Untitled Flashcard Set

Hippocrates

Ancient Greek physician who correctly located the mind in the brain.

Phrenology

A theory proposed by Franz Gall that suggested studying bumps on the skull could reveal mental abilities and character traits.

Neural Plasticity

The brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience.

Neuron

A nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system.

Action Potential

A brief electrical charge that travels down the axon of a neuron.

Synapse

The junction between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of another.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across the synapse between neurons.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning, and memory.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.

Endocrine System

A communication system consisting of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Consists of the brain and spinal cord; it is the body's decision maker.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The part of the nervous system that connects the CNS to the rest of the body.

Somatic Nervous System

Part of the PNS that controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Part of the PNS that controls involuntary functions.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Part of the ANS that arouses the body and expends energy.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Part of the ANS that calms the body and conserves energy.

Limbic System

A group of neural structures in the brain associated with emotions and drives.

Cerebral Cortex

The outer layer of the brain involved in complex functions such as thinking, perceiving, and speaking.

Motor Cortex

Area of the frontal lobe that controls voluntary movements.

Somatosensory Cortex

Area of the parietal lobe that processes sensory input from the body.

Association Areas

Regions of the cerebral cortex involved in higher mental functions such as thinking and memory.

Neurogenesis

The process of producing new neurons in the brain.

Corpus Callosum

The large band of axon fibers connecting the two hemispheres of the brain.

Split-brain

A condition in which the corpus callosum connecting the two hemispheres is severed.

Glial Cells

Support cells in the nervous system that provide nutrients and assist in neural connections.