Anatomy and Physiology-Chapter 6: The Nervous System (Vocabulary 6.3-6.4)

Cerebellum

Section of the brain that coordinates body movements, including balance.

Cerebrum

The largest part of the brain, consisting of the left and right hemispheres.

Diencephalon

Area of the brain that includes the epithalamus, thalamus, meta thalamus, and hypothalamus; also known as the interbrain.

Epithalamus

The uppermost portion of the diencephalon, which includes the pineal gland and regulates sleep-cycle hormones.

Fissures

The uniformly positioned, deep grooves in the brain.

Frontal lobes

Sections of the brain located behind the forehead.

Hypothalamus

A portion of the diencephalon, which regulates functions such as metabolism, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Lobes

The name for the four regions of the brain-frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal.

Medulla oblongata

The lower portion of the brain stem, which regulates heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing and controls several reflexes.

Meninges

Three protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

Midbrain

Relay station for sensory and motor impulses; located on the superior end of the brain stem.

Occipital lobes

Sections of the brain located behind the parietal lobes; integrate sensory information from the skin, internal organs, muscles, and joints.

Parietal lobes

Sections of the brain located behind the frontal lobes'; integrate sensory information from the skin, internal organs, muscles, and joints.

Pons

The section of the brain that plays a role in regulating breathing.

Primary motor cortex

Outer region of the brain in the frontal lobes that sends neural impulses to the skeletal muscles.

Primary somatic sensory cortex

Outer region of the brain in the parietal lobes that interprets sensory impulses received from the skin, internal organs, muscles, and joints.

Spinal cord

A column of nerve tissue that extends from the brain stem to the beginning of the lumbar region of the spine.

Temporal lobes

The most inferior portions of the brain; responsible for speech, hearing, vision, memory, and emotion

Thalamus

The largest portion of the diencephalon, which communicates sensory and motor information between the body and the cerebral cortex.

Cranial nerves

12 pairs of nerves that originate in the brain and relay impulses to and from the PNS.

Craniosacral division

The parasympathetic nervous system, in which nerves originate in the brain stem or sacral region of the spinal cord

Dorsal ramus

The division of posterior spinal nerves that transmit motor impulses to the posterior trunk muscles and relay sensory impulses from the skin of the back

Endoneurium

A delicate, connective tissue that surrounds each nerve fiber

Epineurium

The tough outer covering of a nerve

Ganglion

A mass of nervous tissue composed mostly of nerve-cell bodies

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter released by postganglionic neurons in the sympathetic nervous system

Paravertebral ganglia

Mass of nerve cell bodies close to the spinal cord

Perineurium

A protective sheath that surrounds a bundle of nerve fibers

Plexuses

Complex interconnections of nerves

Postganglionic neuron

The second neuron in a series that transmits impulses from the CNS

Preganglionic neuron

The first neuron in a series that transmits impulses from the CNS

Spinal nerves

Neural transmitters that branch from the left and right sides of the spinal cord

Thoracolumbar division

The sympathetic system of nerves that lies near the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine

Ventral ramus

The anterior division of spinal nerves that communicate with the muscle and skin of the anterior and lateral trunk