chapter 3 terms

the body's electrochemical communication circuitry

the brain's special capacity for change

also called sensory nerves; nerves that carry information about the external environment to the brain and spinal cord via sensory receptors

also called motor nerves; nerves that carry info out of the brain to the spinal cord to other areas of the body

the brain and spinal cord

the network of nerves that connects the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body

the body system consisting of the sensory nerves, whose function is to convey information from the skin and muscles to the CNS about conditions such as pain and temperature, and the motor nerves, whose function is to tell muscles what to do

the body system that takes messages to and from the body's internal organs, monitoring such processes as breathing, heart rate, and digestion

the part of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body

the part fo the autonomic nervous system that calms the body

one of two types of cells in the nervous system; neurons are the nerve cells that handle the information-processing function

also called glia; the second fo two types of cells in the nervous system; glial cells provide support, nutritional benefits, and other functions and keep neurons running smoothly

the part of the neuron that contains the nucleus, which directs the manufacture of substances that the neuron needs for growth and maintenance

treelike fibers projecting from a neuron, which receive information and orient it toward the neuron's cell body

the part of the neuron that carries information away from the cell body toward other cells

a layer of fat cells that encases and insulates most axons

in an inactive neuron, the voltage between the inside and outside of the axon wall

the brief wave of positive electrical charge that sweeps down the axon

the principle that once the electrical impulse reaches a certain level of intensity, it fires and moves all the way down the axon without losing any intensity

tiny spaces between neurons; the gaps between neurons are referred to as synaptic gaps

chemical substances that are stored in very tiny sacs within the terminal buttons and involved in transmitting information across a synaptic gap to the next neuron

stimulates the firing of neurons and is involved in muscle action, learning and memory

found throughout the central nervous system

has a key role in exciting many neurons to fire and is especially involved in learning and memory

inhibits firing of the CNS but excites the hart muscle, intestines, and urogenital tract

helps control voluntary movement and affects sleep, mood, attention, learning and the ability to recognize opportunities for rewarding experiences in the environment

involved in the regulation of sleep, mood, attention, and learning

natural opiates, substances that depress nervous system activity and eliminate pain

networks of nerve cells that integrate sensory input and motor output

hormone and neurotransmitter that plays an important role in the experience fo love and social bonding

located at the skull's rear, the lowest portion of the brain, consisting of the medulla, cerebellum, and pons

the stemlike brain area that includes much of the hindbrain and the midbrain; it connects with the spinal cord at its lower end and then extends upward to encase the reticular formation in the midbrain

located between the hindbrain and forebrain, an area in which many nerve-fiber systems ascend and descend to connect the higher and lower portions of the brain; in particular, the midbrain relays information between the brain and the eyes and the ears

a system in the midbrain comprising a diffuse collection of neurons involved in stereotyped patterns of behavior such as walking, sleeping, and turning to attend ot a sudden noise.

the brain's largest division and its most forward part

a loosely connected network of structures under the cerebral cortex, important in both memory and emotion. its two principal structures are the amygdala and the hippocampus

an almond-shaped structure within the base of the temporal lobe that is involved in the discrimination of objects that are necessary for the organism's' survival, such as appropriate food, mates, and social rivals

the structure in the limbic system that has a special role in the storage of memories

the forebrain structure that sits at the top of the brain stem in the brain's central core and serves as an important relay station

large neuron clusters located above the thalamus and under the cerebral cortex that work with the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex to control and coordinate voluntary movements

a small forebrain structure, located just below the thalamus, that monitors three pleasurable activities-eating, drinking and sex as well as emotion, stress and reward

part of the forebrain, the outer layer of the brain, responsible for the most complex mental functions, such as thinking and planning

the outermost part of the cerebral cortex, making up 80% of the cortex in the human brain

structures located at the back of the head that respond to visual stimuli

structures in the cerebral cortex that are located just above the ears and are involved in hearing, language processing, and memory

the portion of the cerebral cortex behind the forehead, involved in perosnality, intelligence, and the control of voluntary muscles

structures at the top and toward the rear of the head that are involved in registering spatial location, attention, and motor control

a region in the cerebral cortex that processes information about body sensations, located at the fron of the parietal lobes

a region in the cerebral cortex that processes information about voluntary movement, located just behind the frontal lobes

sometimes called association areas, the region of the cerebral cortex that is the site of the highest intellectual functions, such as thinking and problem solving

the large bundle of axons that connects the brain's two hemispheres, responsible for relaying information between the two sides

the body system consisting of a set of glands that regulate the activities of certain organs by releasing their chemical products into the bloodstream

organs or tissues in the body that create chemicals that control many of our bodily functions

chemical messangers that are produced by the endocrine glands and carried by the bloodstream to all parts of the body

a pea-sized gland just beneath the hypothalamus that controls growth and regulates other glands

glands at the top of each kidney that are responsible for regulating moods, energy level, and the ability to cope with stress

a dual-purpose gland under the stomach that performs both digestive and endocrine funcitons

sex-related endocrine glands in the scrotum that produce hormones related to womens's sexual development and reproduction

sex-related endocrine glands in the scrotum that produce hormones related to men's sexual development and reproduction

unique primitive cells that have the capacity to develop into most types of human cells

in the human cell, threadlike structures that come in 23 pairs, one member of each pair originating from each parent, and that contain the remarkable substance DNA

a complex molecule in the cell's chromosomes that carries genetic information

the units of hereditary information, consisting of short segments of chromosomes composed of DNA

the principle that, if one gene of a pair is dominant and one is recessive, the dominant gene overrides the recessive gene. a recessive gene exerts its influence only if both genes of a pari are recessive

an individual's genetic heritage; his or her actual genetic material

an individual's observable characteristics

the responses of individuals to environmental stressors

circumstances and events that threaten individuals and tax their coping abilities adn that cause physiological changes to ready the body to handle the assault of stress