Glossary
- 7-TM receptors
-
short for seven-transmembrane receptors
- absolute refractory period
-
the moments following the beginning of an action potential where a second action potential cannot be fired
- acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors
-
drugs that act to increase levels of acetylcholine
- ACTH
-
short for adrenocorticotropic hormone
- Action potential
-
The electrical output of many neurons is an all-or-nothing response called an action potential.
- action potential
-
The main way for neurons to send signals depends on a temporary change in this voltage; this signal is called an action potential
- action potential threshold
-
the value that membrane potential needs to reach to initiate action potential
- active site
-
The specific series of amino acid residues on the extracellular surface of a receptor where neurotransmitter molecules bind
- active zone
-
A subarea in the axon terminal containing a small patch of membrane that are important for neurotransmitter release
- adenohypophesis
-
another term for anterior pituitary
- Adenosine
-
acts as a signaling molecule in the body that is involved in inflammation, the immune response, and modulation of heart rate; one of four main building block of DNA
- adenylate cyclase (AC)
-
an enzyme that creates a second messenger, a molecule called cyclic AMP
- ADH
-
short for antidiuretic hormone
- adrenal cortices
-
a pair of organs that sit on the anterior surface of the kidneys
- adrenocorticotropic hormone
-
released by the anterior pituitary and triggers production of cortisol
- affective neuroscience
-
field studying neural mechanisms that underlie emotion
- afferent signal
-
Information that arrives into the CNS.
- Agonists
-
chemical substances that can activate receptors
- allodynia
-
a dysregulation in somatosensory systems that cause people to experience pain even in the absence of injurious stimuli
- allosteric modulators
-
substances that bind to the allosteric site
- allosteric site
-
found on extracellular side of the receptor and consists of a special three-dimensional arrangement of amino acids
- alogia
-
negative symptom of schizophrenia; a decrease in the use of language
- Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
-
an irreversible, slowly progressing neurodegenerative condition that leads to deficits in thinking, behavior, and memory loss
- AMPA
-
glutamate receptors that we generally imagine as contributing to excitation
- amygdala
-
brain structure contributing heavily to processing valence of emotional experiences
- amyloid cascade hypothesis
-
suggests that the main driving factor of Alzheimer's is the deposition of Aβ in the brain, and this in turn leads to neurodegeneration via cell death, abnormal protein buildup, and neuroinflammation
- amyloid-precursor protein (APP)
-
an integral membrane protein expressed by neurons
- amyloidbeta plaques (Aβ)
-
plaques that can cause neuronal death and lead to the cognitive deficits observed in Alzheimer's
- anabolism
-
the buildup of larger molecules through biochemical reactions
- anhedonia
-
a loss of a sensation of pleasure and the inability to expect upcoming pleasure
- anisotropic diffusion
-
The difference in molecular motion
- antagonists
-
the substances that prevent agonists from acting
- anterior
-
another word to describe rostral
- anterior cerebral arteries
-
provide blood to dorsomedial cortical structures and deep brain structures
- anterior pituitary
-
one of two halves of the Pituitary gland capable of both synthesizing and secreting a variety of neurohormones
- anterograde amnesia
-
inability to create new discrete memories
- anterograde trace
-
stains cells from the soma to the axon terminal
- antibodies
-
proteins that function in the immune response
- antidiuretic hormone
-
another term for Vasopressin
- antigens
-
targets antibodies bind to
- antihistamine
-
histamine antagonist to decrease the severity of allergen exposure
- antiporters
-
membrane proteins that transport molecules in opposite directions
- Apolipoprotein epsilon4 (ApoE4)
-
greatest genetic risk factor to Alzheimer's disease
- Arachnoid mater
-
middle layer of the meninges that allows for CSF to drain into sinuses
- ascending reticular activating system (ARAS)
-
receives inputs from all the sensory systems before sending wide projections all across the cortex
- associative memory
-
the types of information that we learn through traditional Pavlovian conditioning
- astrocyte
-
A glial cell that makes up the Blood-brain barrier along with endothelial cells
- Attachment
-
the long-term accompanied by feelings of comfort and emotional stability
- Attraction
-
characterized by high energy investment and preoccupation towards a small number of people
- autobiographical memory
-
another term for episodic memory
- autoreceptors
-
Presynaptically-expressed receptors that respond to the same neurotransmitter that is released
- aversion
-
the opposite reaction to reward
- avolition
-
a decrease in goal-directed activity
- AVP
-
short for arginine vasopressin
- axon
-
main output extension of the neuron
- axon hillock
-
a patch of axonal membrane with very unique characteristics
- axon terminal
-
Small swelling at the end of each branch of the axon
- back-of-the-envelope equation
-
an equation to quickly calculate the equilibrium potential
- basal ganglia
-
used for such behaviors as motor and habit learning, emotional processing, and action selection
- beta
-
between 13 and 30 Hz
- beta-amyloid
-
a protein that exists in the healthy brain
- bioelectricity
-
the idea that endogenous electrical activity is important for muscle control, and by extension, the activity of the whole organism.
- blood oxygenation level-dependent signal
-
change in blood flow from blood vessels dilating in the brain
- blood-brain barrier
-
an anatomical adaptation that selectively transports substances necessary for normal biological function, while simultaneously excluding potentially harmful invaders from the brain
- BOLD signal
-
short for blood oxygenation level-dependent signal
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
-
an emotional dysregulation disorder characterized by disproportionately intense emotional reactivity to environmental triggers
- Brain Disease Model of Addiction
-
the principle that repeated drug use leads to biological changes in the brain that resemble aberrant learning
- Caffeine
-
adenosine receptor antagonist
- calcium / calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII)
-
activated by Ca2+ ions and it's main molecular action is to phosphorylate proteins
- cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)
-
an intracellular protein that regulates the expression of genes
- cannabinoid receptors
-
inhibitory Gi/o coupled receptors that respond to the presence of eCBs
- cannabinoid receptors (CB receptors)
-
receptors that our body uses endogenously
- Cannabis
-
a drug that is derived from the flowering buds or other parts of the Cannabis sativa plant
- Case study
-
A highly detailed description of a single patient and their condition.
