3.8 KEY TERMS

Match each of the terms on the left with its definition on the right. Click on the term first and then click on the matching definition. As you match them correctly they will move to the bottom of the activity.

Question

neurons
cell body (or soma)
dendrite
axon
synapse
myelin sheath
glial cells
sensory neurons
motor neurons
interneurons
resting potential
action potential
terminal buttons
neurotransmitters
receptors
agonists
antagonists
nervous system
central nervous system(CNS)
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
somatic nervous system
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
sympathetic nervous system
parasympathetic nervous system
spinal reflexes
hindbrain
medulla
reticular formation
cerebellum
pons
subcortical structures
thalamus
hypothalamus
pituitary gland
hippocampus
amygdala
basal ganglia
cerebral cortex
corpus callosum
occipital lobe
parietal lobe
temporal lobe
frontal lobe
association areas
mirror neurons
gene
chromosomes
epigenetics
A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgment.
A thick band of nerve fibers that connects large areas of the cerebral cortex on each side of the brain and supports communication of information across the hemispheres.
The “master gland” of the body’s hormone-producing system, which releases hormones that direct the functions of many other glands in the body.
Drugs that increase the action of a neurotransmitter.
Drugs that block the function of a neurotransmitter
Neurons that are active when an animal performs a behavior, such as reaching for or manipulating an object, and are also activated when another animal observes that animal performing the same behavior.
Neurons that connect sensory neurons, motor neurons, or other interneurons.
A set of nerves that carries involuntary and automatic commands that control blood vessels, body organs, and glands.
A structure critical for creating new memories and integrating them into a network of knowledge so that they can be stored indefinitely in other parts of the cerebral cortex.
A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch.
A set of nerves that helps the body return to a normal resting state.
Support cells found in the nervous system
The part of a neuron that receives information from other neurons and relays it to the cell body.
A set of subcortical structures that directs intentional movements.
The outermost layer of the brain, visible to the naked eye and divided into two hemispheres.
Neurons that carry signals from the spinal cord to the muscles to produce movement.
Knoblike structures that branch out from an axon.
A set of nerves that prepares the body for action in challenging or threatening situations.
A brain structure that regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal.
The part of a neuron that carries information to other neurons, muscles, or glands.
A subcortical structure that relays and filters information from the senses and transmits the information to the cerebral cortex.
A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information.
A part of the limbic system that plays a central role in many emotional processes, particularly the formation of emotional memories.
Areas of the forebrain housed under the cerebral cortex near the very center of the brain.
An electric signal that is conducted along a neuron's axon to a synapse.
The part of a neuron that coordinates information-processing tasks and keeps the cell alive.
An extension of the spinal cord into the skull that coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration.
Simple pathways in the nervous system that rapidly generate muscle contractions.
Neurons that receive information from the external world and convey this information to the brain via the spinal cord.
Parts of the cell membrane that receive the neurotransmitter and initiate or prevent a new electric signal.
An interacting network of neurons that conveys electrochemical information throughout the body.
The part of the nervous system that is composed of the brain and spinal cord.
A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain.
The part of the nervous system that connects the central nervous system to the body's organs and muscles.
Cells in the nervous system that communicate with one another to perform information-processing tasks.
An area of the brain that coordinates information coming into and out of the spinal cord.
Areas of the cerebral cortex that are composed of neurons that help provide sense and meaning to information registered in the cortex.
A subcortical structure that regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior.
The difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a neuron's cell membrane.
Strands of DNA wound around each other in a double-helix configuration.
A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills.
The major unit of hereditary transmission.
A set of nerves that conveys information between voluntary muscles and the central nervous system.
Environmental influences that determine whether or not genes are expressed, or the degree to which they are expressed, without altering the basic DNA sequences that constitute the genes themselves.
An insulating layer of fatty material.
The junction or region between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another.
Chemicals that transmit information across the synapse to a receiving neuron's dendrites.
A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language.
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