What is neuroscience?
Study of the brain and nervous system
1/101
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
What is neuroscience?
| Study of the brain and nervous system |
What is a neuron?
| A nerve cell
|
What do neurons do?
| Send information
|
Main parts of a neuron?
| Dendrites, soma, axon
|
What do dendrites do?
| Receive messages
|
What does the soma do?
| Keeps the neuron alive |
What does the axon do?
| Sends messages
|
What is myelin?
| Fatty coating that speeds signals
|
If myelin is damaged, what happens?
| Messages slow down
|
What is an action potential?
| Electrical signal in a neuron
|
What does “all-or-none” mean?
| Fires fully or not at all
|
What is threshold?
| Minimum needed to fire
|
What is a synapse?
| Gap between neurons
|
What are neurotransmitters?
| Chemical messengers
|
What are receptor sites?
| Where neurotransmitters attach
|
What is reuptake? | Chemicals reabsorbed
|
What is an agonist? | Boosts neurotransmitters
|
What is an antagonist?
| Blocks neurotransmitters
|
Acetylcholine (ACh) is for?
| Muscle movement & memory
|
Low ACh is linked to?
| Alzheimer’s |
Dopamine is for?
| Reward & movement
|
Too much dopamine = ? | Schizophrenia
|
Too little dopamine = ?
| Parkinson’s
|
Serotonin controls?
| Mood & sleep
|
Low serotonin = ?
| Depression
|
GABA does what?
| Calms the brain
|
Glutamate does what?
| Excites the brain
|
Central nervous system (CNS)?
| Brain & spinal cord
|
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)?
| All other nerves
|
Somatic nervous system?
| Voluntary actions
|
Autonomic nervous system?
| Automatic actions
|
Sympathetic nervous system?
| Fight or flight
|
Parasympathetic nervous system?
| Rest and digest
|
What is the endocrine system?
| Hormone system
|
How do hormones travel?
| Through blood
|
Hormones vs neurotransmitters?
| Hormones are slower
|
Pituitary gland?
| Master gland
|
Adrenal glands release?
| Stress hormones
|
Brainstem controls?
| Survival functions
|
Medulla controls?
| Breathing & heart rate
|
Pons controls?
| Sleep & alertness
|
Cerebellum controls?
| Balance & coordination
|
Thalamus does what? | Sensory relay
|
Hypothalamus controls?
| Hunger, thirst, temperature
|
Limbic system controls?
| Emotion & memory
|
Amygdala controls?
| Fear |
Hippocampus controls?
| Memory |
Cerebral cortex?
| Outer brain layer
|
Frontal lobe does what?
| Decision-making
|
Parietal lobe does what?
| Touch |
Temporal lobe does what?
| Hearing |
Occipital lobe does what? | Vision |
EEG measures?
| Brain electricity
|
CT scan shows? | Brain structure
|
MRI Shows? | Detailed structure
|
fMRI shows? | Brain activity
|
Neuroplasticity means? | Brain can change |
Left hemisphere controls? | Language & logic |
Right hemisphere controls? | Creativity
|
What are glial cells?
| Neuron helpers |
What do microglia do?
| Clean up brain waste
|
What do astrocytes do?
| Feed neurons & regulate signals
|
What do oligodendrocytes do?
| Wrap myelin around axons in the CNS |
What do Schwann cells do?
| Wrap myelin around axons in the PNS |
Sensory neurons do what? | Bring info IN
|
Sensory neurons are also called?
| Afferent |
Motor neurons do what?
| Send commands OUT
|
Motor neurons are also called?
| Efferent |
Interneurons do what?
| Connect neurons
|
What is resting potential?
| −70 mV
|
Resting neuron is charged how?
| Negative inside
|
Na⁺ mostly where?
| Outside cell
|
K⁺ mostly where?
| Inside cell |
Depolarization means? | Cell gets positive |
Repolarization means?
| Cell resets |
Hyperpolarization means? | Too negative |
Refractory period means? | Can’t fire |
What are nodes of Ranvier? | Gaps in myelin |
Two ways neurotransmitters stop? | Reuptake or breakdown |
Enzymatic deactivation means? | Neurotransmitter broken down |
Competitive drugs bind where? | Same receptor |
Noncompetitive drugs bind where? | Different site |
What is the enteric nervous system? | Gut brain |
ENS communicates with brain via?
| Vagus nerve |
ENS controls what? | Digestion |
What cushions the brain? | CSF |
What makes CSF? | Choroid plexus |
CSF sits in what? | Ventricles |
3 brain coverings? | Dura, arachnoid, pia |
Anterior / rostral means?
| Front |
Posterior / caudal means? | Back |
Dorsal / superior means? | Top |
Ventral / inferior means? | Bottom |
Medial means | Bottom |
Lateral means? | Toward side |
Lesion method means? | Study damage |
MRI shows? | Brain structure |
PET shows? | Brain activity |
EEG measures? | Electrical activity |
fMRI measures? | Blood flow |
TMS does what? | Temporarily disrupts brain |