- cataplexy
-
sudden weakening of muscle tone that accompanies a sleep attack
- catatonia
-
motor difficulty associated with schizophrenia where someone can hold their body in a highly unusual position for a prolonged period of time
- caudal
-
parts of the brain towards the back
- Causality
-
A change in the independent variable causes a change in the dependent variable.
- CB1
-
the first type of cannabinoid receptor. exerts the majority of the psychoactive effect
- CB2
-
second type of cannabinoid receptor. works through the immune system
- cell body
-
Receives information from dendrites of a neuron
- cell membrane
-
consists of a sheet of several individual molecules called phospholipids, which consist of two hydrophobic (water-fearing) tails and a hydrophilic (water-loving) end
- central canal
-
a narrow space that runs all the way through the length of the spinal cord along the midline
- central nervous system (CNS)
-
The brain and spinal cord.
- central sleep apnea
-
mediated by some biological change in the brain that results in a decrease in involuntary breathing patterns at night, possibly due to some damage in the respiratory centers of the brain
- central sulcus
-
a large fissure that starts at the dorsal part of the brain at about the halfway point on the anterior-posterior axis
- cerebellum
-
best known as a structure that enables motor control functions, such as balance, coordination, posture, and learning physical actions
- cerebral cortex
-
here, the brain processes behaviors such as attention, memory, and language.
- cerebrospinal fluid
-
the liquid that fills the ventricles
- channelrhodopsin
-
light sensitive-ion channel proteins
- chemical gradient
-
the natural process by which a high concentration of a substance, given enough time, will eventually diffuse to a lower concentration and settle evenly over the space.
- choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)
-
a biochemical marker for neurons that produce acetylcholine
- cholinergic hypothesis
-
suggests that the loss of cholinergic neurons and the loss of acetylcholine signaling is the main pathological driver of Alzheimer's Disease
- choroid plexus
-
the network of blood vessels and cells that form a boundary between the blood and the CSF
- ChR2
-
channelrhodopsin
- chronic-restraint stress
-
method used to induce physiological responses in an animal by restricting its free movement
- chronobiologists
-
scientists who study day-night dependent periodic phenomena in living beings
- circadian rhythm
-
Any behavioral or physiological measure that intrinsically cycles on a 24-hour pattern
- circle of Willis
-
a loop-like circular blood vessel
- Clarity
-
A method to render an entire brain transparent, which helps us to map out the nature of the connections that span the nervous system.
- Cognition
-
the act of generating knowledge through a combination of senses, memories, and thoughts
- coincidence detector
-
detecting the occurrence of separate input signals
- competitive antagonists
-
substances that bind to the orthosteric site
- computational neuroscience
-
the use of mathematical modeling to describe or predict some aspect of the nervous system.
- concept cells
-
a series of cortical neurons in the temporal lobe that increase their firing exclusively in response to highly-specific stimuli
- concussion
-
mild form of a traumatic brain injury
- conditional tolerance
-
a form of tolerance that is dependent on Pavolvian cues
- conditioned place preference (CPP)
-
experimental test that works on the principle that animals learn to associate certain environments with positive feelings, and will prefer to spend significantly more time in those environments.
- conditioned response
-
response to the conditioned stimulus; usually the same as the unconditioned response
- conditioned stimulus
-
a previously neutral stimulus that now leads to a conditioned response
- conduction velocity
-
the speed at which an action potential travels down the length of the axon
- confabulation
-
the fabrication of false memories ranging from subtle to wildly fantastical
- Confounding Variables
-
Extraneous variables.
- connexins
-
transmembrane proteins that make up the hemichannel
- connexon
-
a specialized physical channel between two connected cells that allows for the passage of cytoplasm. also called hemichannel
- consolidation
-
process that enables more permanent memory storing
- continuous positive airway pressure device
-
air pumps that connect to a mask that is worn over the nose and mouth used to treat sleep apnea
- Contralateral
-
Signaling between the brain and the rest of the body: signaling pathways from the left brain crosses over to communicate with the right half of the body, and vice versa.
- contrecoup
-
an injury where the brain recoils backwards and hits the interior surface of the skull opposite of the cause of the insult
- Control Group
-
A group that is as similar as possible in every way except for the manipulation of the independent variable.
- coronal
-
A slicing projection of the brain slicing from anterior to posterior
- corpus callosum
-
the main white matter tract that allows for the passage of information between the two hemispheres
- Corsi block tapping test
-
a common test of working memory
- cortex
-
the bumpy outer surface that is made up of raised ridges and grooved indentations
- corticosterone
-
the rodent analog of cortisol
- corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)
-
drives the bodies response to stress
- cortisol
-
a glucocorticoid hormone best known for its initiation of the stress response
- coup
-
an injury where the brain hits the inside of the skull closest to the external force
- cranial nerves
-
12 pairs of nerves that exit from the brain and controls motor functions, sensory functions, or both
- CRISPR-Cas9
-
allows for targeted editing of the genome
- cross-section
-
another name for transverse slices of the spinal cord
- cryostat
-
a device that slices the brain into sections as thin as 10 microns
- CT scan
-
a three-dimensional X-ray that revolves around the person as they move through the scanner
- cued-recall
-
in the vocabulary recall test, a subject must recall as many words from a list as possible after given the categories of the words
- cyclic AMP (cAMP)
-
a messenger that, when levels are elevated, activates an enzyme called protein kinase A
- cytochrome P450s (CYP)
-
a class of enzymes in the liver and the small intestines that metabolize a wide variety of substances that enter the body
- declarative memories
-
the pieces of information that can be consciously declared or stated explicitly
- declarative memory
-
pieces of information about facts
- decorticate preparation
-
procedure where the cortex is surgically separated from the rest of the nervous system
- deep brain stimulation
-
a non-drug approach to Parkinson's disease treatment where a stimulating device is implanted into the subthalamic nucleus of the brain
- deep sleep
-
a person’s physiological activity drops to its lowest point of the night: heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and metabolism all reach minimum
- delta-9-tetrohydrocannabinol
-
the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis
- delusions
-
untrue beliefs that cannot be changed despite overwhelming evidence
- dendrites
-
the branch-like extensions that protrude from the cell body
- dentate gyrus
-
contains the perforant pathways on its granule cells
- Dependent Variable
-
The factor that is influenced.
