Term
| absolute refractory period |
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Definition
| a time of recovery during which a cell membrane is not excitable and cannot generate another action potential |
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Term
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Definition
| an EXCITATORY neurotransmitter that operates at synapses with muscles and is also the transmitter in some neural networks involved in memory |
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Term
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Definition
| a nerve impulse resulting from the depolarization of an axon's cell membrane |
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Term
| action potential threshold |
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Definition
| the intensity of stimulation (excitatory minus inhibitory) needed to produce an action potential |
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Term
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Definition
| the fact that an action potential is not proportional to the intensity of stimulation; a neuron either fires with maximum intensity or it does not fire |
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Term
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Definition
| a limbic system structure that helps to ORGANIZE EMOTIONAL RESPONSE PATTERNS |
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Term
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Definition
| the loss of ability to understand speech (receptive aphasia) or produce it (productive aphasia) |
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Term
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Definition
| the areas of the cerebral cortex that do not have sensory or motor functions but are involved in the integration of neural activity that underlies PERCEPTION, LANGUAGE, and other higher-order mental processes |
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Definition
| the branch of the peripheral nervous system that stimulates the body's involuntary muscles and internal organs |
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Term
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Definition
| an extension from one side of the neuron cell body that conducts nerve impulses to other neurons, muscles, or glands |
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Term
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Definition
| a part of the brain made up of five distinct structures that is critical for voluntary motor control |
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Term
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Definition
| specialized lining of cells in the brain's blood vessels that screen out foreign substances while letting nutrients pass through to neurons |
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Term
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Definition
| the portion of the brain formed by the swelling of the spinal cord as it enters the skull; its structures regulate basic survival functions of the body, such as heart rate and respiration |
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Term
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Definition
| a region of the left frontal lobe involved in speech recognition |
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Term
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Definition
| portion of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord |
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Term
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Definition
| a convoluted hindbrain structure involved in motor coordination and some aspects of learning and memory |
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Term
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Definition
| the grey, convoluted outer covering of the brain that is the seat of higher-order sensory, motor, perceptual, and mental processes |
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Term
| computerized axial tomography (CT) scan |
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Definition
| method of scanning the brain with narrow beams of X-rays that are then analyzed and combined by a computer to provide pictures of brain structures from many different angles |
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Term
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Definition
| connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain and allows them to communicate |
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Term
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Definition
| small branching fibres that extend from the soma of a neuron and receive messages from adjacent neurons |
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Term
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Definition
| the reversal of the resting potential of a neuron's cell membrane that produces the action potential |
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Term
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Definition
| an EXCITATORY neurotransmitter whose overactivity may underlie some of the disordered behaviors seen in schizophrenia |
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Term
| electroencephalogram (EEG) |
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Definition
| a device used to record the simultaneous activity of many thousands of neurons through electrodes attached to the scalp |
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Term
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Definition
| natural opiate-like substances that are involved in PAIN REDUCTION |
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Term
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Definition
| brain structures above the midbrain, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and the cerebral hemispheres; involved in higher-order sensory, motor, and cognitive functions |
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Term
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Definition
| the anterior (front) portion of the cerebral hemispheres that include Broca's speech production area, the motor cortex, and associative cortex involved in planning and problem solving |
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Term
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Definition
| a charge in the electrical potential of a neuron that is proportional to the intensity of the incoming stimulation, but not sufficient to produce an action potential |
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Term
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Definition
| a structure of the limbic system that plays a key role in the formation and storage of memories |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| a forebrain structure located below the thalamus and above the pituitary gland that controls autonomic and hormonal processes and plays a major role in many aspects of motivation and emotional behavior |
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Term
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Definition
| neurons that are neither sensory nor motor neurons, but perform associative or integrative functions within the nervous system |
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Term
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Definition
| the localization of a function in either the right or left cerebral hemisphere |
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Term
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Definition
| a group of subcortical structures, including the hippocampus and amaygdala, which are involved in organizing many GOAL-DIRECTED and EMOTIONAL behaviors |
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Term
| magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) |
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Definition
