Biology and behavior

Cerebrum

The largest part of the brain, responsible for higher brain functions such as thought, action, and sensory processing. It is divided into two hemispheres and four lobes

Frontal lobe

Involved in decision-making, problem-solving, planning, and voluntary movement.

Parietal lobe

Processes sensory information such as touch, temperature, and pain.

Occipital lobe

Responsible for visual processing

Temporal lobe

Involved in auditory processing, memory, and speech.

Cerebellum

Located at the back of the brain, it coordinates voluntary movements, balance, and posture.

Limbic System

A group of interconnected structures involved in emotion, memory, and motivation. Key components include: Amygdala, and hippocampus

Amygdala

Processes emotions such as fear and pleasure.

Hippocampus

Essential for the formation of new memories and spatial navigation. Converts short term memories to long term memories.

Brainstem

Connects the brain to the spinal cord and controls basic life functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. It includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.

Hypothalamus

Regulates vital functions such as hunger, thirst, sleep, and body temperature, and controls the pituitary gland.

Thalamus

Acts as a relay station, transmitting sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex.

Central Nervous System

Comprises the brain and spinal cord. It's responsible for processing and interpreting sensory information and sending out instructions.

Peripheral Nervous System

Consists of all the nerves outside the CNS. It is further divided into: somatic and autonomic nervous systems

Somatic Nervous System

Controls voluntary movements and transmits sensory information to the CNS.

Autonomic Nervous System

Regulates involuntary functions such as heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate. It has two subdivisions: Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

Sympathetic Nervous System

Prepares the body for "fight or flight" responses during stressful situations.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Promotes "rest and digest" activities that occur when the body is at rest.

Soma

The cell body. Contains the nucleus and processes incoming signals.

Dendrites

Receive signals from other neurons and transmit them to the cell body.

Axons

Transmits signals away from the cell body to other neurons or muscles.

Myelin

Insulates and protects axon

Synapse

The junction between the axon terminals of one neuron and the dendrites of another neuron where action occurs.

Neurotransmitter

Chemical messenger that carries impulses across the synaptic gap across transmitters

Action potential

Electrical charge that travels down its axon

Reuptake

The sending neuron reabsorbs the excess neurotransmitters from the synapse

Cornea

Light first enters the eye through the cornea, which helps to focus the incoming light.

Pupil

The central opening in the iris of the eye that lets light in. Its size adjusts to control the amount of light entering the eye.

Lens

The lens is a transparent structure in the eye that focuses light onto the retina, helping to create clear images.

Retina

Takes focused light and image. Acts like the film of a camera. Contains photoreceptors such as rods and cones

Rods

Photoreceptor in the retina that allows us to see in black and white, while only being sensitive to light.

Cones

Photoceptor in the retina that allows color to be seen

Optic nerve

A bundle of nerve fibers that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Blind spot

Part of the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye, lacking photoreceptors and thus unable to detect light.

Visual acuity

The clarity or sharpness of vision, measured by the ability to discern letters or numbers at a standardized distance.

Afterimage

Visual sensation that occurs after the original stimulus-complimentary colors.

Color blindness

Caused by missing or defective cones

Cochlea

Snail shaped structure that produces nerve/sound impulses from vibrations

Auditory nerve

Bundle of nerves carrying from sound from the cochlea to the brain

Conductive deafness

Deafness caused by damage to the middle ear

Sensorineural deafness

Deafness caused by damage to inner ear or auditory nerve- sounds of frequencies are not heard