Cell Body - the headquarters, cell’s life support center

Dendrites- Receives messages from the other cells

Axon- Passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands. Long Arm.

Myelin Sheath- Covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses

Terminal button- end of axon, emits neurotransmitters

Synaptic gap - tiny space between two neurons, neurotransmitters flow through this gaps to communicate

Neurotransmitters- Chemical messengers released by axon/terminal button, across synaptic gap, towards dendrites of nearby neurons

Reuptake- collect extra keys you didn't use. Excess neurotransmitters reabsorbed by terminal. By blocking reuptake, drugs increase neurotransmitters in synapse. 

Glial Cells- Assistants to the neuron

• When there is no message, the neuron is in resting potential (polarized)

• When a message arrives, the neuron jumps into action potential (depolarized)

• Repolarized the ions. 

P.O.N.I. - Positive outside, negative inside, polarized

Neurons can be excitatory or inhibitory.

Excitatory- excited

Inhibitory- slowing down

Acetylcholine (ACH): Moves muscles, learning, and memory. ACH gives a message to the muscles, healthy ACH levels facilitate movement, Alzeimhers stems from a lack of ACH levels. Excitatory.

Dopamine: Excitatory, sometimes inhibitory. The feeling of leading up to a joyful experience. Cocaine releases dopamine 24/7. EX: Gambling, social media, and video games. High level of dopamine from growth is schizophrenia, compared to less level of dopamine in Parkinson's disease as well as ADHD. Adderall increases dopamine. Stimulant.

Serotonin: The feeling during that joyful experience. Inhibitory. Low levels of serotonin = clinical depression. SSRIs : prozac, zoloft, and paxil. *Ecstasy = dopamine + serotonin. 

Norepinephrine: Gives you alertness. Excitatory. *Cocaine = dopamine+norepinephrine. Low levels of norepinephrine = depression

GABA: Major inhibitory neurotransmitter. Inhibitory. *Low levels of GABA: anxiety. Alcohol increases GABA, also increases ACH. Low levels of GABA associated with insomnia. GABA levels low = seizures, epilepsy. 

Glutamate: Connected to memory, stimulated. Excitatory neurotransmitter. High Levels = headaches, overstimulation. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

Endorphins: Endorphin rush, good feeling after you do something. Heroin gives this endorphin rush beyond the natural feeling. Opium. Morphine. Pain tolerances = endorphins. 

Agonist - mimics a neurotransmitter key

• Antagonist - anything that jams the locks, prevents the key from opening the receptor Phrenology - The detailed study of the shape and size of the cranium as a supposed indication of character and mental abilities 

  • Gall - claimed as the founder of phrenology

• Lesion - purposely injuring the brain, how parts of brain were discovered in phrenology

• Phineas Gage - got a famous injury, 1800s, went through a side of his brain, started acting different, doctors researched, frontal lobe destroyed

EEG (Electroencephalogram): Detects brain waves.(electricity) Normally used in sleep studies. Functional 

CT/CAT Scan: Combined series of x-ray photos, determining specific issues of some parts of the brain. structural

MRI Scan: Magnets involved, it “shakes” the brain, detects active areas due to an increase in blood flow, clearer results 

PET Scan: You see where radioactive glucose goes through active areas 

fMRI: Detects structure and function of the brain

MEG Scan: Magnetic, figure out the order of things in brain, functional