Term
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Definition
The scientific study of the brain and of the links between
brain activity and behaviour. |
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Term
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Definition
A cell in the nervous system specialized to receive, process, and/or
transmit information from or to other cells. |
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Term
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Definition
| The branched fibres of neurons that receive incoming signals. |
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Term
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Definition
| The cell body of a neuron, containing the nucleus and cytoplasm. |
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Term
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Definition
The extended fibre of a neuron through which nerve impulses travel
from the soma to the terminal buttons. |
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Term
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Definition
The bulblike structures at the branched endings of
axons that contain vesicles filled with neurotransmitters. |
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Term
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Definition
The neurons that carry messages from sense receptors
toward the central nervous system (CNS). |
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Term
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Definition
The neurons that carry messages away from the central
nervous system (CNS) toward the muscles and glands. |
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Term
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Definition
Brain neurons that relay messages from sensory neurons to
other interneurons or to motor neurons. |
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Term
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Definition
The cells that hold neurons together and facilitate neural
transmission, remove damaged and dead neurons, and prevent
poisonous substances in the blood from reaching the brain. |
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Term
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Definition
| Information entering a neuron that signals it to fire. |
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Term
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Definition
| Information entering a neuron that signals it not to fire. |
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Term
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Definition
The nerve impulse activated in a neuron that travels down
the axon and causes neurotransmitters to be released into a synapse. |
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Term
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Definition
The polarization of cellular fluid within a neuron, which
provides the capability to produce an action potential. |
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Term
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Definition
The portions of neurons’ cell membranes that selectively
permit certain ions to flow in and out. |
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Term
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Definition
The rule that the size of the action potential is unaffected
by increases in the intensity of stimulation beyond the threshold level. |
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Term
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Definition
The period of rest during which a new nerve impulse
cannot be activated in a segment of an axon. |
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Term
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Definition
| The gap between one neuron and another. |
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Term
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Definition
The relaying of information from one neuron to
another across the synaptic gap. |
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Term
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Definition
The chemical messengers released from neurons that
cross the synapse from one neuron to another, stimulating the
postsynaptic neuron. |
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Term
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Definition
Any substance that modifies or modulates the activities
of the postsynaptic neuron. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the brain that translates thoughts into speech
or signs. |
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Term
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Definition
| Injuries to or destruction of brain tissue. |
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Term
| repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) |
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Definition
A technique for
producing temporary inactivation of brain areas using repeated pulses
of magnetic stimulation. |
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Term
| transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) |
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Definition
A technique for stimulating
brain regions using magnetic pulses. |
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Term
| electroencephalogram (EEG) |
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Definition
A recording of the electrical activity of the
brain. |
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Term
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Definition
Brain images produced by a device that obtains detailed
pictures of activity in the living brain by recording the radioactivity
emitted by cells during different cognitive or behavioural activities. |
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Term
| magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) |
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Definition
A technique for brain imaging that
scans the brain using magnetic fields and radio waves. |
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Term
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Definition
A brain-imaging technique that combines
benefits of both MRI and PET scans by detecting magnetic changes
in the flow of blood to cells in the brain. |
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Term
| central nervous system (CNS) |
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Definition
The part of the nervous system consisting
of the brain and spinal cord. |
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Term
| peripheral nervous system (PNS) |
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Definition
The part of the nervous system
composed of the spinal and cranial nerves that connects the body’s
sensory receptors to the CNS and the CNS to the muscles and glands. |
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Term
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Definition
The subdivision of the peripheral nervous system
that connects the central nervous system to the skeletal muscles and skin. |
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Term
| autonomic nervous system (ANS) |
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Definition
The subdivision of the peripheral
nervous system that controls the body’s involuntary motor responses
by connecting the sensory receptors to the central nervous system
(CNS) and the CNS to the smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands. |
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Term
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Definition
The subdivision of the autonomic nervous system
that deals with emergency response and the mobilization of energy. |
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Term
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Definition
The subdivision of the autonomic nervous
system that monitors the routine operation of the body’s internal
functions and conserves and restores body energy. |
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Term
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Definition
| The brain structure that regulates the body’s basic life processes. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the brain stem that regulates breathing, waking,
and heartbeat. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the brain stem that connects the spinal cord with the
brain and links parts of the brain to one another. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the brain stem that alerts the cerebral
cortex to incoming sensory signals and is responsible for maintaining
consciousness and awakening from sleep. |
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Term
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Definition
The brain structure that relays sensory impulses to the cerebral
cortex. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the brain attached to the brain stem that
controls motor co-ordination, posture, and balance, as well as the
ability to learn control of body movements. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the brain that regulates emotional behaviour,
basic motivational urges, and memory, as well as major physiological
functions. |
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Term
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Definition
The part of the limbic system involved in the acquisition of
explicit memory. |
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Term
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Definition
The part of the limbic system that controls emotion, aggression,
and the formation of emotional memory. |
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Term
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Definition
The brain structure that regulates motivated behaviour
(such as eating and drinking) and homeostasis. |
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Term
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Definition
Constancy or equilibrium of the internal conditions of the
body. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the brain that regulates higher cognitive and
emotional functions. |
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Term
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Definition
| The outer surface of the cerebrum. |
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Term
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Definition
The two halves of the cerebrum, connected by the
corpus callosum. |
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Term
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Definition
The mass of nerve fibres connecting the two hemispheres
of the cerebrum. |
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Term
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Definition
Region of the brain located above the lateral fissure and in
front of the central sulcus; involved in motor control and cognitive
activities. |
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Term
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Definition
Region of the brain behind the frontal lobe and above the
lateral fissure; contains somatosensory cortex. |
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Term
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Definition
| Rearmost region of the brain; contains primary visual cortex. |
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Term
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Definition
Region of the brain found below the lateral fissure;
contains auditory cortex. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the cerebral cortex that controls the action of
the body’s voluntary muscles. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the parietal lobes that processes
sensory input from various body areas. |
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Term
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Definition
The area of the temporal lobes that receives and processes
auditory information. |
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Term
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Definition
The region of the occipital lobes in which visual information
is processed. |
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Term
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Definition
The parts of the cerebral cortex in which many highlevel
brain processes occur. |
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Term
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Definition
The network of glands that manufacture and secrete
hormones into the bloodstream. |
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Term
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Definition
The chemical messengers, manufactured and secreted by the
endocrine glands, that regulate metabolism and influence body growth,
mood, and sexual characteristics. |
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Term
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Definition
Located in the brain, the gland that secretes growth
hormone and influences the secretion of hormones by other endocrine
glands. |
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Term
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Definition
The male sex hormone, secreted by the testes, that stimulates
production of sperm and is also responsible for the development of
male secondary sex characteristics. |
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Term
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Definition
The female sex hormone, produced by the ovaries, that is
responsible for the release of eggs from the ovaries as well as for the
development and maintenance of female reproductive structures and
secondary sex characteristics. |
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Term
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Definition
Changes in the performance of the brain;may involve the
creation of new synapses or changes in the function of existing synapses. |
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Term
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Definition
| The creation of new neurons. |
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