| A | B |
|---|
| central nervous system | the part of the nervous system that consists of the brain and the spinal cord |
| peripheral nervous system | the neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body, including the muscles and glands |
| neurons | nerve cells; the basic building blocks of the nervous system |
| cell body | the part of a neuron that produces the energy needed for the activity of the cell |
| dendrites | the branchlike extensions of a neuron that receive impulses and conduct them toward the cell body |
| axon | a long, tubelike structure attached to a neuron that transmits impluses away from the neuron cell body |
| myelin | a fatty, white substance that insulates axons and enables rapid transmission of neural impulses |
| axon terminals | small fibers branching out from an axon |
| synapse | the junction between the axon terminals of the sending neuron and the dendrties of the receving neuron |
| neurotransmitters | chemical messengers that carry impulses across the synaptic gap between neurons |
| spinal cord | a column of nerves within the spine that transmit messages to and from the brain |
| somatic nervous system | the division of the peripheral nervous system that connects the central nervous system with sensory receptors, muscles, and the skin |
| autonomic nervous system | the subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that regulates body functions, such as respiration and digestion |
| medulla | a structure at the base of the brainstem that controls vital functions such as heartbeat and breathing |
| pons | a brain structure located at the top of the brainstem that is involved in respiration, movement, and sleep |
| cerebellum | the area of the brain that is responsible for voluntary movement and balance |
| reticular activating system | the part of the brain that is involved in attention, sleep, and arousal |
| thalamus | the structure of the brain that relays messages from the sense organs to the cerebral cortex |
| hypothalamus | the neural structure located below the thalamus that controls temperature, hunger, thirst, and various aspects of emotion |
| limbic system | a group of neural structures at the base of the cerebral hemispheres that is associated with emotion and motivation |
| cerebrum | the large mass of the forebrain, consisting of two hemispheres |
| cerebral cortex | the bumpy, convoluted surface of the brain; the body's control and information-processing center |
| corpus callosum | the nerve fibers that connect the left and right hemispheres of the cerebral cortex |
| assocation areas | areas of the cerebral cortex that are involved in such mental operations as thinking, memory, learning, and problem solving |
| endocrine system | the glands that secrete hormomes into the bloodstream |
| hormones | chemicals produced by the endocrine glands that regulate specific body functions |
| heredity | the genetic transmission of traits from one generation to the next |
| genes | the basic building blocks of heredity |
| chromosomes | a microscopic threadlike structure in the nucleus of every living cell; it contains genes, the basic units of heredity |
