulse.

Front 24

Synaptic Cleft

Back 24

Where the axon terminal of one neuron nearly touches a dendrite or the cell body of another.

Front 25

Synaptic Vesicles

Back 25

Tiny sacs in the tip of the axon terminal

Front 26

Excitatory Effect

Back 26

Decrease in negative charge - when charge reaches a critical level, neuron will fire

Front 27

Inhibitory Response

Back 27

Increase in negative charge, making the neurons less likely to fire.

Front 28

Neurotransmitter

Back 28

A chemical substance that is released by a transmitting neuron at the synapse and that alters the activity of a receiving neuron.

Front 29

Serotonin

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(Neurotransmitter) affects neurons involved in sleep, appetite, sensory perception, temperature regulation, pain suppression, and mood.

Front 30

Dopamine

Back 30

(Neurotransmitter) Affects neurons involved in voluntary movements, attention, learning, memory, emotion, pleasure and reward, and possibly responses to novelty.

Front 31

Acetylcholine

Back 31

(Neurotransmitter) Affects neurons involved in muscle action, arousal, vigilance, memory and emotion.

Front 32

Norepinephrine

Back 32

(Neurotransmitter) Affects neurons involved in increased heart rate and the slowing of intestinal activity during stress, and neurons involved in learning, memory, dreaming, waking from sleep, and emotion.

Front 33

GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid)

Back 33

The major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain

Front 34

Glutamate

Back 34

The major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain; it is released by about 90% of the brain's neurons.

Front 35

Hormones

Back 35

Chemical substances, secreted by organs called glands, that affect the functioning of other organs.

Front 36

Endocrine Glands

Back 36

Internal organs that produce hormones and release them into the bloodstream.

Front 37

Melatonin

Back 37

A hormone, secreted by the pineal gland, that is involved in the regulation of daily biological rhythms.

Front 38

Oxytocin

Back 38

A hormone, secreted by the pituitary gland, that stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth, facilitates the ejection of milk during nursing, and seems to promote, in both sexes, attachment and trust in relationships.

Front 39

Adrenal Hormones

Back 39

Hormones that are produced by the adrenal glands and that are involved in emotion and stress.

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Sex Hormones

Back 40

Hormones that regulate the development and functioning of reproductive organs and that stimulate the development of male and female sexual characteristics; they include androgens, estrogens, and progesterone.

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Pineal Gland

Back 41

Deep within the brain

Front 42

Neuromodulators

Back 42

Neurochemicals that modulate the functioning of neurons and neurontransmitters

Front 43

Endorphins

Back 43

Chemical substances in the nervous system that are similar in structure and action to opiates; they are involved in pain reduction, pleasure, and memory and are known technically as endogenous opioid peptides.

Front 44

Serotonin Transporter

Back 44

A protein that picks up serotonin from the synaptic cleft after it has been released and transports it back to the sending neuron for recycling.

Front 45

Lesion Method

Back 45

The removal or disabling of a brain structure to gain better understanding of its function; this method is used only in animals.

Front 46

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Back 46

A method of stimulating brain cells, using a powerful magnetic field produced by a wire coil placed on a person's head; it can be used by researchers to temporarily inactivate neural circuits.

Front 47

Transcranial DIrect Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Back 47

A technique that applies a very small electric current to stimulate or suppress activity in parts of the cortex; it enables researchers to identify the functions of a particular area.

Front 48

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Back 48

A recording of neural activity detected by electrodes.

Front 49

Event-related Potentials (ERP)

Back 49

A technique that isolates the neural activity associated with a specific stimuli ("event").

Front 50

PET Scan (Positron-emission tomography)

Back 50

A method for analyzing biochemical activity in the brain, for example y using injections of a glucose-like substance containing a radioactive element.

Front 51

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Back 51

A method for studying body and brain tissue, using magnetic fields and special radio recievers.

