Nervous System and Sensory Organs Vocab

• accessory olfactory bulb: receives olfactory information from the olfactory bulb and sends it to the brain
• adrenergic:  Receptors on the surface of cells that acivate once they bind to a certain neurotransmitter.
• afferent neurons: a type of neuron that takes the information felt from our motor neurons and relays it back to the brain to be processed correctly with the correct response
• ampullae of Lorenzini:  Belonging to various basal fish taxa, notably Chondrichthyes (sharks, rays, skates, chimeras) and Sarcopterygians (lungfish & Coelacanths), these sensory organs are pores found across the body (most commonly the snout) filled with a conductive jelly and connect to receptor cells for passive electro-reception to detect minute environmental changes or to find prey.
• accessory olfactory bulb

  processes input and stimuli from the nose via axons and relay information to brain.
• adrenergic

   Receptors on the surface of cells that acivate once they bind to a certain neurotransmitter.
• afferent neurons

  type of neuron that takes the information felt from our motor neurons and relays it back to the brain to be processed correctly with the correct response
• ampullae of Lorenzini

   Belonging to various basal fish taxa, notably Chondrichthyes (sharks, rays, skates, chimeras) and Sarcopterygians (lungfish & Coelacanths), these sensory organs are pores found across the body (most commonly the snout) filled with a conductive jelly and connect to receptor cells for passive electro-reception to detect minute environmental changes or to find prey.
• axons

   long, slender part of the neuron, or nerve cell, that carries nerve pulses away from the cell body
• basal cells

  Cells found at the bottom of the outermost layer of skin that produce new skin cells.
• brainstem


  Bottom of the brain that connects the brain to the spinal cord. It sends messages throughout the body to regulate things such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. 
• central nervous system

   consists of the brain and spinal cord, responsible for receiving, processing, and responding to sensory information
• cerebral cortex:  makes up the outer layer of the cerebral and is made up of gray matter and is used for many functions like sending and receiving stimulus and helps in things like memory, learning, speech and many other functions.
• cerebrospinal fluid:  a clear fluid in the head that is around and within the brain and spinal cord.
• choanae: first introduced in the cranial skeleton vocabulary, this term refers to the opening between the nose and mouth region. it is important to note that the choanae is positioned behind the bones of the roof of the mouth and the nasopalatine nerve runs above it through the nasal cavity down to the mouth
• cochlear duct: Located in the inner ear as one of the three chambers of the cochlea duct, as fluid waves that stimulate the receptor cells, which will be translated to the brain to be perceive as sounds.
• cone cell: Located in the retina of the eye as one of the photoreceptor cells that is responsible for vision regarding eye sensitivity and color perception. Ranges of color can be seen due to the cone cell detecting different wavelengths of light.
• cornea: Transparent layer forming the front part of the eye, it is used to protect the pupil, iris, and inside of the eye from penetration.
• crista: Found in the canals of the inner ear, the crista is a sensory organ which is important for sensing angular acceleration and deceleration.
• cutaneous receptors: a sensory receptor that can be found in the skin. They help give organisms awareness of the world around them, such as the external temperature, external pressure, detectable vibrations, and the sense of touch.
• dendrites: Extended portion of a nerve cell that receives and transmits signals to the nerve cell body
• efferent neurons: a type of neuron that transmits information sent from the brain to the muscles needed to activate the proper response from the brain. 
• Eimer's organ: a type of skin receptor that supports the epidermal tissue and is used mainly for sensing vibrations. 
• electromagnetic: This field is generated both by the atoms in the body bouncing off each other or coming together. This also explains how neurons send signals throughout the body. 
• electroreceptors:  These neuron receptors are sensors for species things such as the magnetic field in organisms (the voltage/electricity in each organism). 
• equilibrium: this term is referring to the sense of balance that is maintained using nerve fibers from the vestibular ganglion in the inner ear and aided by specialized structures in certain species
• eustachian tube: An opening that connects the pharynx and middle ear.
• exteroreceptors: Receptors that receive external stimuli, such as the five sense, balance, and pressure.
• free nerve ending: Nerve endings that are branched fibers and react to sensations
• ganglia: cluster of nerve cells found throughout the body that are responsible for sending nerve signals to and from the central nervous system (CNS)
• gray matter:  a tissue in the brain that contains several important structures including neural cells, taxons, and dendrites. This tissue helps regulate normal every day brain function. 
• hair cells:  These are the sensory receptors for both hearing and the vestibular system in ears.
• hypophyseal sac: A median pit in the roof of the mouth of vertebrates. In the Agnatha (lampreys and hagfish) it is associated with the nasal pit to form the nasohypophysial sac. In all animals of the superclass Gnathostomata it forms much of the pituitary body.
• inhibitory effect:  the stopping or slowing down of a function in the body. 
• innate reflex: A reaction to a stimuli that does not have to be taught. These are functions of behavior that an animal does unknowingly or without thought.
• interneurons: neuron that ast as a connection to the other regions of the brain like the sensory and motor neurons to communicate with the central nervous system 
• iris:  a flat membrane located by the eye's cornea. It is typically colored and surrounds the pupil. 
• Jacobson's organ:  Also called the vomeronasal organ, this structure responsible for the Flehmen response (stink face) in animals like cats or horses. Various animals use it to detect pheromones in an animal’s environment.
• lacrimal duct: Transmits tears from the eye surface to the nasal cavity through a small opening in the lower eyelid
• lateral line system:  A sensory organ found in most aquatic vertebrates, which helps the organism detect vibrations and changes in water pressure and movement. Aids in navigation, prey detection, predator avoidance, and coordinating group movements (i.e. schooling).