Control and Coordination

Stimulus

The information that the body receives to cause a response.

Receptors

Cells that collect information (stimuli) about our external environment and send it to the central nervous system.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The part of the nervous system made up of the brain and spinal cord.

Olfactory Receptors

Receptors in the nose that send messages to the brain to interpret smell.

Pain receptors

Receptors that enable detection of sharp and potentially dangerous objects.

Mechanoreceptors

Receptors that detect mechanical pressure or distortion.

Thermoreceptors

Receptors that detect temperature changes; includes hot and cold receptors.

Photoreceptors

Cells in the retina that are sensitive to light energy, including cones and rods.

Gustation

The sense of taste, primarily detected by taste buds on the tongue.

Neurons

Specialized cells that carry information around the body in the form of electrical impulses.

Dendrites

Branches from the cell body of a neuron that receive messages from other neurons.

Axon

The nerve fibre that sends impulses away from the cell body of a neuron.

Synapse

The gap between neurons through which they communicate.

Neurotransmitter

Chemical signals that carry a signal across the synapse between neurons.

Sensory neurons

Neurons that carry messages from sense organs to the central nervous system.

Interneurons

Neurons located in the CNS that connect sensory and motor neurons.

Motor neurons

Neurons that carry information away from the CNS to muscles and glands.

Myelin sheath

A fatty layer that surrounds the axon of a neuron, insulating it and increasing the speed of nerve impulses.

Cerebrum

The part of the brain that controls conscious thought and voluntary movement.

Cerebellum

The part of the brain that controls balance and coordination.

Brain stem

The part of the brain that controls the body's vital functions such as heartbeat.

Frontal Lobe

The lobe of the cerebrum responsible for emotions, memory, movement, and cognitive functions like reasoning.