- depolarization
-
when membrane potential goes from negative to a more positive potential
- diabetes insipidus
-
a fluid dysregulation disorder
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
-
the handbook created by the American Psychiatric Association used by health care professionals in the United States and much of the world as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders
- diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
-
quantifies white matter by using MRI technology to detect and quantify the movement of water molecules, which moves differently in gray matter than white matter
- digit span test
-
a common test of working memory
- dimer
-
a pair of molecules
- dirty drugs
-
drugs with many sites of action
- dispositional tolerance
-
another term for metabolic tolerance
- distal
-
something that is farther away from the CNS
- distress
-
the inability to cope with rising demands, leading to increased anxiety and other maladaptive responses
- Distributive processing theory
-
Suggests that behavioral functions require activation of cells across several different areas of the brain.
- dopamine beta-hydroxylase
-
an enzyme that synthesizes norepinephrine from a molecule of dopamine
- dopamine hypothesis
-
suggestion that abnormal dopamine signaling may be an underlying root cause of schizophrenia
- dorsal
-
Brain structures that are above, or closer to the top of the head
- dorsal root ganglion
-
a large clump of nervous tissue containing most sensory neurons
- dose-response curve
-
a graph that plots the activation of a receptor on the y-axis, and increasing dosage of a drug on the x-axis
- DREADD
-
designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs
- drug dependence
-
having the urge to take the drug when someone is in withdraw
- DSM-5
-
The version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that is currently being used
- Dura mater
-
thick, fibrous material physically attached to the inside of the skull
- dynamic equilibrium
-
two forces acting on an ion oppose one another perfectly
- eCBs
-
short for endocannabinoids
- efferent signal
-
Information leaving the CNS.
- Ekman 60 faces (EK-60F) test
-
neuropsychological tool assessing emotion recognition from facial expressions
- electrical gradient
-
the electrical forces acting on charged molecules, “pulling” opposite charges together while also “pushing” like charges away from one another
- electroactive
-
sensitive to electrical charge
- electroencephalogram (EEG)
-
a method by which we can observe electrical activity of the brain
- electroencephalography (EEG)
-
a common diagnostic technique that separates NREM sleep into three phases: NREM1, NREM2, and NREM3
- Electron microscope
-
A type of microscope that uses electrons to produce images.
- electron microscopes
-
uses an electron emission device in conjunction with high speed detectors to visualize structures that are on the order of nanometers
- electron microscopy
-
a technique using a beam of electrons aimed at a sample in a vacuum, and the reflection of those electrons can be collected and detected with a computer
- emergence
-
The idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
- encephalitis lethargica
-
"sleeping sickness," with symptoms like a lack of energy, extreme muscle weakness, and loss of all desires
- Encoding
-
the ability for brain circuits to store some piece of information
- endocannabinoid-mediated LTD
-
mechanism of plasticity where cannabinoid receptors inhibit cAMP signaling, decreasing release probability
- endocannabinoids
-
substances our bodies naturally produce that activate cannabinoid receptors
- endocannabinoids (eCBs)
-
signaling molecules which are chemically similar to the primary psychoactive ingredient of Cannabis
- endogenous
-
originating from within the body
- endoplasmic reticulum
-
the folded membranous organelle that surrounds the nucleus
- engram
-
the specific circuit of neurons that represent a memory
- enteral
-
absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract
- entorhinal cortex
-
makes up the inputs to the hippocampus
- entrainable
-
ability to change and fit the surroundings
- enzyme phospholipase C (PLC)
-
a hydrolytic enzyme that breaks phospholipid membrane molecule phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) into two molecules: inositol triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG)
- episodic memory
-
the recollection of a discrete moment in a person’s life
- EPSP
-
short for excitatory postsynaptic potential
- equilibrium potential
-
the exact membrane voltage value for an ion
- estradiol
-
sex hormone in women
- ethanol
-
easily-obtained substance with a highly intoxicating effect
- ethyl alcohol
-
easily-obtained substance with a highly intoxicating effect
- eustress
-
a small amount of stress that is generally beneficial and performance enhancing
- ex vivo
-
a section of the living organism is taken, such as a slice of brain, a tissue biopsy, or a detached frog leg
- excitatory post synaptic potentials
-
small depolarizations caused by the release of excitatory neurotransmitters
- excitatory postsynaptic potential
-
a depolarization of the membrane of a single neuron
- excitotoxicity
-
excess signaling by glutamate which leads to neuronal death
- exogenous
-
they originate from outside the body
- Experimental Design
-
In an experiment, the scientist uses a stepwise process of developing a research question and hypothesis, then answering that question by performing tests.
- explicit memories
-
another term for declarative memories
- Facial Action Coding System (FACS)
-
a system that uses facial anatomy to differentiate the features that are characteristic of different expressions
- false memories
-
memories that are not true to reality
- Familial AD
-
Alzheimer's disease that's diagnosed when a person is in their 50s or 60s, and is strongly influenced by genetic risk factors
- familial love
-
the protection and preferential support of one’s extended genetic relations
- fatal familial insomnia (FFI)
-
severe insomnia eventually resulting in death, either from the disease or sleep deprivation
- FDG
-
short for fluorodeoxyglucose-F18
- fear conditioning
-
a neutral stimulus is associated with a conditioned response that someone wants to avoid
- fear conditioning paradigm
-
nonhuman model for studying emotional learning
- fibers of passage problem
-
the lack of specificity with some early neural stimulation strategies
- field excitatory post-synaptic potential
-
a temporary depolarization of neurons
- fight-or-flight
-
describes the bodily responses activated when faced with threat, either perceived or real
- first-pass metabolism
-
causes a decrease in difference between the consumed amount of drug and the amount of drug that gets to its target of action
- fissure
-
sometimes referred to as the grooved indentations of the brain
- Fixation
-
a chemical process that is accomplished by exposing the tissue to a chemical like paraformaldehyde
- flat affect
-
symptom of schizophrenia where a patient does not show or express emotion in situations where you would expect to see them
- fluorodeoxyglucose-F18
-
a radioactive analog of glucose, one of the main sources of cellular energy
- fluorophore
-
a light-producing molecule
- follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
-
one of two main gonadotropins in humans
- Food restriction stress
-
a rodent model of starvation or dietary malnutrition
- foot-shock paradigm
-
non-human test for emotional memory
- forced-swim test
-
an assessment of depressive behavior, and can also be used to induce stress
- free-recall
-
in the vocabulary recall test, a subject must recall as many words from a list as possible with no cues
- full agonist
-
substance that can activate the receptor to the maximal degree at high concentrations.
- functional tolerance
-
characterized by a decrease in receptor expression after chronic exposure to an agonist
- fusiform gyrus
-
a component of the inferotemporal cortex involved in facial recognition
- G protein-coupled receptors
-
another term for metabotropic receptors
- G proteins
-
proteins which induce changes in neuronal excitability through the action of second messenger signaling molecules
- gap junction
-
the structure that connects neurons electrically
- general adaptation syndrome
-
a collection of responses observed by Hand Selye in chronically ill humans, including gastric ulcers, high blood pressure, and heart attacks
- gill-withdrawal reflex
-
a defensive motor response behavior in Aplysia
- glia
-
non-neuronal cells in the nervous system and brain
- glial fibrillary acidic protein
-
often used as a marker for differentiating astrocytes from other cell populations.
- glucocorticoid receptors (GRs)
-
the receptor in which cortisol binds to; contained in nearly every cell
- glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)
-
often used as a biochemical marker for the presence of GABAergic neurons
- glycine
-
small amino acid mostly used by neurons of the spinal cord and brain stem. Glycine is also inhibitory, and acts at glycine receptors, which are ligand-gated chloride channels.
- glymphatic system
-
a cellular rinse that floods the extracellular space with CSF
- Goldman-HodgkinKatz equation
-
combines the Nernst potentials of three relevant ions (Na+, K+, and Cl- ) into a single equation that, when evaluated, gives us the value of the membrane potential
- Golgi apparatus
-
layers of folded plasma membranes that function in transport
- Golgi stain
-
a silver-based stain that filled every single part of the neuron, turning the cells black
- Golgi stain.
-
Neurons that were stained black resulting from a technique using a silver compound that caused the silver to precipitate inside the cell membranes.
- gonadotropin-releasing hormone
-
signals production of the two main gonadotropins in humans: the luteinizing hormone (LH) and the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
- gonadotropins
-
hormones that are important for regulation of puberty, sperm or egg production, the release of sex hormones by the testes or ovaries, and menopause
- GPCRs
-
short for G protein-coupled receptors
- graded potentials
-
sub-threshold changes in membrane voltage
- gray matter
-
parts of the brain that's darker pink / gray color
- green fluorescent protein (GFP)
-
emits green light when activated by photons
- growth hormone (GH)
-
enhances cellular repair, muscle and bone growth, and protein synthesis
- growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)
-
biochemical signal from the hypothalamus
- guanosine diphosphate (GDP)
-
guanosine triphosphate thats been broken down
- guanosine triphosphate (GTP)
-
chemically similar to ATP and can function as a source of energy
- gyri
-
raised ridges on outer surface of brain
- habituation
-
the suppression of a normal reflex behavior that is dependent on LTD
- half-life
-
the time that it takes for the concentration of the substance to be degraded to one half of what it originally was
- hallucinations
-
perceiving something that is not there; most well-known positive symptom of schizophrenia
- hedonia hypothesis
-
hinges on the assumption that dopamine is the “pleasure neurotransmitter,” and that any substance or behavior that increases dopamine will be desirable.
- heliotropism
-
light-seeking movements from plants
- hemichannel
-
a specialized physical channel between two connected cells that allows for the passage of cytoplasm. also called connexon
- hemorrhagic strokes
-
a burst blood vessel that causes bleeding into the brain
- hepatic portal system
-
a branch of the circulatory system that surrounds the gastrointestinal tract
- high frequency stimulation
-
an intense electrical stimulation where axons are stimulated at 100 Hz for multiple seconds
- hippocampus
-
helps to remember important facts
- Histamine
-
in the body, mediates the sensation of itch, participates in the inflammatory response, and activates the immune system; in the brain, a neurotransmitter that acts as a prowakefulness signal
- horizontal
-
A slicing projection of the brain where cuts are made along the dorsal-ventral direction, from the top of the brain to the bottom
- HPA
-
short for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
- HPG axis
-
short for hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis
- hyperkinesias
-
an abnormal excess of movements
- hyperorality
-
an inappropriate fixation with using the mouth to interact with surroundings, such as licking or eating nonfoods
- hyperphosphorylated tau
-
the major microtubule-associate protein of mature neurons, and helps to function to maintain cellular morphology. Excess phosphorylation of this protein causes tau to accumulate inside the cell, leading to neuronal dysfunction and cell death
- hyperpolarization
-
when membrane potential changed from positive to a more negative potential
- hypnogram
-
plots time on the x-axis, and stage of sleep on the y-axis
- hypophyseal portal system
-
a series of leaky capillaries densely wrapped around the posterior pituitary
- hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
-
series of organs that result in the stress response
- hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis
-
signaling cascade involving the production of gonadotropins in the Pituitary gland
- hypothalamus
-
serves as a communication route to the body’s endocrine system
- hypoxia
-
low blood levels of oxygen
- iatrogenic insomnia
-
prolonged use of prescription sleep medications causing a person to experience even worse insomnia than before
- IEI
-
interevent interval
- implicit memories
-
another term for procedural memories
- in vitro
-
an experiment performed on cultured cells or isolated molecules of DNA, RNA, or protein
- incubation of craving
-
observation that prolonged abstinence can increase the intensity of drug cravings
- Independent Variable
-
One factor that is being changed.
