ch3

Question 1

neuroanatomy

Answer 1

study of parts and functions of neurons

Question 2

neurons

Answer 2

individual nerve cells that make up the nervous system

Question 3

dendrites

Answer 3

root like parts of the cell that grows out the body. makes synaptic connections with other neurons.

Question 4

cell body/soma

Answer 4

contains the nucleus and other vital parts of the cell

Question 5

axon

Answer 5

wire like structure that stretches from the cell body and leads to the terminal buttons

Question 6

myelin sheath

Answer 6

fat that covers the axon of the neurons

Question 7

terminal buttons

Answer 7

branched ends of axon that contains neurotransmitters

Question 8

neurotransmitters

Answer 8

chemicals in terminal buttons that allow neurons to communicate. fits into receptor cites (dendrites)

Question 9

synapse

Answer 9

space between terminal buttons of neuron a and dendrites of neuron b

Question 10

threshold

Answer 10

(in ch3) minimum amount needed for a neuron to fire

Question 11

action potential

Answer 11

when a neuron sends info (electric potential charges) down the axon.

Question 12

all or nothing principle

Answer 12

states that a neuron either fires or it doesn’t. no in between

Question 13

inhibitory neurotransmitters

Answer 13

prevents neurons from firing

Question 14

excitatory neurotransmitters

Answer 14

encourages cells to fire

Question 15

nervous system

Answer 15

made up of 2 sets of neurons (since neurons can only fire 1 direction)

one set fires towards the brain, the other fires from the brain towards the body

Question 16

afferent/sensory neurons

Answer 16

takes info from nerves to brain

Question 17

interneurons

Answer 17

takes info once it reaches the brain/spine and directs it to other parts of the brain or efferent neurons

Question 18

efferent neurons

Answer 18

takes info from the brain to the rest of the body

Question 19

central nervous system (CNS)

Answer 19

consists of the brain and spinal cord. located in the skull and vertebrae

Question 20

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Answer 20

all other nerves not encased in bone (divided into somatic and autonomic nervous system

Question 21

somatic nervous system

Answer 21

controls voluntary muscle movements

Question 22

autonomic nervous system

Answer 22

controls autonomic functions (heart lungs, internal organs). and is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

Question 23

sympathetic nervous systems

Answer 23

controls the body;s response to stress (flight or flight). slows down other functions (like digestion) to conserve energy

Question 24

parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 24

slows down sympathetic nervous system after sttress

Question 25

reflexes

Answer 25

reactions that are not being controlled by the brain

Question 26

accidents

Answer 26

method of studying the brain. major accidents that damage the brain and cause certain behaviors can be cross-referenced to pre-accident behaviors

Question 27

lesions/lesioning

Answer 27

removal/destruction of the brain (lobotomies)

Question 28

electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 28

machine that detects brain waves (and how it changes)

Question 29

computerized axial tomography (CAT/CT scan)

Answer 29

uses x-ray cameras to take a 3d picture of the brain and turns it into a detailed 3d image.

Question 30

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Answer 30

gives a detailed 3d image using magnetic fields

Question 31

positron emission tomography (PET scan)

Answer 31

measures how much of a chemical a part of the brain is using (used to see what parts of the brain are most active during certain tasks.)

Question 32

functional MRI (fMRI)

Answer 32

combines MRI (magnetic fields) and PET (chemical detection) scans can show brain structure & blood flow during certain tasks

Question 33

hindbrain

Answer 33

located at top of spinal cord & controls basic biological functions. contains medulla, pons, and cerebellum

Question 34

medulla

Answer 34

controls blood pressure, heart rate & breathing.

Question 35

pons

Answer 35

located above medulla, connects hindbrain with midbrain and forebrain and is used when making facial expressions

Question 36

midbrain

Answer 36

above spinal cord but below forebrain. coordinates muscle movements & sensory info.

Question 37

reticular formation

Answer 37

net-like connection of cells in the midbrain. controls arousal & ability to focus. if this does not function, then you will fall into a coma

Question 38

forebrain

Answer 38

largest part of the brain. Controls thought & reason. contains the thalamus. hypothalamus. amygdala, and hippocampus

Question 39

thalamus

Answer 39

located on top of brain step. receives sensory signals & sends them to other part of the forebrain

Question 40

hypothalamus

Answer 40

located next to thalamus. responsible for metabolic functions (hunger, thirst, body temp, libido, endocrine system)

Question 41

amygdala & hippocampus

Answer 41

hippocampuses are the arms surrounding the thalamus, and the amygdala are located at the ends of each arm. The hippocampus is important for memory (it redirects memories to parts of the cerebral cortex), and amygdala is important for experiencing emotion.

Question 42

cerebral cortex

Answer 42

wrinkled surface of the brain. is 1 mm of densely packed neurons that gradually connect with each other as you grow. has 8 different lobes (4 in each hemisphere) (frontal lobe, parietal love, temporal lobe, occipital lobe)

Question 43

hemispheres

Answer 43

cerebral cortexes are divided into left & right hemispheres

Question 44

left hemisphere

Answer 44

gets sensory info and controls the right half of the body

Question 45

right hemispheres

Answer 45

gets sensory info and controls the left half of the body

Question 46

brain lateralization/hemisphere specialization

Answer 46

for there to be specializations in function in different hemispheres

Question 47

frontal lobe (location + function)

Answer 47

located behind the eyes, and plays a major role in memory, abstract thought, and directing the thought process

Question 48

motor cortex (location + function)

Answer 48

vertical strip behind the frontal lobe. controls voluntary movement. the top of the body is controlled by the bottom of the cortex and vice versa

Question 49

parietal lobes (location + function)

Answer 49

located behind frontal lobes. contains sensory cortex/somatosensory cortex.

Question 50

sensory/somatosensory cortex (location + function)

Answer 50

vertical strip behind the motor cortex. receives incoming touch sensations from the body. the top of the cortex receives info from bottom of the body, and vice versa.

Question 51

occipital lobes (location + function)

Answer 51

located at back of brain. processes messages from eyes (retinas). the left half of the retina is processed in the left occipital lobe, and vice versa.

Question 52

temporal lobe

Answer 52

processes sound sensed by the ears. ears turn sound into neural impulses, where they are interpreted by the auditory cotices.

Question 53

wernicke's area

Answer 53

processes written & spoken speech

Question 54

brain plasticity

Answer 54

brain is slightly elastic. parts of the brain can adapt to perform other functions if parts of the brain are damaged. The younger a person is, the more likely this is to happen.

Question 55

endocrine system

Answer 55

system of glands that secrete hormones that affect some biological processes. controlled by hypothalamus

Question 56

adrenal glands (autonomic nervous system)

Answer 56

produces adrenaline, which triggers fight or flight.

Question 57

ovaries/testes

Answer 57

produces sex hormones