Health Unit 1: The Nervous System Study Guide

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the components of neurons, major neurotransmitters, brain lobes, the stress response, and decision-making systems from the Health Unit 1 Study Guide.

Nervous system

The body's communication and control system that receives and processes information, makes decisions, controls movement, thinks, experiences emotions, responds to the environment, and maintains vital body functions.

Neurons

Specialized cells that carry information throughout the nervous system.

Dendrites

Branch-like extensions of a neuron that receive incoming information from other neurons.

Cell body

The part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and helps maintain the cell.

Axon

A long fiber that carries the neural signal away from the cell body toward other cells.

Axon terminals

Structures at the end of an axon that release neurotransmitters into the synapse.

Synapse

The small gap between communicating neurons across which chemical messengers travel.

Direction of a neural signal

The sequential pathway of communication: Dendrites → Cell Body → Axon → Axon Terminals → Synapse → Next Neuron.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter important for motivation, reward, learning, and movement; it is not simply the "happiness chemical."

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter important for mood regulation, sleep, appetite, and emotional regulation.

GABA

An inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces or regulates neural activity by slowing excessive signaling.

Glutamate

A principal excitatory neurotransmitter important for learning, memory, and neural communication.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter important for alertness, attention, arousal, and the body's stress response.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter important for muscle movement, attention, learning, and memory.

Frontal lobe

A major brain region involved in planning, problem-solving, decision-making, voluntary movement, and self-control.

Prefrontal cortex

A brain area within the frontal lobe responsible for evaluating choices, controlling impulses, considering consequences, planning, and making decisions.

Parietal lobe

A brain region important for processing touch, body position, spatial awareness, and sensory information.

Temporal lobe

A brain region important for processing hearing, language, and memory.

Occipital lobe

A brain region primarily involved in processing vision.

Cerebellum

A brain structure important for balance, coordination, smooth movement, and motor learning.

Brainstem

A lower brain structure that regulates automatic body functions such as breathing, heart rate, and sleep/wake cycles.

Stress

The body's response to a challenge or demand, which can help increase alertness, focus, and preparation in the short term.

Fight, flight, or freeze

An automatic survival response triggered when the brain detects a threat, preparing the body to confront, escape, or freeze.

Mental health

A component of overall health encompassing thoughts, emotions, relationships, coping mechanisms, behavior, and daily functioning.

Creating a pause

A decision-making strategy of stopping to breathe, evaluate consequences, and reflect before acting when influenced by strong emotions, peer pressure, or rewards.