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Flashcards covering the key vocabulary and concepts of the nervous system.
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Reception
Stimulus is detected by neurons and sense organs (receptors).
Transmission
Message passes along neurons to CNS.
Integration
Incoming messages are processed and a response decided by the brain.
Response
Carried out by effectors (muscles, glands) stimulated by neurons.
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
Nerves that carry messages.
Neuron Impulse
Electrical messages that occur only when a neuron receives a stimulus of sufficient strength (threshold).
All or Nothing Rule
If the threshold is not met, then nothing happens regarding a nerve impulse.
Synapse
The region where two neurons come in close contact.
Synaptic Cleft
The minuscule gap between two neurons at a synapse.
Neurotransmitters
Chemicals that transmit impulses across the synaptic cleft.
Cerebrum
Largest part of the brain; controls thinking, intelligence, language, emotions, and memory.
Cerebellum
Controls muscular coordination and balance; responses are involuntary once learned.
Medulla Oblongata
Connects spinal cord with brain; controls involuntary actions like breathing, coughing, and sneezing.
Thalamus
Sorting center for the brain; located below the cerebrum.
Hypothalamus
Controls homeostasis (temperature, blood pressure).
Spinal Cord
Located in the neural canal, protected by the vertebrae and cartilage of the spine.
Grey Matter
Contains cell bodies and no myelin.
White Matter
Contains axons and myelin.
Parkinson's Disease
A nervous system disorder caused by the failure to produce dopamine; symptoms include trembling and stiff muscles.
Reflex Action
An automatic, involuntary, unthinking response to a stimulus.