Key Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards about the limbic system, serotonin, acetylcholine, glutamate, and noradrenaline.

Limbic System

A set of brain structures involved in regulating emotions, memory, and behavior.

Amygdala

A main structure of the limbic system involved in processing emotions such as fear and aggression.

Hippocampus

A main structure of the limbic system related to the formation and retrieval of memories.

Hypothalamus

A main structure of the limbic system that regulates vital functions such as hunger, thirst, and sleep, as well as emotional response.

Cingulate Gyrus

Part of the limbic system involved in emotional regulation and processing information related to behavior.

fMRI (functional MRI)

A technique used to study the limbic system.

EEG (electroencephalography)

A technique used to study the limbic system.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter mainly found in the brain and intestines, playing important roles in regulating mood, sleep, and digestion.

Tryptophan

An amino acid that serotonin is synthesized from.

5-HTP (5-hydroxytriptophan)

An intermediate compound in the synthesis of serotonin from tryptophan.

Serotoninergic Pathways

Routes through which serotonergic neurons transmit signals in the brain, connecting different brain regions.

SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

Medications that increase serotonin levels by preventing its reabsorption in neurons.

Serotonin Syndrome

A potentially dangerous condition that occurs when serotonin levels are excessively high.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter found in the brain and peripheral nervous system, known for its role in muscle activation and cognitive function.

Choline Acetyltransferase

The enzyme that synthesizes acetylcholine from choline and acetyl-CoA.

Basal Nucleus of Meynert

A location in the brain where the highest concentration of acetylcholine is found.

Nicotinic Receptors

A type of acetylcholine receptors involved in rapid and direct activation of neurons and muscles.

Muscarinic Receptors

A type of acetylcholine receptors involved in slower and more sustained modulation of neuronal activity.

Acetylcholinesterase

An enzyme that degrades acetylcholine, regulating its levels in the synapse.

PET (Positron Emission Tomography)

A technique used to measure the activity of acetylcholine in the brain.

MRS (Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy)

A technique used to measure the activity of acetylcholine in the brain.

Glutamate

A primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.

AMPA Receptors

A type of ionotropic receptor that allows rapid entry of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) ions.

NMDA Receptors

Receptors that allow the entry of calcium (Ca2+) ions in addition to Na+ and K+.

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

A lasting strengthening of synapses, believed to be a biological basis for learning and memory.

Excitotoxicity

A pathological process in which excessive levels of glutamate cause neuronal damage and death.

Glutamate-Glutamine Cycle

A metabolic process where glutamate released in the synapse is absorbed by glial cells, converted into glutamine, and transported back to neurons.

Noradrenaline

Also known as norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter and hormone that plays a crucial role in the body's response to stress.

Fight or Flight Response

The response where noradrenaline helps prepare the body to face or avoid danger.

mGluRs (Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors)

Receptors that modulate neurotransmission through indirect mechanisms and can mediate inhibitory functions.

Neurotransmitter

A chemical substance that transmits nerve impulses across a synapse.

Synapse

The site of transmission of electric nerve impulses between two nerve cells (neurons) or between a neuron and a gland or muscle cell (effector).

Neurons

A nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.

Axon

The long threadlike part of a nerve cell along which impulses are conducted from the cell body to other cells.

Dendrites

A short branched extension of a nerve cell, along which impulses received from other cells at synapses are transmitted to the cell body.

Glial Cells

Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.

Receptor

A protein on the cell surface or within the cell that binds to a specific molecule (e.g., a neurotransmitter) and responds to it.

Hormone

A regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action.

Central Nervous System

The complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body. In vertebrates it comprises the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System

The nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system that contains chiefly adrenergic fibers and tends to depress secretion, decrease the tone and contractility of smooth muscle, and increase heart rate.

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system responsible for control of the bodily functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat, and digestive processes.

Endocrine Glands

Glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream.

Plasticity

the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experience.

Neuromuscular junction

a synapse between a motor neuron and a muscle cell.

Cognition

the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.

Neurodegeneration‎

the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including death of neurons.

Vasoconstriction‎

the constriction of blood vessels, which increases blood pressure.

Homeostasis

The regulation of processes to maintain a stable internal environment.

Synaptogenesis

The formation of synapses between neurons in the nervous system.

Neuron Migration

The process by which neurons travel from their origin to their final position in the brain.

Neural circuits

A population of neurons interconnected by synapses to carry out a specific function when activated.

Depolarization

Membrane potential becomes less negative; excitatory; increases chances of action potential.

Hyperpolarization

Membrane potential becomes more negative; inhibitory.

Resting membrane potential

Electrical potential difference across the plasma membrane when the cell is in a non-excited state.

Action potential

A rapid series of changes in the membrane potential that triggers events at the synapse.

Anxiety Disorders

Mental health disorders characterized by feelings of worry that are strong enough to interfere with one's daily activities.

Depression

A common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

A disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event.

Schizophrenia

A chronic brain disorder that affects a person's ability to think, feel, and behave clearly.

Alzheimer's disease

A progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions.

Epilepsy

A central nervous system (neurological) disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes loss of awareness.

Sleep-wake cycles

The daily physiological cycle based on 24-hour periods of dark and light that affects many biological processes.

Vesicles

A fluid- or air-filled cavity or sac.

Exocytosis

A process by which the contents of a cell vacuole are released to the exterior through fusion of the vacuole membrane with the cell membrane.

Inhibitory neurotransmitter

A neurotransmitter that inhibits an action potential.

Excitatory neurotransmitter

A neurotransmitter that triggers and action potential.

Hyperexcitability

An abnormal increase in the excitability of neurons.

Neural circuits

An interconnected population of neurons that are responsible for specific nervous system functions.

Neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons

Bipolar disorder

A disorder associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.