Parts of the Brain Flashcards
(31 cards)
Cerebrum
Large mass of forebrain, 2 hemispheres.
Cortex
Outer layer of brain.
Corpus Callosum
Connects the two hemispheres.
Pre-Frontal Cortex
Front part of the cerebrum where higher level of thinking and reasoning takes place.
Thalamus
Relays messages from sense organs to the cerebral cortex.
Hypothalamus
Physiological functions/drives (e.g., hunger/sex).
Pituitary Gland
Endocrine system’s “master gland”.
Cerebellum
Voluntary movement, balance, and coordination.
Pons
Sleep/alertness/body movement.
Reticular Activating System
Consciousness/attention.
Medulla Oblongata
Vital functions.
Hippocampus
- Short-term memory/learning.
- Sorts through and processes incoming information.
Amygdala
Emotions/anger etc.
Neuron-Nerve Cell
- Brain cells are neurons made up of a cell body, axon, and dendrites.
- Cannot reproduce themselves.
- Like a circuit board, their primary function is communication.
- Communicate with others neurons, structures in the brain, and other parts of the body by electrically charged chemicals called neurotransmitters.
Cell bodies contain a…
Nucleus
Axon
- Sends out signals to other neurons.
- Signals are electrically charged chemical impulses that flow from the nucleus down the axon to the axon terminal.
Dendrites
Pick up signals/impulses from other neurons and relay them into the cell body and nucleus.
Serotonin
- Neurotransmitter
- Serotonin is active in constricting smooth muscles, transmitting impulses between nerve cells, regulating cyclic body processes and contributing to wellbeing and happiness.
Synapse
Junction between the two neurons.
Refractory Period
Time needed for a neuron to recover before it can fire again.
Axon sends message to…
Another cell’s dendrite(s)
______ receives messages from another cell’s axon.
Dendrite(s)
Myelin Sheath
- Protective coating on the axon.
- Made of fatty tissue/lipids.
Catecholamines
Works as both a neurotransmitters in the brain and hormones in the endocrine system throughout the body.