neuroscience unit 2 quiz
serotonin
affects mood, hunger, sleep + arousal (neurotransmitter)
neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons
dopamine
influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion (neurotransmitter)
antagonist
inhibit neurons firing block and stops neurotransmitters release
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
inhibitory neurotransmitter
action potential
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon when neuron sends message thru impulse
endorphins
"morphine within"--natural influences perception of pain or pleasure
all-or-nothing response
a neuron's reaction of either firing or not firing once threshold is reached neurons are fired, same speed no matter amount of charge
reflex
a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus ex: knee-jerk response
interneurons
CNS neurons that internally communicate between sensory inputs and motor outputs
sensory neurons
carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system (brain+ spinal cord)
Schwann cell
a cell in the peripheral nervous system, glial cell produces myelin sheath plays role in survival and function of cell
neuron
a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system transmits information to other nerve cells, muscles and glands
central nervous system (CNS)
brain and spinal cord
plasticity
brain's ability to change by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
dendrite
branchlike, receives messages from other cells
motor neurons
carry outgoing information from CNS (brain+ spinal cord) to muscles and glands
glial cells
cells in nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons provides nutrients, guides neural connections
sympathetic nervous system
division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations fight or flight
parasympathetic nervous system
division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body and conserves energy
Acetylcholine (ACh)
enables muscle action, learning, and memory (neurotransmitter)
axon terminal
end of an axon, where neurotransmitters are stored
Glutamate
excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory
agonist
excites neurons firing mimics the action of a neurotransmitter, blocks reuptake
nucleus/soma
functional part of the neuron nucleus and other structures
norepinephrine
helps control alertness and arousal (neurotransmitter)
myelin sheath
layer of fatty tissue covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses
vesicle
membrane bound sac storing materials to transport ex: neurotransmitters store before releasing into synapse
nerves
neural "cables" contains many axons connects central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs
autonomic nervous system
part of the peripheral nervous system controls glands and muscles of the internal organs (ex: heart)
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
sensory and motor neurons connects CNS to the rest of the body
synaptic gap
space between the axon terminal of one neuron and the receptors of the next neuron
nervous system
the body's speedy, electrochemical communication system all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
cell body
the cell's life support center carries genetic information and provides energy
somatic nervous system
the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles
axon
the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
threshold
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
refractory period
time after an action potential where neuron recharges/rests before firing again can't fire constantly, needs to recharge
reuptake
when neurotransmitters are taken back into the synaptic vesicles to reserve them
