Neurons

What are neurons?

Specialized cells that transmit nerve impulses in the nervous system.

What is a neurotransmitter?

A chemical messenger that transmits signals across a synapse from one neuron to another.

What is dopamine?

A neurotransmitter involved in reward, motivation, and motor control.

What is serotonin?

A neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, and sleep.

What is acetylcholine?

A neurotransmitter that plays a role in muscle movement and memory.

What is norepinephrine?

A neurotransmitter involved in arousal and alertness.

What is GABA?

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces neuronal excitability. Regulates sleep wake cycles

What is glutamate?

An excitatory neurotransmitter that plays a key role in learning and memory.

What are sensory neurons?

Responsible for carrying information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system.

What are motor neurons?

Motor neurons transmit signals from the central nervous system to muscles, causing movement.

What are interneurons?

Connect sensory and motor neurons and process information within the central nervous system.

What is the role of myelin?

The protective sheath around some neurons that increases the speed of nerve impulse transmission.

Adrenaline

Also know as epinephrine, both a neurotransmitter and a hormone. It plays an important role in fight-or-flight and is created in the adrenal glands.

Endorphins

Inhibitory neurotransmitters that involve pain control, stress reduction, and positive emotions.

Excitatory neurotransmitters

Send signals to stimulate the brain

Inhibitory neurotransmitters

Send signals to calm the brain down and create balance

Neurons

Nerve cells that create a communication network in our nervous system

Axon terminal button

Projections from the axon that send excitatory or inhibitory messages to the next neuron.

Synapse

The major mode of communication between neurons in the nervous system, and its structure includes the presynaptic and postsynaptic cells which send and receive electrical signals

Vesicles

Bulge-like enlargement of early development of the neural tube in vertebrae yes which eventually give rise to the brain.

Synaptic membrane

The area of contact between the presynaptic terminal of one neuron and the postsynaptic membrane of another neuron, where neurotransmitters are released to propagate nerve impulses.

Agonist

A chemical that amplifies the effect of a neurotransmitter by binding to the receptor sites of that neurotransmitter and activating them.

Antagonist

oppose or inhibit the effect of specific neurotransmitters on postsynaptic cells.

Re-uptake inhibitors

Drugs that prevent the axon terminals from engaging in the re-uptake neurotransmitters.

Broca’s Aphasia

Located in the left frontal lobe, helps form spoken words. Damage here can cause Broca's aphasia, where speech becomes effortful and broken

Wernicke Aphasia

Impaired language comprehension, with fluent yet nonsensical speech. Naming, repetition, reading, and writing are also affected

Depolarization

Stage of neural firing when sodium ions move into neuron, causing inside of cell to become more positive

Refractory Period

Short period after a neuron fires when it can’t fire again or needs stronger stimulation to fire again, because it’s resetting to its resting state

Resting potential

Neurons baseline state

Threshold

Minimum stimulation needed to trigger a firing

Reuptake

When excess neurotransmitters are absorbed back into the sending neuron

Stimulants

Drugs that typically cause increased neural activity such as caffeine and cocaine.

Depressants

Such as alcohol, cause decreased neural activity

Hallucinogens

Such as marijuana typically cause distortions in perception and cognition

Opioids

Such as heroin, act as pain relievers