NEU 200 (Brain regions/Anatomy)

Anterior

toward the front

Posterior

toward the back

Dorsal

on top

Ventral

belly side

Medial

toward the midline

Lateral

away from the midline

Spinal cord

Nerves that run up and down the length of the back and transmit most messages between the body and brain

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Pons

the part of the brainstem that links the medulla oblongata and the thalamus. Responsible for sleep and arousal

Cerebellum

A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills. (Balance)

Midbrain

Region between the hindbrain and the forebrain; it is important for hearing and sight. (superior and inferior colliculi)

Superior colliculus

receives visual sensory input

Inferior colliculus

a midbrain nucleus in the auditory pathway

thalamus

the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

pituitary

at the base of the brain; stimulates growth and controls functions of other glands

Cerebral cortex

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center

Occipital

back of head

Temporal

Side of skull

Frontal

forehead

Central Sulcus

separates frontal and parietal lobes

Lateral sulcus

Separates temporal lobe from parietal and frontal lobes

6 Layers of Cortex

1. Molecular

2. External granular

3. External pyramidal

4. Internal granular

5. Internal pyramidal

6. Multiform

Cortical column

one of the vertical columns that constitute the basic organization of the cerebral cortex

Synapse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

Axon terminal

The endpoint of a neuron where neurotransmitters are stored

Dendrite

the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

Presynapse neuron

a nerve cell that transmits a signal to another neuron or cell at a junction called a synapse

Postsynapse neuron

a nerve cell that receives signals (neurotransmitters) from another neuron, called the presynaptic neuron

Axon Hillock

Cone shaped region of an axon where it joins the cell body. Receives info externally and computes whether to release action potential or no

Axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

Myelin Sheath

A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.

Nodes of Ranvier

Gaps in the myelin sheath to which voltage-gated sodium channels are confined.

Glial cell

special type of cell found in the nervous system that forms the myelin sheath

Oligodendrocytes

produce myelin in CNS

EPSP

Excitatory postsynaptic potential; a slight depolarization of a postsynaptic cell, bringing the membrane potential of that cell closer to the threshold for an action potential.

IPSP

Inhibitory postsynaptic potential; a slight hyperpolarization of the postysynaptic cell, moving the membrane potential of that cell further from threshold.

Action Potential

the change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell.

Sodium Potassium Pump

a carrier protein that uses ATP to actively transport sodium ions out of a cell and potassium ions into the cell

Ligand gated Na+ Channel

Opens when neurotransmitter binds, allowing Na+ influx.

Voltage gated Na+ channel

A Na+-selective channel that opens or closes in response to changes in the voltage of the local membrane potential; it mediates the action potential.

Voltage gated K+ Channel

return of membrane to resting potential after initiation of an action potential

Voltage threshold for activation potential

Glutamate

The most common neurotransmitter in the brain. Excitatory.

GABA

a major inhibitory neurotransmitter

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with movement, attention and learning and the brain's pleasure and reward system.

Serotonin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal. Undersupply linked to depression.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also triggers muscle contraction

parietal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch.