Week One Flashcards
What happens to the brain in the first year of life?
The brain gets three times bigger
Brains are not fully mature until the age of twenty-five.
What is the role of chemical transmitters in the brain?
They facilitate communication, especially for prescribed and recreational drugs.
What is memory in the context of the brain?
The storage of sensory information to understand the world.
What are the two main cell types in the nervous system?
- Neurons
- Glial Cells
What is the function of neurons?
Communication through electrical or chemical means.
What do glial cells do?
Provide support and contribute to information processing.
What is the role of microglia?
They act as the brain’s immune system.
What do astrocytes provide?
Structural support and modify blood supply in the brain.
What is the function of oligodendrocytes?
Produce myelin to insulate axons of neurons.
What does the term ‘afferent’ refer to?
Sensory information coming into the Central Nervous System (CNS).
What does the term ‘efferent’ refer to?
Information leaving the Central Nervous System (CNS).
What are the two divisions of the nervous system?
- Somatic Nervous System
- Autonomic Nervous System
What is the somatic nervous system associated with?
Conscious or voluntary actions.
What does the autonomic nervous system control?
Internal organs and glands.
What is the function of the sympathetic nervous system?
Prepares the body for stress-related activities.
What is the function of the parasympathetic nervous system?
Returns the body to routine and day-to-day operations.
What is homeostasis?
A state of equilibrium or balance in biological conditions.
What is the primary function of the spinal cord?
Produces most body movements following brain instructions.
What does the hindbrain control?
Motor functions such as breathing, balance, and fine movement.
What is the function of the cerebellum?
Controls balance and fine motor skills.
What does the reticular formation regulate?
Sleep, wakefulness, and behavioral arousal.
What is the role of the thalamus?
Integrates sensory information projecting to the cortex.
What does the hypothalamus control?
The body’s production of hormones via the pituitary gland.
What is the largest region of the mammalian brain?
The forebrain.
