day 3(half2)

Vocabulary flashcards covering the structure of neurons, divisions of the nervous system, and the cranial meninges.

Neurons

Nerve cells that carry electrical impulses.

Dendrites

Extensions of a neuron that bring impulses to the cell body.

Cell body

The part of a neuron containing the nucleus and cytoplasm.

Axon

Extensions that carry impulses away from the cell body (can be myelinated or unmyelinated).

Synaptic knob/Axon terminal

A sac at the end of the neuron that holds the neurotransmitter.

Brain

The main control center of the central nervous system that handles thoughts, memory, senses, and movement.

Spinal cord

A thick bundle of nerve fibers that connects the brain to the rest of the body.

Nerves

A vast network of fibers that branch out from the spinal cord to reach muscles, organs, and skin.

Somatic system / Somatic division

Division of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movements and skeletal muscles in the body.

Autonomic system / Autonomic division

Division of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary actions like heartbeat and digestion, including cardiac muscle, visceral muscle, and glands.

Sympathetic division

Subdivision of the autonomic division that controls the body in a crisis.

Parasympathetic division

Subdivision of the autonomic division that controls normal body functions (homeostasis).

Cranial meninges

Protective membranes that surround the brain.

Dura mater

The outer layer of the cranial meninges.

Arachnoid mater

The middle layer of the cranial meninges.

Pia mater

The inner layer of the cranial meninges.