| procedure that produces a highly detailed image of living tissue based on tissue's response to a magnetic field; can be used to study both structure and, in the case of functional MRI (fMRI), brain functions as they occur |
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Term
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Definition
| brain stem structure that controls vital functions, including heartbeat and respiration |
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Term
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Definition
| brain structures adove the hindbrain that are involved in sensory and motor functions and in attention and states of consciousness |
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Term
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Definition
| cortical area in the back of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements on the opposite sides of the body |
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Term
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Definition
| specialized neurons that carry neural messages from the brain and the spinal cord of the muscles to the glands |
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Term
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Definition
| a fatty insulating substance on the axon of some neurons that increases the speed of neural transmission |
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Term
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Definition
| the ability of neurons to modify their structure and function in response to experiential factors or injury |
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Term
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Definition
| neurotransmitter substances that are released by neurons and circulate within the nervous system to affect the sensitivity of many neurons to their natural transmitter substances |
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Term
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Definition
| nerve cells that constitute the basic building blocks of the nervous system |
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Term
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Definition
| one of the structures of the limbic system; is involved in reward and motivation |
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Term
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Definition
| the rearmost portion of the cerebral cortex that contains the primary visual sensory area |
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Term
| parasympathetic nervous system |
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Definition
| the branch portion of the autonomic nervous system that slows down bodily processes to conserve energy and reduce arousal |
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Term
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Definition
| the cerebral region behind the frontal lobe that contains the somatic sensory cortex and Wernicke's speech comprehension area |
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Term
| peripheral nervous system |
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Definition
| all the neurons that connect the central nervous system with the sensory receptors, the muscles, and the glands |
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Term
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Definition
| a brain stem structure having sensory and motor tracts whose functions are involved in sleep and dreaming |
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Term
| positron emission tomography (PET) scan |
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Definition
| procedure that provides a visual display of the absorption of radioactive substance by neurons, indicating how actively they are involved as the brain performs a task |
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Term
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Definition
| the area of the frontal lobe just behind the eyes and forehead that is involved in the executive functions of planning, self-awareness, and responsibility |
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Term
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Definition
| protein molecules on neurons' dendrites or soma that are specially shaped to accomodate a specific neurotransmitter molecule |
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Term
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Definition
| in the electrical activity of neurons, the internal difference of the sodium ions outside of a cell and the negatively charged proteins inside the cell |
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Term
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Definition
| a structure extending from the hindbrain into the midbrain that plays a central role in consciousness and attention, in part by alerting and activating higher brain centres (ascending portion), and by selectively blocking some inputs from admission to higher regions in the brain (descending portion) |
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Term
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Definition
| process whereby transmitter substances are taken back into the pre-synaptic neuron so that they do not continue to stimulate post-synaptic neurons |
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Term
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Definition
| specialized neurons that carry messages from the sense organs to the spinal cord and brain |
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Term
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Definition
| a neurotransmitter that seems to underlie positive mood states; underactivity may be a factor in depression |
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Term
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Definition
| branch of the peripheral nervous system that provides input from the sensory receptors and output to the voluntary muscles of the body |
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Term
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Definition
| cortical strips in the front portions of the parietal lobes that receive sensory input from various regions of the body |
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Term
| sympathetic nervous system |
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Definition
| the branch of the autonomic nervous system that has an arousal function on the body's internal organs, speeding up bodily processes and mobilizing the body |
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Term
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Definition
| the microscopic space between neurons over which the nerve impulse is biochemically transmitted |
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Term
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Definition
| a tiny gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of the next neuron |
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Term
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Definition
| chambers within the axon that contain the neurotransmitter substance |
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Term
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Definition
| the portion of the cortex that lies below the parietal lobes and is the major site of AUDITORY input to the brain |
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Term
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Definition
| a major sensory integration and relay centre in the forebrain, sometimes referred to as the brain's SENSORY SWITCHBOARD |
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Term
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Definition
| an area of the left temporal lobe that is involved in SPEECH recognition |
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