Front 52

fMRI (Functional magnetic resonance imaging)

Back 52

A type of magnetic resonance imagining used to study brain activity associated with specific thoughts and behaviors.

Front 53

Localization of Function

Back 53

Specialization of particular brain areas for particular functions.

Front 54

Brain Stem

Back 54

The part of the brain at the top of the spinal cord, consisting of the medulla and the pons.

Front 55

Pons

Back 55

A structure in the brain stem involved in, among other things, sleeping, walking, and dreaming

Front 56

Medulla

Back 56

A structure in the brain stem responsible for certain automatic functions, such as breathing and heart rate.

Front 57

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

Back 57

A dense network of neurons found in the core of the brain stem; it arouses the cortex and screens incoming information. (Could not be alert or conscious without)

Front 58

Cerebellum

Back 58

"lesser brain". A brain structure that regulates movement and balance, is involved in remembering simple skills and acquired reflexes, and plays a role in cognitive and emotional learning.

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Thalamus

Back 59

A brain structure that relays sensory messages to the cerebral cortex (vision, sound, or touch - not smell).

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Olfactory Bulb

Back 60

Lies near areas involved in emotions - processes smell.

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Hypothalamus

Back 61

A brain structure involved in emotions and drives vital to survival; it regulates the autonomic nervous system. (Feeding, fighting, fleeing and sex). (Master gland).

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Homeostasis

Back 62

Internal conditions remain regulated and relatively constant

Front 63

Pituitary Gland

Back 63

A small endocrine gland at the base of the brain that releases many hormones and regulates other endocrine glands. (Supervisor - Hypothalamus controls it)

Front 64

Limbic System

Back 64

Structures that form a "border" between the "higher" and "lower" parts of the brain. sometimes called the "emotional brain". (term is going out of fashion)

Front 65

Amygdala

Back 65

A brain structure involved in the arousal and regulation of emotion and the initial emotional response to sensory information.

Front 66

Hippocampus

Back 66

A brain structure involved in the storage of new information in memory. ("Gateway to memory").

(Seahorse).

Front 67

Cerebrum

Back 67

The largest brain structure, consisting of the upper part of the brain; divided into two hemispheres, it is in charge of most sensory, motor, and cognitive processes.

Front 68

Cerebral Hemispheres

Back 68

The two halves of the cerebrum

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Corpus Callosum

Back 69

The bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres

Front 70

Lateralization

Back 70

Specialization of the two cerebral hemispheres for particular operations.

Front 71

Cerebral Cortex

Back 71

A collection of several tin layers of cells covering the cerebrum; it is largely responsible for higher mental functions. "Cortex" Latin for "Bark or Rind"

Front 72

Occipital Lobes

(Latin for "In back of the head")

Back 72

Are the lower back part of the brain's cerebral cortex; they contain areas that receive visual information. Contain visual cortex which processes visual signals.

Front 73

Parietal Lobes

(Latin for "pertaining to walls")

Back 73

At the top of the brain. They contain the somatosensory cortex, which receives information about pressure, pain, touch, and temperature from all over the body. Parts are involved in attention and awareness of spatial relationships.

Front 74

Somatosensory Cortex

Back 74

In Parietal Lobes - receives information on pain, pressure, touch, and temperature. Areas that receive signals from the hands and the face are disproportionately large because these body parts are particularly sensitive.

Front 75

Temporal Lobes

(Latin "Pertaining to the temples")

Back 75

Are at the sides of the brain, just above the ears and behind the temples. They are involved in memory, perception, and emotion, and they contain the auditory cortex, which processes sounds. An area of the left temporal lobe known as Wernicke's area is involved in language comprehension.

Front 76

Frontal Lobes

Back 76

Located toward front of the brain, just under the skull in the forehead area. Contain motor cortex, which issues orders to the 600 muscles of the body that produce voluntary movement. In the left frontal lobe, a region known as Broca's area handles speech production. Involved in emotion and ability to make plans, think creatively, and take initiative.