NERVOUS SYSTEM

• What part of the brain links the endocrine and nervous systems?

  The hypothalamus
• What does the hypothalamus instruct the pituitary gland to do?

  Create hormones for other endocrine glands
• What does the nervous system control?

  The body
• How does the nervous system achieve homeostasis?

  Alongside the endocrine system
• What does the nervous system respond to?

  Stimuli experienced by the senses
• What is the function of the nervous system regarding pain?

  To know and understand there is a problem
• How does the nervous system respond to stimuli?

  Using electrical signaling called impulses
• What are the main parts of the nervous system?

  Sense organs, brain, spinal cord, nerves
• What is a nerve composed of?

  Nerve cells called neurons
• What do neurons carry throughout the body?

  Electrical messages called impulses
• What is a neuron?

  A specialized type of cell in the nervous system
• What is the function of the cell body of a neuron?

  Contains cell organelles and nucleus
• What are dendrites?

  Projections that receive impulses into the cell body
• What is the function of an axon?

  To send impulses from the cell body
• What are neurotransmitters?

  Chemical signals that carry impulses
• Where do neurotransmitters travel?

  Through the synaptic cleft
• What is a synapse?

  The gap between two neurons
• What do sensory neurons do?

  Receive stimuli from the outside world
• Where are interneurons located?

  In the brain and spinal cord
• What do motor neurons do?

  Receive interpretations from interneurons
• What are glial cells?

  Supporting cells in the nervous system
• What is one function of glial cells?

  Maintain the blood-brain barrier
• What is a reflex?

  An involuntary response to stimuli
• Where are reflexes processed?

  In the spinal cord
• What does the skull protect?

  The highly sensitive brain
• How many bones fuse to form the skull?

  8 bones
• What is gray matter composed of?

  Most of the neuronal cells in the brain
• What is white matter made up of?

  Glial cells that connect gray matter areas
• What does the central nervous system consist of?

  The brain and spinal cord
• What are the three parts of the brain?

  Cerebellum, cerebrum, brain stem
• What is the function of the cerebellum?

  Controls balance and muscle coordination
• What does the brain stem control?

  Involuntary actions like breathing
• What is the largest part of the brain?

  The cerebrum
• What connects the left and right hemispheres of the cerebrum?

  The Corpus Callosum
• What is neuroplasticity?

  Rearranging neurons to learn new skills
• What does the left brain control?

  The right part of the body
• What are characteristics of left brain dominant people?

  Detail-oriented and logical decision-makers
• What does the right brain control?

  The left part of the body
• What are characteristics of right brain dominant people?

  Creative and adventurous risk-takers
• What is the function of the frontal lobe?

  Controls behavior, judgment, and planning