Chapter 6 Vocabulary Nervous System and Genetics

Front

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Back

The brain and spinal cord.

Front

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Back

Nerves branching beyond the spinal cord into the body.

Front

Neurons

Back

The long, thin cells of nerve tissue along which messages travel to and from the brain.

Front

Synapse

Back

The gap that exists between individual nerve cells.

Front

Neurotransmitters

Back

The chemicals released by neurons, which determine the rate at which other neurons fire.

Front

Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

Back

The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles.

Front

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Back

The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls internal biological functions.

Front

Hindbrain

Back

A part of the brain located at the rear base of the skull that is involved in the basic processes of life.

Front

Midbrain

Back

A small part of the brain above the pons that arouses the brain, integrates sensory information, and relays it upward.

Front

Forebrain

Back

A part of the brain that covers the brain’s central core, responsible for sensory and motor control and the processing of thinking and language.