Term | Definition |
axon | the part of a neuron that sends messages to surrounding neurons or body organs |
brain | the organ that sends and receives messages to and from all body parts |
cerebellum | the brain part that helps make your movements smooth and graceful, rather than robot-like |
cerebrum | the brain part that controls thought, reason, and the senses |
dendrite | part of the neuron that receive messages from nearby neurons |
diabetes mellitus | a disease that results when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin |
endocrine system | the body system made up of small glands that make chemicals that carry messages through the body |
hormone | chemicals made in one part of an organism that affect other parts of the organism |
insulin | a hormone that lets your body cells take in glucose, a sugar, from your blood |
medulla | the brain part that controls heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure |
nerve | many neurons bunched together |
nervous system | the body system made up of cells and organs that let an animal detect changes and respond to them |
neuron | nerve cells |
pituitary gland | an endocrine gland that forms many different hormones |
reflex | quick, protective reactions that occur within the nervous system |
spinal cord | the body part that carries messages from the brain to body nerves or from body nerves to the brain |
synapse | a small space between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of a nearby neuron |
thyroid gland | an important endocrine gland that is found near the lower part of your neck and produces thyroxine |
thyroxine | the hormone that controls how fast your cells release energy from food |