Neurobiology Flashcards

Extensive definitions, diagrams, and images of neuroanatomical terms as well as brain regions, arteries, and nerves. Made as a study guide for the exam(s) in Behavioral Neurobiology (PSYCH 384). Flashcards of specific subjects within this class are divided and posted on my account.

Ganglia

Clusters of neuron cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system.

Somatic Nervous System

Involves nerves that interconnect the brain, major muscles, and sensory systems; mostly voluntary movement involving cranial and spinal nerves.

Autonomic Nervous System

Contains aggregates of neuron cell bodies called autonomic ganglia; nerves are preganglionic or postganglionic.

Preganglionic Autonomic Neurons

Nerves that send signals from the spinal cord to the autonomic ganglia.

Postganglionic Nerves

Nerves that send signals from the autonomic ganglia to the viscera (internal organs).

Cranial Nerves

12 pairs of nerves, labelled in Roman numerals, with sensory and motor functions.

Spinal Nerves

31 pairs of nerves, each corresponding to a backbone segment; have dorsal roots (sensory) and ventral roots (motor).

Sympathetic Division

Part of the autonomic nervous system; preganglionic cells in thoracic and lumbar spine; uses norepinephrine for fight-or-flight response.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

originates from the brainstem and sacral spinal cord; uses acetylcholine to slow activity and calm the body

Enteric Nervous System

Regulates the gut's function; under control of the central nervous system but not anatomically part of it.

Limbic System

Made up of structures like the amygdala and hippocampus; vital to emotion and learning.

Basal Ganglia

A cluster of neurons (nuclei) in the brain that mainly processes motor control.

Corpus Callosum

A bundle of C-shaped axons that allows for communication between the two cerebral hemispheres.

Cerebral Cortex

outer layer of the brain crucial to higher-level cognition such as speech, memory, personality, and movement

Gray Matter

Outer layer of the cerebral cortex; consists of somata and dendrites of neurons; receives and processes information.

White Matter

The inner layer of the cerebral cortex consists of fatty myelinated axons (which gives it a white color) and primarily sends information elsewhere

Telencephalon

Precursor to the cerebral hemispheres, which will include the cerebral cortex alongside other structures.

Diencephalon

The thalamus and hypothalamus, which are part of the forebrain.

Mesencephalon

The midbrain

Metencephalon

The cerebellum and pons

Myelencephalon

The medulla

Olfactory Nerve (CN I) functions

Brings sensory signals to the brain, which processes them into smells (sensory)

Optic Nerve (CN II) functions

Responsible for visual information (sensory).

Oculomotor Nerve (CN III) functions

Responsible for motor control of the eye muscles (motor)

Trochlear Nerve (CN IV) functions

Responsible for motor control of the eye muscles (motor)

Abducens Nerve (CN VI) functions

Responsible for motor control of the eye muscles (motor)

Trigeminal Nerve (CN V) functions

Responsible for motor control of (and sensory information from) the jaw muscle, face, sinuses, and teeth (motor and sensory)

Facial Nerve (CN VII) functions

Send motor signals that control the tongue and soft palates, as well as to glands like the salivary and tear glands (motor)

Vestibulocochlear Nerve (CN VIII) functions

Receive sensory information from the inner ear, impacting hearing and balance (sensory)

Glossopharyngeal Nerve (CN IX) functions

Primarily used for taste and other mouth sensations, as well as for the throat muscles.

Vagus Nerve (CN X) functions

Receives sensory information from the viscera, or internal organs (sensory)

Spinal Accessory Nerve (CN XI) functions

Responsible for motor control of the neck muscles (motor)

Hypoglossal Nerve (CN XII) functions

Responsible for motor control of the tongue muscles (motor)

Cervical Segments

8 cervical segments located at the neck

Thoracic Vertebrae

12 thoracic vertebrae located at the trunk

Lumbar Segments

5 lumbar segments which consist of the lower back

Sacral Segments

5 pelvic vertebrae called the sacral segments

Coccygeal Spinal Segment

one coccygeal spinal segment

Frontal Lobe

Crucial to deeper, high-level cognition and deliberate movement.

Parietal Lobe

Helps with spatial information and has a sulcus called the postcentral gyrus, which is the primary somatosensory cortex – dealing with the sense of touch.

Occipital Lobe

Processes visual information from the eyes, allowing the gift of sight.

Temporal Lobe

Processes auditory information and therefore plays an important role in language functioning. It’s also associated with smell, as well as memory and learning.

Sylvian fissure

Separates the temporal lobe from other lobes

Central Sulcus

Divides the frontal from the parietal lobes, clearly demarcating the boundary between them.

Caudate Nucleus

Named for its long tail, part of the basal ganglia

Globus Pallidus

Part of the telencephalon under the cerebral cortex

Substantia Nigra

Works together to perform their vital roles in motor control as part of the basal ganglia

Amygdala

involved in memory, odor perception (and recognition), and emotional regulation.