- induction
-
a process where the movement of magnets can generate electric currents, and conversely, electricity can generate magnetic fields
- inferior
-
describes a structure below
- inferotemporal cortex (IT)
-
one of the signaling pathways important for visual memories
- Inhalation
-
route of administration where substances are breathed in through the nose or mouth
- inhibitory post synaptic potentials
-
small hyperpolarizations caused by the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters
- Insufflation
-
route of administration where the substance is pulverized into a fine powder then inhaled through the nose
- insula
-
the lobe of the cortex buried deep within the lateral fissure
- insular cortex
-
another term for the insula
- interevent interval
-
the time between the pulses
- interoception
-
detecting the internal state of the body and conveying that information for processing
- intracranial-self stimulation (ICSS)
-
the experimental paradigm of the Skinner Box
- Intramuscular (IM) injections
-
drug is delivered into a muscle. slower than IV injections but easier to perform
- Intravenous (IV) injection
-
drug is delivered straight into the bloodstream. fastest route of administration
- inverse agonists
-
causes an opposite response as an agonist
- ion channels
-
provide easy passage for ions without using cellular energy
- ionotropic receptors
-
Ligand-gated ion channels
- ipsilateral
-
describes a part of the body that is on the same side as that half of the nervous system
- ischemic strokes
-
normal blood flow is interrupted, causing cell death by deprivation of brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients
- isotropic diffusion
-
molecules can move any direction with equal probability
- James-Lange theory of emotion
-
says the body’s physiological changes precede the onset of an emotional response
- jet lag
-
psychological symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and mood swings, and physical symptoms like daytime fatigue, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress; occurs when there is a mismatch between the internal environment and signals from the outside world
- K-complexes
-
large amplitude events that are observed about every minute
- K-selected species
-
species that benefit from a few high-quality offspring rather than a large number of offspring with little investment
- Kairomones
-
q group of chemicals that cause behavioral changes in species
- kinship
-
another term for familial love
- Kluver-Bucy syndrome
-
a unique set of emotional deficits causing a failure to display fear or anger, visual agnosia, psychic blindness, hypersexuality, and hyperorality
- knock-in
-
using gene insertion to put in exogenous genes into an animal
- knock-out
-
creating animal models of a variety of human conditions
- Korsakoff’s syndrome
-
a disorder resulting from a severe deficiency of thiamine
- L-DOPA induced dyskinesia (LID)
-
disorder where hyperkinesias is developed from frequent L-DOPA treatment
- lateral
-
Brain structures that are closer to the sides of the brain
- lateral fissure
-
runs roughly along the anterior to posterior direction, and curves gently dorsally
- lateral habenula (LHb)
-
VTA's antireward pathway
- lateral ventricles
-
two very large paired ventricles, one in each hemisphere
- libido
-
another term for lust
- ligand-gated ion channels
-
another term for ionotropic receptors
- ligands
-
Chemicals that bind to the active site of ionotropic receptors
- limbic system
-
a series of subcortical brain structures that are involved in several different complex behaviors, such as emotions and memory
- localization of function
-
the idea that specific areas of the brain are important for certain functions
- Localization Theory
-
In the mid-1800s, Paul Broca was one of the first to suggest that specific areas of the brain were responsible for carrying out specific functions, which came to be called localization theory.
- long-term depression (LTD)
-
when synaptic strength is decreased and remains weak
- long-term potentiation (LTP)
-
when synaptic strength is increased and remains elevated
- longitudinal fissure
-
divides the two hemispheres, running along the anterior-posterior axis, visible from a dorsal view of the brain
- Lust
-
a very strong desire for sexual gratification
- luteinizing hormone (LH)
-
one of two main gonadotropins in humans
- lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
-
a manmade psychedelic
- Maintenance insomnia
-
difficulty with remaining asleep
- mammillary bodies
-
paired structures located at the ventral surface of the brain close to the brain stem
- medial
-
Brain structures that are closer to the center of the brain
- medial preoptic area (mPOA)
-
section of the anterior hypothalamus in the brain strongly influenced by sex hormones
- medial temporal lobe (MTL)
-
patches of neurons where most epilepsy originates
- medulla oblongata
-
a structure that is found at the posterior end of the brain stem
- Melatonin
-
an endogenous hormone that helps the brain regulate the sleep-wake cycle
- membrane potential
-
The difference between the electrical charges inside and outside the cell
- memory trace
-
the specific circuit of neurons that represent a memory
- meninges
-
a tightly-regulated membranous sac where cerebrospinal fluid is found
- mesocortical pathway
-
projection of prefrontal cortex
- mesolimbic pathway
-
consists of dopamine producing neurons that release dopamine onto the cells in the nucleus accumbens
- messenger RNA
-
DNA is transcribed into a string of single-stranded genetic code called messenger RNA
- metabolic tolerance
-
occurs when the body is better at eliminating a drug, so more of the drug is needed to feel the effects
- microtome
-
a device that slices the brain into sections as thin as 10 microns
- microtubules
-
functions like a molecular railway for proteins
- middle cerebral arteries
-
deliver blood to the lateral cortices
- milk letdown reflex
-
a natural process in mammalian motherhood where offspring suckling activates a lactation cycle through oxytocin-dependent circuits
- mind-body problem
-
The discussion that centered around the question if a function as complex as consciousness could result from activity of a clump of cells.
- mirror tracing task
-
The original test of procedural memory
- Morris water maze
-
A test commonly used on rodents to study spatial memory behaviorally in non-human animals
- mossy fibers
-
axons sent to the pyramidal cells of the CA3 region of the hippocampus
- Multiple sclerosis
-
a disease that results from destruction of myelin in the CNS. People with MS might experience muscle weakness, poor balance, muscle spasms, numbness and pain, and weakened neuronal signaling in the brain
- muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs)
-
the metabotropic receptors of the nervous system
- myelin
-
layers of fatty lipids
- myelin sheath
-
comprised of several tightly-wrapped layers of cell membrane that encompasses a short section of the axon
- NAc
-
short for nucleus accumbens
- NAM
-
negative allosteric modulator
- negative allosteric modulator
-
allosteric modulators decrease the action of the agonist
- negative symptoms
-
one of two categories of schizophrenia symptoms; describes a deficit of some function
- Nernst equation
-
an equation to predict the direction that ions will move when an ion channel opens given various conditions
- Nernst potential
-
equilibrium potential is also called the Nernst potential to honor Walther Nernst
- nerves
-
Several axons bundled together
- neural tube
-
forms during the third to fourth week of gestation. The cells of the neural tube will eventually become the components of the CNS.
