Nervous System and Neurons

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to the nervous system and neurons from the lecture notes.

CNS (Central Nervous System)

The part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord.

PNS (Peripheral Nervous System)

The part of the nervous system that includes cranial and spinal nerves, connecting the CNS to the rest of the body.

Neuralgia

Support cells in the nervous system that nourish and protect neurons.

Myelin

A fatty substance that wraps around the axons of some neurons to protect and insulate them, increasing conduction speed.

Multipolar Neuron

A neuron with many dendrites and one axon, the most common type.

Graded Potentials

Small changes in resting membrane potential that can be excitatory or inhibitory and diminish in intensity as they travel.

Action Potentials

Large electrical impulses generated when the resting potential reaches a threshold, always excitatory, and travel along the axon.

Synapse

The junction where nerve impulses are transmitted from one neuron to another, either electrically or chemically.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals released to transmit signals across a synapse, which can have excitatory or inhibitory effects.

Resting Membrane Potential

The difference in electrical charge across a neuron’s membrane when it is not actively sending an impulse.