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Excitation
The effect that a neuron has on a neighbouring cell such that the second cell is more likely to exhibit action potential
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Inhibition
The effect that a neuron has on a neighbouring cell such that the second cell is less likely to exhibit action potentials
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Receptor cell
A cell specialised to detect, for example, light
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Rods and cones
Types of receptor cell specialised to detect light
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Ganglion cell
A type of cell in the visual system, part of the route conveying information from receptors in the eye to the brain
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Optic nerve
The collection of neurons that convey information from the eye to the brain
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Nerve
A collection of neurons in the peripheral nervous system, rather like a cable made of a number of electrical wires
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Receptive field
The part of a sensory surface, such as the retina, which when stimulated influences a neuron
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Enzyme
A chemical that has an influence on another chemical
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Reuptake
The process of inactivation of a neurotransmitter by taking it back into the same neuron that released it
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Placebo effect
An effect obtained by an apparently neutral procedure, which owes its efficacy to a belief by the patient that a therapeutic intervention has taken place
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Dysphoria
A negative mood
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Hemisphere
One half of the upper part of the brain
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Cerebral cortex
The outer layer of the brain
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Lateral geniculate nucleus
A part of the visual system that is a collection of cell bodies of neurons
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Corpus callosum
A bundle of processes of neurons which connect one hemisphere with another
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Lesion
Damage to a region of the brain, for example in an accident or in surgery
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Somatic nervous system
A division of the nervous system, which which controls skeletal muscles
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Skeletal muscle
A type of muscle attached to the skeleton, responsible for moving parts of the body such as the arm
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