- Neurodegenerative
-
Tnere are some conditions that are neurodegenerative, meaning that their symptoms get progressively worse over time
- neurofibrillary tautangles (NFT)
-
an intracellular pathological marker of Alzheimer's Disease and correlate strongly with cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's Disease
- neurofilaments
-
made up of several different proteins that serve as a cellular “scaffolding” that helps keep the structure of the axon intact
- Neurogenesis
-
The process in which new neuronal growth occurs in the brain.
- neurohypophesis
-
another name for Posterior pituitary gland
- neuromuscular junction
-
the space between a motor neuron and muscle tissue
- neuron doctrine
-
the nervous system is a series of individual units that are separated from one another physically
- Neurons
-
The main active cellular units of the nervous system.
- neuropharmacology
-
the study of drugs that affect the nervous system
- Neurotransmitters
-
A wide variety of chemicals that are responsible for passing information between neurons.
- nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs)
-
ionotropic receptors of the nervous system
- nitric oxide (NO)
-
atypical neurotransmitter that contributes to LTD by activating an intracellular receptor called soluble guanylate cyclase
- NMDA
-
similar to the ionotropic AMPA receptors because they are permeable to cations and therefore excitatory, but also contains an Mg2+ ion in the center and is permeable to Ca2+ ions
- NMJ
-
short for neuromuscular junction
- nodes of Ranvier
-
The spaces of exposed axon between each section of myelin
- nonhuman model organisms
-
nonhumann organisms used for studying and testing
- nonREM sleep
-
a phase in sleep where there is no rapid eye movement
- nonspecific binding
-
antibodies binding to the wrong target
- NREM1
-
Earliest stage of of sleep; the deeper into NREM1 sleep a person becomes, more waves with lower and lower frequencies start to emerge
- NREM2
-
NREM2 accounts for 50% of the night's sleep and is characterized by the appearance of K-complexes and sleep spindles
- NREM3
-
phase of sleep where physiological activity drops to its lowest point of the night: heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and metabolism all reach minimum during NREM3, also called deep sleep
- nucleus
-
houses DNA and other genetic material
- nucleus accumbens
-
processing center for reward and motivation
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
-
characterized by the presence of recurring, intrusive thoughts, which can lead to repetitive actions
- Obstructive sleep apnea
-
soft tissue in the back of the throat temporarily collapses, which can decrease or completely block airflow into the lungs
- Onset insomnia
-
difficulty with initially falling asleep
- operant conditioning chamber
-
a special cage equipped with a device which the subject can physically manipulate
- opioid epidemic
-
describes the dramatic increase in the number of opioid related overdose deaths
- opioid receptors
-
inhibitory metabotropic receptors which signal using the Gαi protein
- opium
-
the most well known natural opioid
- oral
-
route of administration by mouth
- orthosteric site
-
another term for the active site
- Oxytocin (OT)
-
plays a significant role in the development and maintenance of prosocial behaviors
- paired pulse ratio (PPR)
-
a value obtained by dividing the amplitude of the second EPSP by the amplitude of the first EPSP
- paired-pulse depression (PPD)
-
plasticity occurring when the paired pulse ratio is less than 1
- paired-pulse facilitation (PPF)
-
plasticity occurring when the paired pulse ratio is greater than 1
- PAM
-
short for positive allosteric modulator
- Papez circuit
-
certain structures in the brain that have a role in emotional behavior
- paradoxical sleep
-
REM sleep is sometimes called paradoxical sleep
- parahippocampal place area (PPA)
-
a component of the inferotemporal cortex contributing to visual memories associated with locations and environmental scenes
- parasagittal
-
takes cuts parallel to the midline, slicing in the medial / lateral plane.
- parasympathetic nervous system
-
sends signals that decrease heart rate
- parenteral
-
route of administration that avoids the digestive tract
- partial agonist
-
substances that can also activate the receptor by binding to the orthosteric site, but are unable to fully activate the receptor, even at increasingly higher doses
- partner preference paradigm
-
an experimental test used to assess vole monogamy
- Patient HM
-
One of the most influential case studies in the neuroscience of memory. HM experienced life-long anterograde amnesia after the removal of the hippocampus in his brain
- Patient SM
-
a notable case study of a person who does not experience the fear response
- penetrant
-
degree to which a particular gene or set of genes will manifest a specific trait or condition
- perforant pathway
-
white matter signaling tract of the hippocampus
- perfusion
-
flushing fixative through arteries
- peripheral nervous system (PNS)
-
All the other nerve cells in the body.
- permeability
-
the ability for an ion to cross the membrane through ion channels
- pharmacodynamic tolerance
-
another term for functional tolerance
- pharmacodynamics
-
The field of study of the effect of drugs on the body
- pharmacokinetic tolerance
-
another term for metabolic tolerance
- pharmacokinetics
-
the study of the effects of the body on drugs
- phrenic nerve
-
An efferent signaling pathway that signals the diaphragm to move up and down
- phrenology
-
the belief that we can predict personality traits based on the shape of a person’s head and the bumps on the outside of the skull
- Pia mater
-
third layer of the meninges, very fragile and is in direct contact with the surface of the brain
- pituitary gland
-
strongly involved in the production and release of neurohormones
- Place cells
-
special population of pyramidal cells of the hippocampus contributing strongly to location and navigational memory
- Plasmatoxmosis
-
disease caused by infection of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii; may cause symptoms characteristic of a generic immune response, such as fatigue, body aches, and fever
- Plasticity
-
the ability to change over time
- polysomnogram
-
measures heart rate, blood pressure and oxygenation level, respiratory depth and pattern, muscle activity, eye movement, and, brain wave activity.
