Luther Prep Biology Chapter 29

Front 1

action potential

Back 1

fast, moving change in electrical charge across a neuron's membrane; also called an impulse

Front 2

addiction

Back 2

uncontrollable physical and mental need for something

Front 3

autonomic nervous system

Back 3

division of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary functions

Front 4

axon

Back 4

long extension of the neuron membrane that carries impulses from one neuron to another

Front 5

brain stem

Back 5

structure that connects the brain to the spinal cord and controls breathing and heart rate

Front 6

central nervous system

Back 6

part of the nervous system that interprets messages from other nerves in the body; includes the brain and spinal cord

Front 7

cerebellum

Back 7

part of the brain that coordinates and regulates all voluntary muscle movement and maintains posture and balance

Front 8

cerebral cortex

Back 8

layer of gray matter on the surface of the cerebellum that receives information and generates responses

Front 9

cerebrum

Back 9

largest part of the brain, coordinating movement, thought, reasoning, and memory; includes the cerebral cortex and why white matter beneath it

Front 10

cone cell

Back 10

sensory neuron in the eye that detects color

Front 11

dendrite

Back 11

branchlike extension of a neuron that receives impulses from neighboring neurons

Front 12

depressant

Back 12

drug that causes fewer signals to be transmitted between neurons

Front 13

desensitization

Back 13

process by which neurons in the brain break down neurotransmitter receptors in response to a larger amount of neurotransmitter in the synapse than usual

Front 14

endocrine system

Back 14

body system that controls growth, development, and responses the the environment by releasing chemical signals into the bloodstream

Front 15

gland

Back 15

organ that produces and releases chemicals that affect the activities of other tissues

Front 16

hair cell

Back 16

mechanoreceptor in the inner ear that detects sound waves when bent

Front 17

hormone

Back 17

chemical signal that is produced in one part of an organism and affects cell activity in another part

Front 18

hypothalamus

Back 18

small area of the midbrain that plays a role in the nervous and endocrine systems

Front 19

nervous system

Back 19

body system that controls sensation, interpretation, and response; includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves

Front 20

neuron

Back 20

cell of the nervous system that transmits impulses between the body system as well as interprets and stores some messages in the brain

Front 21

neurotransmitter

Back 21

chemical that transmits a nervous system's signal across a synapse

Front 22

parasympathetic nervous system

Back 22

division of the peripheral nervous system that calms the body and helps the body to conserve energy

Front 23

peripheral nervous system

Back 23

division of the nervous system that transmits impulses between the central nervous system and other organs in the body

Front 24

pituitary gland

Back 24

area in the middle of the brain that makes and releases hormones that control cell growth and osmoregulation, water levels in the blood

Front 25

reflex arc

Back 25

nerve pathway in which an impulse crosses only two synapses before producing a response

Front 26

releasing hormone

Back 26

chemical that stimulates other glands to release their hormones

Front 27

resting potential

Back 27

difference in electoral charge between the inside and outside of a neuron; contains the potential energy needed to transmit the impulse

Front 28

rod cell

Back 28

photoreceptor in the eye that detects light intensity and contributes to black and white vision

Front 29

sensitization

Back 29

process by which a neuron adds more receptors to its surface in response to consistently lower amount of a neurotransmitter in the synapse

Front 30

sodium potassium pump

Back 30

active transport protein in neurons that carries sodium (Na+) ions out of the cell and bring potassium (K+) ions into the cell

Front 31

somatic nervous system

Back 31

division of the peripheral nervous system that transports signals from the brain to the muscles that produce voluntary movements

Front 32

stimulants

Back 32

drug that increases the number of impulses that neurons generate

Front 33

stimulus

Back 33

something that causes a physiological response

Front 34

sympathetic nervous system

Back 34

part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for action and stress

Front 35

synapse

Back 35

tiny gap between neurons through which chemical signals are sent

Front 36

terminal

Back 36

end of the neuron's axon from which neurotransmitters are released to stimulate an adjacent cell

Front 37

tolerance

Back 37

drug resistance that occurs when cells adapt, requiring larger doses of the drug to produce the same effect