All about the Neuron The Mighty Brain Dodge this hodgepodge! Gnarly Neuro- transmitters Hugs not Drugs 1 pt 1 pt 1 pt 1 pt 1 pt 2 pt 2 pt 2 pt 2 pt 2 pt 3 pt 3 pt 3 pt 3 pt 3 pt 4 pt 4 pt 4 pt 4 pt 4 pt 5 pt 5 pt 5 pt 5 pt 5 pt

Another name for a “nerve cell.”

What is a neuron?

The branching part of the neuron that receives neurotransmitters from neighboring neurons.

What is a dendrite?

The part of the neuron that conducts an electrical signal during an action potential.

What is the axon?

The explosion of electrical activity sent down an axon (when neuron reaches threshold, -55 mv)

What is an action potential?

The substance that floods into the axon during an action potential, generating an electric current

What is a positive ion (Na+)?

The part of the brain responsible for balance and coordination

What is the cerebellum?

The two main divisions of the nervous system.

central nervous system What are the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system?

Area of the brain responsible for thought, problem solving and planning.

What is the frontal lobe?

Connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

What is the corpus callosum?

Central region of the brain that receives sensory signals and sends them to correct brain area for processing

What is the Thalamus?

When a NTM attaches to a receptor, a gate opens and ____ flow into the post synaptic cell

What are ions?

These support cells help clean and support neurons in the brain

What are glial cells?

The parietal lobes are ______ to the thalamus (in a human brain)

What is superior?

Fatty substance that coats some axons, speeding up transmission of electrical signals

What is the myelin sheath?

The preserved sheep brains we used in class were missing this tough exterior membrane (meninges)

What is the dura mater?

Name of the gap that neurotransmitters must cross to reach neighboring dendrite.

What is the synapse?

Neurotransmitter associated with motor control and reward pathways in brain.

What is an Dopamine?

Neurotransmitter associated with sleep, dreams depression, and food cravings

What is serotonin?

Inhibitory neurotransmitter that has a calming effect.

What is GABA?

Neurotransmitter that helps one focus on a task Neurotransmitter that helps one focus on a task. Too much attention can make one startle easily.

What is norepinephrine?

Destructive dopamine agonist drug that prevents sleep (sometimes for days) and destroys the body

What is methamphetamine (meth, crystal)?

Hallucinogenic drugs tend to work in neural pathways that release this NTM

What is serotonin?

Drugs that are addictive activate the reward and pleasure pathways, by manipulating this NTM

What is dopamine?

Any drug or medicine that decreases a NTMs activity is called an

What is an antagonist?

A drug that blocks reuptake of a NTM increases its presence in the synapse, making the drug an

What is an agonist?