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nervous system
a complex combination of cells whose primary function is to allow an organism to gain information about what is going on inside and outside the body and to respond appropriately TERM 2
neuron
DEFINITION 2 fundamental unit of the nervous system; nerve cell TERM 3
glial cell
DEFINITION 3 cells in the nervous system that hold neurons together and help them communicate with one another TERM 4
axon
DEFINITION 4 a fiber that carries signals from the body of a neuron out to where communication occurs with other neurons TERM 5
dendrite
DEFINITION 5 a neuron fiber that receives signals from the axons of other neurons and carries those signals to the cell body
synapse
the tiny gap between neurons across which they communicate TERM 7
myelin
DEFINITION 7 a fatty substance that wraps around some axons and increases the speed of action potentials TERM 8
action potential
DEFINITION 8 an abrupt wave of electrochemical changes traveling down an axon when a neuron becomes depolarized TERM 9
refractory period
DEFINITION 9 a short test period between action potentials TERM 10
receptors
DEFINITION 10 sites on the surface of a cell that allow only one type of neurotransmitter to fit into them, triggering a chemical response that may lead to an action potential
parasympathetic nervous system
regulates the bodys energy-conserving functions TERM 17
fight-or-flight syndrome
DEFINITION 17 responses resulting from intense activity of the sympathetic nervous system; physical reactions triggered by the sympathetic nervous system that prepare the body to fight or to run from a threatening situation TERM 18
medulla
DEFINITION 18 an area in the hindbrain that controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and other vital functions TERM 19
cerebellum
DEFINITION 19 the part of the hindbrain whose main functions include controlling finely coordinated movements and storing memories about movement, but which may also be involved in impulse control, emotion, and language TERM 20
reticular formation
DEFINITION 20 a network of cells and fibers threaded throughout the hindbrain and midbrain that alters the activity of the rest of the brain
thalamus
a forebrain structure that relays signals from most sense organs to higher levels in the brain and plays an important role in processing and making sense out of this information TERM 22
hypothalamus
DEFINITION 22 a structure in the forebrain that regulates hunger, thirst, and sex drives TERM 23
amygdale
DEFINITION 23 a structure in the forebrain that, among other things, associates features of stimuli from two sensory modalities TERM 24
hippocampus
DEFINITION 24 a structure in the forebrain associated with the formation of new memories TERM 25
limbic system
DEFINITION 25 a set of brain structures that play important roles in regulating emption and memory
lateralization
referring to the tendency for one cerebral hemisphere to excel at a particular function or skill compared with the other hemisphere TERM 32
neurotransmitter system
DEFINITION 32 a group of neurons that communicates by using the same neurotransmitter TERM 33
acetylcholine
DEFINITION 33 a neurotransmitter used by neurons in the peripheral and central nervous systems in the control of functions ranging from muscle contraction and heart rate to digestion and memory TERM 34
gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA)
DEFINITION 34 a neurotransmitter that inhibits the firing of neurons TERM 35
endorphins
DEFINITION 35 one of a class of neurotransmitters that bind to opiate receptors and moderate pain
endocrine system
cells that form organs called glands and that communicate with one another by secreting chemicals called hormones TERM 37
hormones
DEFINITION 37 chemicals secreted by a gland into the bloodstream, which carries them throughout the body TERM 38
pituitary gland
DEFINITION 38 regulates growth; controls the thyroid, ovaries or testes, pancreas, and adrenal cortex; regulates water and salt metabolism
