Chapter 10 Vocab_Part 1

Acethylcholine Neurotransmitter chemical released at the ends of nerve cells Afferent Nerves Carry messages toward the brain and spinal cord (sensory nerves) Arachnoid Membrane Middle layer of the three membranes (meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord Astrocyte A type of glial cell that transports water and salts from capillaries Autonomic Nervous System Nerves that control involuntary body functions of muscles, glands, and internal organs Axon Microscopic fiber that carries the nervous impulse along a nerve cell Blood-brain barrier Blood vessels (cappilaries) that selectively let certain substances enter the brain tissue and keep other substances out. Brainstem Lower portion of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord. The pons and the medulla oblongota are part of the brain stem cauda equina Collection of spinal nerves below the end of the spinal cord cell body Part of a nerve cell that contains the nucleus Central nervous System Brain and Spinal Cord Cerebellum Posterior part of the brain that coordinates muscle movement and maintains balance Cerebral Cortex Outer region of the cerebrum; containing sheets of nerve cells, gray matter of the brain. Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Fluid that circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord Cerebrum Largest part of the brain; responsible for voluntary muscular activity, vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought, and memory. Cranial Nerves Twelve pairs of nerves that carry messages to and from the brain. Dendrite Microscopic branching fiber of a nerve cell that is the first part to recieve the nervous impulse Dura Mater Thick, outermost layer of the mininges surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord Efferent Nerves Carry messages away from the brain and spinal cord; motor nerves Ependymal cell A glial cell that lines membranes within the brain and spinal cord; motor nerves Ganglion (plural: Ganglia) Collection of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system Glial Cell (Neuroglial Cell) Cell in the nervous system that is supportive and connective in function. Examples are astrocytes, microglial cells, ependymal cells, and oligodendrocytes. Gyrus (Plural: Gyri) Sheet of nerve cells that produces a rounded fold on the surface of the cerebellum; convolution. Hypothalamus Portion of the brain beneath the thalamus; controls sleep, appetite, body temperature, and secretions from the pituitary gland. Medulla Oblongata Part of the brain just above the spinal cord; controls breathing, heartbeat, and the size of the blood vessels; nerve fibers cross over here.