A limbic system structure that contributes to the processing of threatening stimuli.

A region of the parietal cortex that receives sensory information from all parts of the body.

Chemical substances that travel across synapses between neurons; the primary way that neurons communicate.

Those parts of the peripheral nervous system found in the head; nerves that extend from the bottom of the brain to structures in the head such as eyes, nose, and tongue.

A brain structure located behind the brain stem that regulates motor movement and also contributes to emotion and thinking.

A collection of glands that produce and secrete hormones, which carry messages from the brain to organs via the bloodstream.

The area of the brain immediately behind the forehead; a complex area that contributes to the ability to concentrate on facts, focus attention, manipulate information, and align behavior with social rules.

A region of the cerebral cortex that sends out signals controlling the body’s muscular movements.

The complete collection of neurons that transmits signals among the parts of the body.

Nerve cells that send out signals from the spinal cord to the body’s muscles, enabling the brain to control bodily movement.

The region of the cerebral cortex crucial to psychological functions, including hearing and memory.

Small sacs that store and transport neurotransmitters within neurons and release neurotransmitters into synapses.

Functionally, the part of the peripheral nervous system that provides the brain-to-periphery communications that allow(s) you to control your bodily movement.

The “master gland” of the endocrine system; it releases hormones that influence biological activity in several other glands, including those that regulate stress response, reproduction, and metabolic rate.

Cells that hold neurons in place and also support their biological functioning, supplying nutrients to neurons and disposing of the brain’s biological waste matter.

The thin and long projection from a neuron that sends outgoing signals to other neurons.

A region of the temporal lobes that contributes to the processing of sounds and also is key to remembering facts and experiences.

Automatic, involuntary responses to external stimulation.

Areas of the cerebral cortex that receive sensory information from other regions of the brain and connect it to memories and stored knowledge, enabling psychologically meaningful experiences.

The lowest region of the brain; its structures regulate bodily activities critical to survival.

A set of brain structures just above the brain stem, including the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala, that give mammals the capacity to experience emotional reactions.

A part of the cerebral cortex that is particularly large in humans and enables distinctive human mental abilities such as self-reflection (i.e., thinking about oneself).

The small gap that separates any two neurons; chemical signals between neurons must bridge this microscopic gap.

An endocrine gland that releases hormones regulating the body’s metabolic rate.

Sites on the dendrites of receiving neurons to which neurotransmitters can attach; chemically, molecules to which specific types of neurotransmitters can bind.

Brain cells, also called nerve cells, distinguished by their unique shape and ability to communicate with one another.

Functionally, the part of the peripheral nervous system that provides the communications controlling bodily functions that generally are not under your control, such as breathing.

A structure of the brain stem that contributes to survival in several ways, such as by generating defensive reactions to threatening events.

The reproductive cells in women that produce ova (eggs).

The two sides of the brain; the left hemisphere specializes in analytical tasks including math and language, while the right hemisphere is specialized for spatial thinking, the ability to create and think about images.

The region of the cerebral cortex heavily involved in the processing of visual information and mental imagery; commonly called the visual cortex.

An endocrine gland that produces hormones influencing the development and functioning of the immune system.

The region of the cerebral cortex that processes somatosensory information (i.e., relating the body to the environment).

A surgical procedure in which the corpus callosum is cut. The resulting disruption of information transmission between cerebral hemispheres alters conscious experience.

A structure in the brain stem that contributes to homeostasis by regulating rates of physiological activity and that serves as the communications pathway from the brain to the rest of the body.

Endocrine glands that produce hormones that respond to stress, as well as sex hormones.

A structure of the brain stem that carries out biological functions, including the control of breathing rate and generation of REM sleep.

The organ that releases hormones including insulin, which regulates the level of sugar in the bloodstream.

A limbic system structure needed for forming permanent memories and central to spatial memory (the recall of geographic layouts).

Chemicals that the endocrine system uses for communication; they travel through the bloodstream and carry messages to the body’s organs.

That part of the nervous system found in the periphery of the body, outside of the central nervous system; it consists of the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.

Nerve impulses (or spikes); electrochemical events in which an electrical current travels down the length of an axon.

A brain structure that connects the two hemispheres of the brain, enabling them to work in synchrony.

Nerve cells that respond to external stimuli and send messages about the environment to the spinal cord.

The part of the nervous system found in the center of the body; its two main parts are the brain and the spinal cord.

The organs that produce reproductive cells—ovaries in women produce ova and testes in men produce sperm.

A fatty substance that surrounds axons and acts as an electrical insulator.

The reproductive cells in men that produce sperm.

Those parts of the peripheral nervous system that extend from the spinal cord to the body’s neck, torso, and limbs.

Projections that branch out from the main body of a neuron, receiving incoming signals from other neurons.

The complete network of neural connections in the brain and overall nervous system of an organism.

A limbic system structure key to the regulation of bodily states and behaviors such as eating, drinking, and sexual response.

An endocrine gland that produces a hormone called melatonin that influences patterns of sleeping and wakefulness.

A bundle of neurons and glial cells that extends from the brain stem down to the bottom of the spine; it participates in two-way communications between the brain and the body.

A network of cells in the brain stem that influences bodily arousal.

A component of the autonomic nervous system that maintains normal functioning of the body when one is not under threat or stress by activating digestion and waste elimination and restoring baseline heart rate and blood pressure.

Conceptual model of brain structure distinguishing among three main parts of the human brain that evolved at different points and perform distinct functions.

A component of the autonomic nervous system that prepares organisms for action by activating biological systems required for “fight or flight” responses.

The brain’s capacity to change physically as a result of experience.

A layer of cells on the brain’s outer surface that is key to the human capacity for complex conceptual thought.

A structure near the center of the brain that serves as a “relay station” for rapid connections among brain regions.