Hippocampus

Works alongside the fornix in learning and memory.

Medulla

Marks the transition between the brainstem and the spinal cord, regulating breathing and heart rate. It also involves cranial nerves that help control neck and tongue muscles.

Pons

Important location for motor and sensory brain nuclei, as auditory information moves from the inner ear to the brain

Tectum

Plays roles in visual and auditory processing (through its superior and inferior colliculi)

Tegmentum

Forms most of the midbrain and consists of the red nuclei, semiaqueductal gray, and substantial nigra

Red Nucleus

Communicates with the spinal cord

Ventral Tegmental Area

Holds a dopamine-reward pathway

Neuron Doctrine

Neurons and brain cells are metabolically, functionally, and structurally independent and transfer information between neurons through synaptic gaps

Santiago Ramon y Cajal

Spanish neuroscientist who proposed the Neuron Doctrine

Cell Body (Soma, pl. somata)

The part of a neuron that contains the nucleus

Motor neurons (motoneurons)

Functional classification of neurons that carry signals to muscles or glands, facilitating movement

Sensory neurons

Functional classification of neurons that send sensory-encoded messages from peripheral tissue to the brain and spinal cord

Interneurons

Functional classification of neurons that connect other neurons, making up the majority of brain neurons

Multipolar neurons

Structural classification of neurons that have one axon and multiple dendrites

Bipolar neurons

Structural classification of neurons that have one axon and one dendrite

Unipolar neurons

Structural classification of neurons that have one axon extending from the cell body, which divides into two branches - one to the input and one to the output zone, allowing signals to bypass the soma for efficient conduction

Dendrites

Branch-like structures that receive signals from other neurons and transmit them to the cell body

Axons

Long, slender projections of neurons that transmit electrical impulses away from the soma to other neurons, muscles, or glands

Axon hillocks

The specialized region of a neuron soma where the axon begins, crucial for integrating signals and initiating action potentials

Axon terminals

The endpoints of an axon that release neurotransmitters to communicate with neurons

Presynaptic membrane

The membrane surrounding axon terminals of the transmitting presynaptic neuron (only used in the context of a synapse)

Synapse

The actual gap between the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes of communicating neurons

Postsynaptic membrane

Membrane surrounding the receiving (postsynaptic) neuron’s dendritic spines containing neurotransmitters

Nissl stains

A type of histological stain used to visualize the size and number of neuronal cell bodies in brain tissue

Golgi stains

A type of histological stain used to visualize details of neurons, including dendrites and axons

Synaptic vesicles

Small membrane-bound sacs in the presynaptic axon terminal that store neurotransmitters and burst, releasing them into the synapse

Transport vesicles

Membrane-bound sacs that transport vital substances via motor proteins down microtubules in axons

Two types of axonal transport

Anterograde and retrograde transport, both of which are slower than electrical transmission

Anterograde transport

Axonal transport of substances away from the soma to the axon terminals

Retrograde transport

Axonal transport of substances from the axon terminals back to the soma

Golgi apparatus

The cellular organelle that packages proteins and lipids in transport vesicles for axonal transport

Glial cells (Glia)

Cells in the nervous system that support functioning of information processing

Types of glial cells

Astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, and Schwann cells

Astrocytes

Star-shaped glial cells that regulate blood flow and monitor synapses

Microglia

Smaller glial cells that remove debris and protect against pathogens in the nervous system as the brain’s immune system

Oligodendrocytes

Glia that perform myelination for multiple axons in the CNS

Schwann cells

Glial cells that perform myelination for a single axon in the peripheral nervous system

Myelin

Fatty insulating substance that increases transmission speed by resisting ionic currents, allowing saltatory conduction along the axon

Nodes of Ranvier

Gaps between myelin sheaths where action potentials are regenerated due to the presence of voltage-gated ion channels

Lateral

Anatomical word for away from the midline of the body or structure

Medial

Anatomical term meaning towards the midline of the body or structure

Dorsal

Anatomical term meaning towards the back side of the body or structure (in relation to the spinal tube)

Ventral

Anatomical term for the front side of the body or structure (in relation to the spinal tube)

Anterior

Anatomical term meaning towards the front side of the body or structure in relation to other parts of the body

Posterior

Anatomical term meaning towards the back side of the body or structure in relation to other parts of the body (opposite of anterior)

Inferior

Anatomical term meaning below or lower than another part of the body or structure in relation to other parts

Superior

Anatomical term meaning above or higher than another part of the body or structure in relation to other parts

Gyrus (pl. Gyri)

A ridge or fold on the surface of the brain

Sulcus (pl. Sulci)

A groove or furrow on the surface of the brain that separates gyri

Fissure

A deep sulcus that separates larger regions of the brain

Components of the brainstem

Midbrain, medulla, pons (sometimes cerebellum too)

Connectome

The detailed network mapping of the functional neural connections within the brain and between brain regions