- pons
-
helps us perform involuntary functions like breathing
- pore
-
a “tunnel” that allows molecules and ions to pass across the cell membrane
- positive allosteric modulator
-
allosteric modulators increase the action of the agonist
- positive symptoms
-
one of two categories of schizophrenia symptoms; describes an excess of some function
- positron emission tomography (PET)
-
an application of nuclear medicine best known for its applications in the medical setting for the diagnosis of cancer
- posterior
-
another word for caudal
- posterior cerebral arteries
-
provide blood to the occipital lobe
- posterior pituitary gland
-
one of two lobes in the pituitary gland; produces oxytocin and vasopressin
- postsynaptic potentials
-
small deviations in membrane voltage
- prairie voles
-
rodents that are indigenous to central North America
- primary antibody
-
First antibody in the IHC protocol, binds to the antigen that you are interested in studying
- primary auditory cortex
-
located in the temporal lobe, the primary auditory cortex interprets sound waves
- primary motor cortex
-
contains neurons that control movement of the body
- primary somatosensory cortex
-
responsible for sensory and proprioception information
- primary visual cortex
-
interprets signals converted by the eye into a representation of the visual world
- prions
-
disease-causing agent that is responsible for mad cow disease
- procedural memory
-
the learning of motor skills
- prodrugs
-
drugs that are inactive until they get converted into another substance after enzymatic processing
- progesterone
-
known as the pregnancy hormone in women
- proprioception
-
the ability to identify where parts of your body are located
- prosocial behaviors
-
acts such as trust, compassion, and empathy, all actions that enhance interpersonal relationships
- protein kinase A (PKA)
-
a kinase, an enzyme that is phosphorylates other proteins
- proximal
-
something that is in close proximity to the CNS
- psilocybin
-
an inactive chemical, but once it is exposed to acidic conditions, it becomes psilocin. found in "magic mushrooms"
- PSPs
-
postsynaptic potentials
- psychoactive substances
-
chemicals that can act on the nervous system which can induce a change in behavior or mindstate
- Quasiexperimental design
-
A type of observational study.
- radial arm maze
-
non-human behavioral test used to assess the capacity for learning navigational cues
- Raphe nucleus
-
an area in the brain stem that produces serotonin
- rapid eye movement (REM)
-
usually first occurring around three hours after falling asleep, a person's eyes would dart rapidly and jerkily back and forth
- reconsolidated
-
restoring of a memory after its retrieved
- Rectal
-
route of administration that avoids a majority of the first-pass metabolism
- REM sleep
-
a phase in sleep where there is rapid eye movement
- Representative
-
The distribution of the characteristics in the sample is proportionally similar to the distribution in the total population
- rest-and-digest response
-
A parasympathetic psychological response resulting in lowered heart rate and feeling relaxed, satisfied, and more than a little sluggish
- restless legs syndrome (RLS)
-
frequent unusual sensations in their limbs, such as a tingling or buzzing
- reticular theory
-
the idea that the parts of the nervous system are all one very large, physically connected network
- retinohypothalamic tract (RHT)
-
pathway in which retinal cells project
- retrieval
-
the process in which stored memories are recalled
- retrograde amnesia
-
inability to successfully retrieve memory from one’s past
- retrograde trace
-
stains cells from the axon terminal to the soma
- reuptake inhibitor
-
increases the concentration of neurotransmitters in the synapse
- reverberation
-
the process by which networks of neurons fire repeatedly; thought to be the mechanism that allows for consolidation of memories
- reversal potential
-
equilibrium potential is sometimes referred to as reversal potential
- ribosomes
-
molecular machines that read the mRNA and translate that code into proteins
- rig
-
equipment to measure and manipulate the electrical properties of the nervous system
- rostral
-
parts of the brain that are more forward
- routes of administration
-
ways for drugs to enter the body
- Schaffer collaterals
-
axonal projections from the CA3 region of the hippocampus
- second antibody
-
The second antibody in the IHC protocol, chosen because its target is something that is found on the primary antibody
- selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
-
increases synaptic levels of serotonin by preventing reuptake
- selectively permeable
-
some molecules are able to travel across the membrane easily, other molecules have an intermediate ability to cross, and other molecules are completely incapable of passing.
- self-administration
-
an experiment where subject animals receive drugs via infusion when they perform certain actions
- self-grooming
-
a natural and healthy series of stereotyped actions that consists of licking the paws and moving them through the fur of the nose, caudally down the body
- Semantic memories
-
pieces of factual information
- Sensitization
-
a phenomenon opposite to tolerance: instead of a drug effect being lessened after chronic exposure, a sensitized person experiences an increase in drug effect
- seven-transmembrane receptors
-
another term for metabotropic receptors
- sexually dimorphic area
-
the part of the brain that exhibits the biggest morphological difference between males and females (twice as large in men)
- sham rage
-
hyper-aggressive responses to stimuli
- silent synapses
-
synapses that do not change their activity even with glutamate release
- Skinner box
-
another name for a operant conditioning chamber
- sleep spindle
-
a high-frequency burst of rapid neural activity in the low beta range that lasts for about a second
- SNAP-25
-
short for synaptosomal nerve-associated protein 25, a t-SNARE protein that functions during vesicular fusion
- SNARE complex
-
a molecular structure formed when the v-SNAREs and the t-SNAREs interact with one another in the presence of Ca2+
- social monogamy
-
the romantic relationship characterized by a pair of people who share resources, parenting duties, and exhibit preferential mating
- soluble guanylate cyclase
-
an intracellular receptor for nitric oxide
- soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC)
-
an intracellular receptor that changes the activity of the signaling molecule cGMP, which can either lead to enhancement or depression of synaptic strength
- soma
-
another term for a cell body
- somnambulism
-
sleepwalking
- spatial memories
-
memories involved in navigation of our surroundings and the creation of a mental map of our world
- Spatial resolution
-
the ability to differentiate two points in space from each other
- Spatial summation
-
two small EPSPs from two adjacent inputs are triggered
- spinal cord
-
functions to carry information both upwards towards the brain, and downwards towards the body’s other organs and muscles. It can also process sensations and form an appropriate motor response in the absence of brain input
- spinal nerve
-
formed when efferent motor nerves and afferent motor nerves merge
- spinal nerves
-
formed when efferent motor nerves and efferent motor nerves merge
- spines
-
tiny protrusions of cell membrane that stick out from the main dendrite
- Sporadic AD
-
more common form of Alzheimer's disease that's believed to be caused by a combination of old age and environmental factors in addition to genetic risk factors
- stereotypy
-
a series of repetitive, purposeless behaviors
- stochastic
-
describes the randomness of the movement of molecules
- subcutaneous (SC) injection
-
solution is injected into the fat layer underneath the skin
- Sublingual
-
refers to placement of the substance under the tongue
- substance use disorder
-
a disorder affecting a persons ability to control their use of various substances
- substantia nigra
-
area in the midbrain that produces dopamine
- sulci
-
grooved indentations on the surface of the brain
- superior
-
describes a structure on top
- suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
-
clump of cells in the hypothalamus
- sympathetic ganglion
-
nerves form a chain of many clumps of cells that run alongside the spinal cord
- sympathetic nervous system
-
one of two branches of the autonomic nervous system; activates fight-or-flight.
