Franz Gall

Study of the bumps on your head, bumps reveal a person's abilities and traits

Cell body; serves as neuon's control centre 

Contains the nucleuis and other parts of the cell needed to sustain its life

The extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages are sent to other neurons or muscles or glands

Wirelike structure ending in the terminal buttons that extends from the cell body

A layer of fatty segmentally encasing fibers of many neurons. Enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses

Fatty covvering around the axon of some neurons that speeds neural impulses

Chemicals contained in terminal buttons that enable neurons to communicate

Neurotransmitters fit into receptor sites on teh dendrites of neurons like a key fits into a lock

 S:  Sensory Neurons

A: Afferent Neurons

M:    Motor Neurons

E: Efferent Neurons

A neural impulse; a bried electrical charge that travels down and axon. Generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon's membrane. When an action potential occues, a molecular message is sent to neighbouring neurons

Electric charge that spreads down the length of a neuron after the threshold is achieved

Travels like a bullet from a gun

The level os stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Level of neurotransmitters required to "Fire" a neuron

(Ahead of AP)

AP opens cell membrane to allow sodium (Na+) in, Inside of cell rapidly becomes more positive than outside. Depolarization travels down the axron as leading edge of AP

Fit the receptor but poorly and blocks the NT

ex. Beta blockers

Fit receptor site well and act like the NT

ex. Nicotine

Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

Dopamine imbalance (or too much) involved in schizophrenia.

Loss of dopamine producing neurons (or not enough) causes Parkinson's Disease

Loss of dopamine-producing neurons. Symptons include: difficulty  starting and stopping voluntary movements, tremors ar rest, stooped posture, rigidity, and poor balance

Treatments: L-Dopa. 

1st NT discovered. AcH is found in all motor neurons. Only transmitter between motor neurons and voluntary msucles. Every move depends on the release of AcH. Stimulates msucles by contracting, including heart and stomach muscles

Primary Roles: alertness, attention, memory, motivation, and muscles contractions.

Disruptions of AcH Functioning:
not enough: suffocation, paralysis, Alzheimers

Too Much: Violent convulsions, spasms

Curare: blocks AcH receptors = paralysis

Nerve gases and black widow spiders. Too much AcH

"Fight or flight" response. Primary roles: physical arousal, learning, memory

Not Enough: Depression

Too Much: Anxiety, fear, mania

Muscle corrdination, moods, major inhibitory transmitter. Inhibition of brain activity

Not Enough: Depression, irritability, anxirty, epilespy, sleep disorders, Parkinson's. 

Can be sused to induce sleep, relaxation

Huntington's Disease: Involves loss of neurons in stratum that utilize GABA. Jerky. Mental deterioation

Major excitatory transmitter

Too Much (and too little GABA): associated with epileptic seizures

The division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles

A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain

Most Descriptive

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as is enters teh skull

Responsible for autmatic (survival) functions