PHYPSY

• The diencephalon is located below the cerebrum and in front of the midbrain, consisting of the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland

  
• The thalamus, the largest part of the diencephalon, relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex
• The hypothalamus, a small region of the diencephalon, regulates important bodily functions like body temperature, hunger, and thirst
• The pituitary gland, attached to the hypothalamus, produces hormones that regulate growth, development, and reproduction
• The basal ganglia, a group of subcortical structures in the forebrain, include the caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus

  
• The limbic system, a network of brain structures, is involved in emotion, behavior, motivation, and memory
• The ventricles of the brain are four interconnected cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid, protecting the brain and spinal cord from injury and involved in cerebrospinal fluid production

  
• A neuron consists of a cell body, dendrites, axon, myelin sheath, and terminal buttons

  
• In a synapse, when an action potential reaches the presynaptic neuron, neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic cleft, binding to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron, generating an action potential
• The cerebral cortex, the most prominent part of the mammalian brain, is greatly convoluted and consists of gray matter on the outer surface and white matter with axons extending inward
• Different regions of the cerebral cortex perform various functions, such as the primary visual cortex, primary auditory cortex, and primary somatosensory cortex
• The frontal lobe is responsible for attention, working memory, decision-making, and planning movements
• The temporal lobe is crucial for understanding auditory information, perception of movement, recognition of faces, and emotional and motivational behaviors
• The parietal lobe processes sensory information like taste, touch, and smell, as well as temperature
• The occipital lobe is the main target for visual information, housing the primary visual cortex
• The limbic system includes structures like the olfactory bulb, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and cingulate gyrus, important for motivations and emotions
• The thalamus processes most sensory information and sends output to the cerebral cortex
• The hypothalamus conveys messages to the pituitary gland, altering its release of hormones
• The diencephalon, located below the cerebrum and in front of the midbrain, consists of the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland

  
• The ventricles of the brain are four interconnected cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid, which protects the brain and spinal cord from injury and is involved in its production

  
• The basal ganglia, a group of subcortical structures in the forebrain, include the caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus, important for spontaneous, self-initiated behaviors

  
• At a synapse, when an action potential reaches the presynaptic neuron, neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic cleft, binding to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron, generating an action potential

  
• The hippocampus, located between the thalamus and cerebral cortex, is critical for certain types of memories, especially memories for individual events
• The midbrain, also called the Mesencephalon, surrounds the cerebral aqueduct and consists of the Tectum and Tegmentum
• The hindbrain, also called Rhombencephalon, surrounds the fourth ventricle and consists of the Metencephalon and Myelencephalon
• The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary physiological processes like heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion, consisting of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
• The somatic nervous system is involved in conscious actions, sending signals between the skin, muscles, and the central nervous system
• Spinal nerves branch from the brain and spinal cord, conveying sensory information to the CNS and messages from the CNS to the body's muscles and glands
• There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves attached directly to the brain, serving sensory and motor functions of the head and neck region
• The ventricles of the brain, filled with cerebrospinal fluid, help protect the brain and spinal cord from injury and are involved in cerebrospinal fluid production

  
• A neuron consists of the cell body, dendrites, axon, myelin sheath, and terminal buttons

  
• Neurons transmit information across synapses, junctions between neurons, by releasing neurotransmitters

  
• Axons carry information from the cell body to the terminal buttons, generating action potentials

  
• Glial cells, like astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, and radial glia, support and protect neurons in the brain

  
• Glial cells support and protect neurons, outnumbering them by about ten to one.
• Neurons are specialized cells that transmit information throughout the nervous system.
• The brain is the most complex organ in the body, with over 100 billion neurons.
• Oligodendrocytes produce myelin sheaths that insulate axons and increase their speed of conduction.
• The central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain and spinal cord, while the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is composed of nerves outside these structures.
• Microglia act as scavengers, removing debris and dead cells from the CNS.