neurotransmitter vocab

neurons

Individual cells and nervous system that receive integrate and transmit information

soma

Cell body of a neuron contains the nucleus and much of the chemical machinery common to most cells

dendrites

Branch like parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information

axon

A long, thin fiber that transmits signals away from the neuron cell body to other neurons or to muscles or glands

myelin sheath

Insulating material derived from glial cells that in cases, some axons of neurons

terminal buttons

Small knobs at the end of axons that secrete chemicals called neurotransmitters

Synapse

A junction where information is transmitted from one neuron to the next

glia

Cells found throughout the nervous system that provide various types of support for neurons

resting potential

The stable negative charge of a neuron when it is inactive

action potential

A brief shift in a neuron electrical charge that travels along an axon

absolute refractory

The minimum length of time after an action potential during which another action potential cannot begin

synaptic cleft

A microscopic gap between the terminal button of a neuron and the cell membrane of another neuron

neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit information from one neuron to another

postsynaptic potential

A voltage change at the receptor site on a postsynaptic cell membrane

Reuptake

A process in which neurotransmitters are sponged up from the synaptic cleft by the presynaptic membrane

endorphins

The entire family of internally produced chemicals that resemble opiates in structure and effects

peripheral nervous system

All the nerves that lie outside the brain and spinal cord

somatic nervous system

The system of nerves that connect to voluntary skeletal muscles and to sensory receptors

afferent nerve fibers

Axons that carry information in order to the central nervous system from the periphery of the body

efferent nerve fibers

Axons that carry information outward from the central nervous system to the periphery of the body

autonomic nervous system

The system of nerves that connect to the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles and glands

sympathetic division

The branch of the autonomic nervous system, that mobilize the bodies resources for emergencies

parasympathetic division

The branch of the autonomic nervous system, that generally conserves bodily resources

Central nervous system

The brain and the spinal cord

Lesioning

Destroying a piece of the brain

electrical stimulation of the brain

Sending a week electric current into a brain structure to stimulate it

hindbrain

The part of the brain that includes the cerebellum and two structures found in the lower part of the brain, stem the medulla and the pons

cerebellum

A relatively large and deeply folded structure, located adjacent to the back surface of the brain stem

midbrain

The segment of the brain stem that lies between the hind brain and forebrain

forebrain

The largest and most complicated region of the brain encompassing a variety of structures, including the thalamus hypothalamus limbic system and cerebrum

thalamus

A structure in the fore brain through which all sensory information except smell, must pass to get to the cerebral cortex

hypothalamus

A structure found near the base of the forebrain that is involved in the regulation of basic biological needs

limbic system

A loosely connected network of structures, roughly located along the border between the cerebral cortex and deeper subcortical areas

cerebral cortex

The convoluted outer layer of the cerebrum

corpus callosum

The major structure that connects the two cerebral hemispheres

mirror neurons

Neurons that are activated by performing an action or by seeing another monkey or a person perform the same action

neurogenesis

The formation of new neurons

endocrine system

A group of glands that secrete chemical chemicals into the bloodstream that help control bodily functioning

hormones

The chemical substances released by the endocrine glands

pituitary gland

The master gland of the endocrine system, it releases a great variety of hormones that found out through the body stimulating actions in the other endocrine glands

oxytocin

A hormone released by the pituitary gland that regulates reproductive behaviors

epigenetics

The study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve modifications to the DNA sequence

fitness

The reproductive success number of descendants of an individual organism relative to the average reproductive success of the population

adaptation

An inherited characteristic that increased in a population through natural selection because it helps solve a problem of survival or reproduction during the time it emerged

critical period

A limited time span in the development of an organism when it is optimal for certain capacities to emerge because the organism is especially responsive to certain experiences