- sympathomimetic
-
substances that activate the sympathetic nervous system
- Synapses
-
The sites of close contact between neurons.
- Synaptobrevin
-
v-SNARE protein thats involved during synaptic release
- synaptotagmin
-
v-SNARE protein thats involved during synaptic release
- Syntaxin
-
t-SNARE protein that functions during vesicular fusion
- Temporal resolution
-
the ability to distinguish two events in time from one another
- Temporal summation
-
multiple EPSPs from the same input occur close together in time
- temporally graded
-
in someone with retrograde amnesia- the farther back you examine, the more complete memories are
- terminal bouton
-
another term for the axon terminal
- testosterone
-
sex hormone in men
- tetrodotoxin
-
a deadly voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitor
- thalamus
-
handles sensory information
- THC
-
shirt for delta-9-tetrohydrocannabinol
- thiamine
-
an essential vitamin that functions in metabolic processes
- third ventricle
-
connected medially to the lateral ventricles, extends to the posterior aspect of the brain
- tonic-clonic seizures
-
the most severe form of seizures that produces a loss of consciousness and convulsions
- Topical
-
similar to transdermal, topical administration involves a substance placed on the skin surface, but does not significantly increase the blood concentration of the drug
- tracer
-
a compound where an atom is substituted with a radioactive isotope
- tract tracing methods
-
staining methods that determine projections of neurons
- Transbuccal
-
refers to drugs that are absorbed by the vasculature in the gums
- Transdermal
-
substance is placed on the skin surface, and over time the chemical diffuses through the skin into the blood vessels
- transmembrane potential
-
The difference between the electrical charges inside and outside the cell
- transmembrane proteins
-
huge protein complexes that span the entirety of the membrane, with an outer side and an inner side
- transporters
-
large membrane-spanning proteins that function to move molecules from the extracellular space back into the presynaptic terminal
- transverse
-
These sections are parallel to the ground if the spinal cord was oriented vertically, like a person standing up
- traumatic brain injury (TBI)
-
injuries sustained by a sudden blow to the head
- tripartite synapse
-
refers to the three components of a synapse: The presynaptic neuron, the postsynaptic neuron, and the astrocyte.
- trisynaptic circuit
-
the three main synaptic connections that make up the hippocampus
- trophic factors
-
helper molecular signals that serve several different functions
- trophic hormones
-
collection of hormones responsible for several functions such as the stress response, growth, sexual development, circadian rhythms, and more
- tryptophan hydroxylase
-
an enzyme that acts as a marker to identify serotonergic neurons
- TTX
-
tetrodotoxin
- tuberomammillary nucleus
-
the major site of neuronal production of the wakefulness signal histamine
- two-factor theory of emotion
-
says people use a combination of the physiological response and a cognitive label to determine the emotion that is most appropriate for a given circumstance
- tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)
-
the main marker that is used for identifying dopamine-producing neurons
- Ulcers
-
injuries to the mucous membranes of the stomach or intestines resulting in abdominal pain, nausea, and changes in appetite
- ultrasonic vocalizations
-
sounds emitted by rodent offspring when they are distressed or hungry
- unconditioned response
-
a naturally happening behavior in response to a stimulus
- unconditioned stimulus
-
stimulus leading to an unconditioned response
- universal facial expressions
-
Paul Ekman's theory that all humans, regardless of culture, would use similar facial expressions to communicate the basic categories of emotions
- Urbach-Wiethe disease
-
condition causing a calcification in the amygdala bilaterally leading to the inability to experience fear
- v-ATP-ase
-
short for vesicular ATP-ase
- vagus nerve
-
innervates multiple bodily organs in the midsection of the body
- Vasopressin
-
contributes to social behaviors, regulates osmolarity, and constricts blood vessels to raise blood pressure
- ventral
-
Brain structures that are below, or closer to the bottom of the head
- ventral striatum
-
another term for nucleus accumbens
- ventral tegmental area
-
area in the midbrain that produces dopamine
- ventral tegmental area (VTA)
-
contains neurons that synthesize the neurotransmitter dopamine
- ventricles
-
large symmetrical “holes” near the medial aspect
- vertebral column
-
series of bones that houses the spinal cord
- vesicles
-
small spherical “packages” made of cell membrane that are coated in special proteins
- vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT)
-
vesicular transporter which move acetylcholine
- vesicular ATP-ase
-
membrane-embedded proteins that utilize the molecular energy contained in ATP to concentrate H+ ions in the intravesicular space
- vesicular GABA transporters (VGAT)
-
vesicular transport which move GABA
- vesicular glutamate transporter (vGluT)
-
vesicular transporter which move glutamate
- vesicular glutamate transporters (VGluT)
-
vesicular transporter which move glutamate
- vesicular monoamine transporters (VMATs)
-
vesicular transporter which move monoamines such as dopamine and serotonin
- VGCCs
-
short for voltage-gated calcium channels
- visual agnosia
-
the inability to recognize faces or objects visually
- voltage-gated calcium channels
-
large protein complexes that normally remain closed, but when the surrounding neuronal membrane becomes depolarized, they physically change conformation and open up, allowing ions to move across the cell membrane.
- voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs)
-
channels on the membrane that open during depolarization and allows for pre-synaptic Ca2+ to enter
- white matter
-
brain tissue that's pale and almost white
- withdrawal
-
a set of symptoms that a person experiences when they are abstinent from the substance
- working memory
-
involves processes of storing information temporarily while simultaneously manipulating those pieces of information
- zeitgebers
-
environmental cues, such as increased light exposure when the sun comes up, or social cues, such as increased sensory input from heightened activity of the people around you