Term | Definition |
Homeostasis | When everything in your body is in balance (just right) |
Neuron | Special cells that pass information throughout your nervous system |
Dendrite | Branch-like structures that receive the nerve impulse and bring it to the cell body |
Axon | Long, thin structure that carries the nerve impulse away from the cell body |
Cell Body | Main part of the neuron that contains the nucleus |
Myelin | Fatty substance that is wrapped around the axon to speed up the nerve impulse |
Synapse | Small gap between the axon tip of one neuron and the dendrite of the next neuron |
Neurotransmitter | Chemical that carries a nerve impulse across the synapse |
Motor neuron | Sends nerve impulses to muscles, causing them to move |
Sensory neuron | Picks up stimulus from the environment and changes it to a nerve impulse |
Interneuron | Carries nerve impulses from one neuron to another |
Nerve Impulse | Electrical and chemical message that is passed through your nervous system |
Cerebrum | Thinking part of your brain; controls your voluntary muscles; contains your short and long term memory |
Cerebellum | Controls balance, movement, and coordination |
Brain stem | Controls involuntary actions, such as breathing, digesting food, and circulating blood |
Amygdala | Regulates emotions |
Frontal Lobe | Does much of the work of complex thinking, like planning, imagining, making decisions, and reasoning. |
Occipital Lobe | Processes light and other visual information from the eyes. |
Parietal Lobe | Processes messages related to touch, taste, and temperature. |
Temporal Lobe | Processes hearing and is involved in memory retrieval. |
Central Nervous System | Includes the brain and spinal cord |
Peripheral Nervous System | All of the neurons in your body outside of the brain and spinal cord |
Reflex | An involuntary response; for some reflexes the nerve impulse does not have to pass through the brain to initiate a response |
Voluntary | Under your control; you can decide to start/stop (kick a ball) |
Involuntary | Not under your control (heart beat) |
Hypothalamus | Brain region that helps coordinate your "fight or flight" response |