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SLSBio12 Nervous Sys
SLSBio12 Nervous Sys AC
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| acetylcholine (ACh) | organic molecule that acts as a neurotransmitter |
| acetylcholinesterase (AChE) | a hydrolase that hydrolyzes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine |
| action potential | short-lasting event in which the electrical membrane potential of a cell rapidly rises and falls, following a consistent trajectory |
| adrenal medulla | secrete hormones instead of releasing neurotransmitters |
| adrenalin | aka epinephrine, hormone and neurotransmitter, increased activation of the sympathetic system associated with the energy and excitement of the fight-or-flight response |
| "all or none" response | strength by which a nerve or muscle fiber responds to a stimulus is independent of the strength of the stimulus. If the stimulus exceeds the threshold potential, the nerve or muscle fiber will give a complete response; otherwise, there is no response. |
| autonomic nervous system | acts as a control system that functions largely below the level of consciousness to control visceral functions |
| axomembrane | collection of dendrites and axons |
| axon | conducts nerve impulses away from the cell body toward other neurons or effectors. |
| axoplasm | cytoplasm within the axon of a neuron |
| cell body | produces all the proteins for the dendrites, axons and synaptic terminals and contains specialized organelles |
| central nervous system | part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord |
| cerebellum | region of the brain that plays an important role in motor control |
| cerebrum | controlling emotions, hearing, vision, personality and much more. It controls all voluntary actions. |
| corpus callosum | connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres and facilitates interhemispheric communication, largest white matter structure in the brain |
| dendrite | branched projections of a neuron that act to propagate the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body |
| depolarization | positive-going change in a cell's membrane potential, making it more positive, or less negative |
| effector | The muscle, gland or organ cell capable of responding to a stimulus at the terminal end of an efferent neuron or motor neuron. |
| excitatory | temporary depolarization of postsynaptic membrane potential caused by the flow of positively charged ions into the postsynaptic cell as a result of opening of ligand-gated ion channels |
| neurotransmitter | endogenous chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron (brain cell) to another 'target' neuron |
| hypothalamus | portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland |
| impulse | The electrical activity that travels along the long, thread-like nerve cells. It is a way of sending messages from one part of the body to another. |
| inhibitory neurotransmitter | inhibited endogenous chemicals that transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse - prevents an action potential |
| interneuron | is a neuron that forms a connection between other neurons. Interneurons are neither motor nor sensory |
| meninges | the membranes that envelop the central nervous system |
| motor neuron | nerve cell (neuron) whose cell body is located in the spinal cord and whose fiber (axon) projects outside the spinal cord to directly or indirectly control muscles |
| myelin sheath | is a dielectric (electrically insulating) material that forms a layer around only the axon of a neuron |
| neuron | s an electrically excitable cell that processes and transmits information through electrical and chemical signals |
| node of Ranvier | formed between the myelin sheaths generated by different cells |
| norepinephrine | It is the hormone and neurotransmitter most responsible for vigilant concentration in contrast to its most chemically similar hormone, dopamine, which is most responsible for cognitive alertness. |
| parasympathetic division | tending to stimulate digestive secretions, slow the heart, constrict the pupils, and dilate blood vessels. |
| peripheral nervous system | function of the PNS is to connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the limbs and organs, essentially serving as a communication relay going back and forth between the brain and the extremities |
| pituitary gland | secretes nine hormones that regulate homeostasis, a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain |
| postsynaptic membrane | The part of the cell membrane of a neuron or muscle fiber with which an axon terminal forms a synapse |
| potassium gate | transmembrane channels specific for potassium and sensitive to voltage changes in the cell's membrane potential |
| presynaptic membrane | part of the cell membrane of an axon terminal that faces the cell membrane of the neuron or muscle fiber with which the axon terminal establishes a synapse. |
| receptor | a protein molecule that receives and responds to a neurotransmitter, or other substance |
| reflex arc | neural pathway that controls an action reflex |
| refractory period | he period of depolarization and repolarization of the cell membrane after excitation |
| repolarization | change in membrane potential that returns the membrane potential to a negative value after the depolarization phase of an action potential has just previously changed the membrane potential to a positive value |
| resting potential | relatively static membrane potential of quiescent cells |
| saltatory transmission | A biologically cost-efficient method of rapid conduction of an action potential along a myelinated axon, by allowing it to 'jump' from one node of Ranvier to the next. |
| Schwann cell | variety of glial cell that keep peripheral nerve fibres (both myelinated and unmyelinated) alive |
| sensory neuron | nerve cells that transmit sensory information (sight, sound, feeling, etc.) |
| sodium gate | sodium channels are responsible for the rising phase of action potentials. conducting sodium ions (Na+) through a cell's plasma membrane |
| sodium-potassium pump | pumps sodium out of cells, while pumping potassium into cells |
| somatic nervous system | part of the peripheral nervous system[1] associated with the voluntary control of body movements via skeletal muscles |
| sympathetic division | general action is to mobilize the body's nervous system fight-or-flight response. It is, however, constantly active at a basic level to maintain homeostasis |
| synapse | a structure that permits a neuron (or nerve cell) to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another cell (neural or otherwise) |
| synaptic cleft | gap acts as a site where neurotransmitters from presynaptic cell (e.g. neuron) are released into by exocytosis and diffuses across to bind with the receptors in the cell membrane of postsynaptic cell. |
| synaptic ending | The somewhat enlarged, often club-shaped endings by which axons make synaptic contacts with other nerve cells or with effector cells (muscle or gland cells) |
| synaptic vesicle | store various neurotransmitters that are released at the synapse |
| thalamus | a midline symmetrical structure of two halves, within the vertebrate brain, situated between the cerebral cortex and the midbrain |
| threshold value | the critical level to which the membrane potential must be depolarized in order to initiate an action potential |
Created by:
acabrera
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