| Term | Definition |
|---|
| acetylcholine | neurotransmitter released by neurons connected to voluntary muscles (causing them to contract) and neurons that control the heartbeat |
| axon terminals | acetylcholine is formed here |
| intrasynaptic space | neurotransmitters are released at nerve ending terminals and diffuse across this |
| acetylcholine | antibodies that block the receptor for this neurotransmitter cause myasthenia gravis |
| myasthenia gravis | antibodies blocking receptors for acetylcholine cause this disease, characterized by fatigue and muscle weakness |
| amino acids | building blocks of proteins |
| excitatory | glutamate and aspartate act as ____ signals |
| gamma-aminobutyric acid | GABA stands for___ |
| GABA | Valium increases the activity of ___ |
| glycine | GABA and ___ inhibit the firing of neurons |
| Valium | benzodiazepine is also known as ___ |
| true | True or False: anticonvulsant drugs increase GABA activity |
| Huntington's disease | in which disease do the GABA-producing neurons in the brain centers coordinating movement degenerate, causing uncontrollable movements? |
| NMDA | glutamate or aspartate activate ___ receptors, one of three major classes of glutamate receptors |
| N-methyl-D-aspartate | NMDA stands for ___ |
| NMDA | these receptors are implicated in the development and specification of nerve contacts |
| trauma and stroke | overstimulation of NMDA receptors can cause cell death in ___ and ____ |
| norepinephrine | dopamine and ___ are catecholamines widely present in the brain and peripheral nervous system |
| 3 | dopamine is present in ___ (#) circuits in the brain |
| Parkinson's disease | brains of people with this disease have practically no dopamine |
| levodopa | administration of ___, a substance from which dopamine is synthesized, is an effective treatment for Parkinson's |
| true | True or False: one dopamine circuit is thought to be important in cognition and emotion |
| dopamine | drugs that bock ___ receptors in the brain are helpful in diminishing psychotic symptoms |
| dopamine | this neurotransmitter directs the hypothalamus to manufacture hormones |
| norepinephrine | deficiencies in this neurotransmitter occur in patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Korsakoff's syndrome |
| alcoholism | Korsakoff's syndrome is a cognitive disorder associated with ___ |
| sympathetic nervous system | norepinephrine is secreted by this nervous system in the periphery to regulate heart rate and blood pressure |
| norepinephrine | acute stress increases the release of this catecholamine |
| serotonin | this neurotransmitter is present in many tissues, particularly blood platelets, the lining of the digestive tract and the brain |
| serotonin | ___ induces a very powerful contraction in smooth muscles |
| analogs | chemicals with molecular structures similar to those of other chemicals |
| Prozac | drug that alters serotonin's action |
| fluoxetine | Prozac is also known as ___ |
| OCD | Prozac has relieved symptoms of depression and ___ |
| peptides | chains of amino acids linked together |
| endorphins | brain peptides acting like opium |
| enkephalin | first discovered opiate produced by brain and resembling morphine |
| opioid peptides | these peptides are released at times of stress to minimize pain and enhance adaptive behaviour |
| sensory, myelinated, C fibers | pain signals are transmitted to the central nervous system by special ____ fibers, small ___ fibers, and tiny unmyelinated ____ |
| substance P | C fibers contain this substance |
| capsaicin | the active component of chili peppers, causing release of substance P |
| trophic factors | small proteins in the brain, necessary for the development, function, and survival of specific groups of neurons |
| endocrine system | second great communication system of the body |
| pituitary | the endocrine system works in large part through the ___ gland |
| thyroid steroid | the brain contains receptors for both the ___ hormone and the six classes of ___ hormones |
| mineralocorticoids, vitamin D | the 6 classes of steroid hormones are: estrogens, androgens, progestins, glucocorticoids, ____ and _____ |
| stress, biological clocks | hormones enter the blood and travel to the brain and other organs in response to ___ and changes in our ___ ___ |
| true | True of False: severe and prolonged stress can cause permanent brain damage |
| gonadotropin-releasing hormone | GnRH stands for |
| hypothalamus | this brain area produces GnRH |
| FSH and LH | GnRH causes two hormones, which are: |
| estrogen, progesterone | in females, FSH and LH cause the release of: |
| testosterone | in males, FSH and LH cause the release of: |
| carbon monoxide, nitric oxide | these are two gases which are a class of neurotransmitters |
| enzymes | neurotransmitters that are gases are made by |
| nitric oxide | ___ neurotransmission governs the erection of neurons of the penis |
| cyclic GMP | in the brain, nitric oxide is the major regulator of the intracellular messenger molecule ___ |
| second messengers | substances that trigger biochemical communication within cells, after the action of neurotransmitters at their receptors |
| neurotransmitter | the first messenger is the |
| adenosine triphosphate | activation of a second messenger system involves ___, the chemical sources of energy in cells |
| adenylyl cyclase | activated G proteins cause the enzyme ___ to convert ATP to cAMP |
| cyclic adenosine monophosphate | cAMP stands for |
| cAMP | an example of a second messenger is |
| cerebrum | the largest part of the brain, consisting of two hemispheres |
| colliculi | what are the two pairs of small hills on the midbrain |
| hypothalamus | the part of the brain gets information from the autonomic nervous system |
| hindbrain | this region of the brain includes the pons, medulla oblongata, and the cerebellum |
| nerve terminals | axons end at |
| myelin sheaths | axons can have insulating ___ |
| oligodendrocytes | in the brain, myelin sheaths are made from ___ |
| Schwann cells | in the peripheral nervous system, myelin sheaths are made from ___ |
| nerve impulses | the opening and closing of ion channels |
| ion channels | water-filled molecular tunnels that go through the cell membrane and allow ions to pass |
| action potential | change in electrical charge of neuron, can go up to several hundred miles per hour |
| neurotransmitters | brain's chemical messengers |
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