The Language of Medicine - Chapter 10
1. cerebrum: part of the brain associated with thinking, personality,
sensations, movements, memory
2. thalamus: part of the brain associated with relay station ("triage
center") for sensory impulses; control of awareness and
consciousness
3. hypothalamus: part of the brain associated with body temperature,
sleep, ap- petite, emotions, control of the pituitary gland
4. cerebellum: part of the brain associated with coordination of
voluntary move- ments and balance
5. pons: part of the brain associated with connection of nerves (to the
eyes and face)
6. medulla oblongata: part of the brain associated with nerve fibers
cross over, left to right and right to left; contains centers to regulate
heart, blood vessels, and respiratory system
7. acetylcholine: Neurotransmitter chemical released at the ends of nerve
cells
8. afferent nerve: carries messages toward the brain and spinal cord
(sensory nerve)
9. arachnoid membrane: middle layer of the three membranes
(meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord
10.astrocyte: type of glial (neuroglial) cell that transports water and
salts from capillaries
11.autonomic nervous system: nerves that control involuntary body
functions of muscles, glands, and internal organs
12.axon: Microscopic fiber that carries the nervous impulse along a
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, The Language of Medicine - Chapter 10
nerve cell
13.blood-brain barrier: Blood vessels (capillaries) that selectively let
certain sub- stances enter the brain tissue and keep other substances
out
14.brainstem: lower portion of the brain that connects the cerebrum
with the spinal cord; includes the pons and medulla oblongata
15.cauda equina: collection of spinal nerves below the end of the spinal
cord
16.cell body: part of a nerve cell that contains the nucleus
17.central nervous system (CNS): Brain and spinal cord
18.cerebellum: posterior part of the brain that coordinates muscle
movements and maintains balance
19.cerebral cortex: outer region of the cerebrum, containing sheets of
nerve cells; gray matter of the brain
20.cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): circulates throughout the brain and spinal
cord
21.cerebrum: Largest part of the brain; responsible for voluntary
muscular activity, vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought, and memory
22.cranial nerves: twelve pairs of nerves that carry messages to and
from the brain with regard to the head and neck (except the vagus
nerve)
23.dendrite: microscopic branching fiber of a nerve cell that is the
first part to receive the nervous impulse
24.dura mater: thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and
protecting the brain and spinal cord (Latin for "hard mother.")
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, The Language of Medicine - Chapter 10
25.efferent nerve: carries messages away from the brain and spinal
cord; motor nerve
26.ependymal cell: a glial cell that lines membranes within the brain
and spinal cord and helps form cerebrospinal fluid
27.ganglion (plural: ganglia): collection of nerve cell bodies in the
peripheral nervous system
28.glial cell (neuroglial cell): Supportive and connective nerve cell that
does not carry nervous impulses. Examples are astrocytes, microglial
cells, ependymal cells, and oligodendrocytes.
29.gyrus (plural: gyri): sheet of nerve cells that produces a rounded
ridge on the surface of the cerebral cortex; convolution
30.hypothalamus: Portion of the brain beneath the thalamus; controls
sleep, ap- petite, body temperature, and secretions from the pituitary
gland.
31.medulla oblongata: Part of the brain just above the spinal cord;
controls breath- ing, heartbeat, and the size of blood vessels; nerve
fibers cross over here
32.meninges: three protective membranes that surround the brain and
spinal cord
33.microglial cell: phagocytic glial cell that removes waste products
from the central nervous system.
34.motor nerve: carries messages away from the brain and spinal cord
to muscles and organs; efferent nerve
35.myelin sheath: Covering of white fatty tissue that surrounds and
insulates the axon of a nerve cell. Myelin speeds impulse conduction
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1. cerebrum: part of the brain associated with thinking, personality,
sensations, movements, memory
2. thalamus: part of the brain associated with relay station ("triage
center") for sensory impulses; control of awareness and
consciousness
3. hypothalamus: part of the brain associated with body temperature,
sleep, ap- petite, emotions, control of the pituitary gland
4. cerebellum: part of the brain associated with coordination of
voluntary move- ments and balance
5. pons: part of the brain associated with connection of nerves (to the
eyes and face)
6. medulla oblongata: part of the brain associated with nerve fibers
cross over, left to right and right to left; contains centers to regulate
heart, blood vessels, and respiratory system
7. acetylcholine: Neurotransmitter chemical released at the ends of nerve
cells
8. afferent nerve: carries messages toward the brain and spinal cord
(sensory nerve)
9. arachnoid membrane: middle layer of the three membranes
(meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord
10.astrocyte: type of glial (neuroglial) cell that transports water and
salts from capillaries
11.autonomic nervous system: nerves that control involuntary body
functions of muscles, glands, and internal organs
12.axon: Microscopic fiber that carries the nervous impulse along a
1/
, The Language of Medicine - Chapter 10
nerve cell
13.blood-brain barrier: Blood vessels (capillaries) that selectively let
certain sub- stances enter the brain tissue and keep other substances
out
14.brainstem: lower portion of the brain that connects the cerebrum
with the spinal cord; includes the pons and medulla oblongata
15.cauda equina: collection of spinal nerves below the end of the spinal
cord
16.cell body: part of a nerve cell that contains the nucleus
17.central nervous system (CNS): Brain and spinal cord
18.cerebellum: posterior part of the brain that coordinates muscle
movements and maintains balance
19.cerebral cortex: outer region of the cerebrum, containing sheets of
nerve cells; gray matter of the brain
20.cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): circulates throughout the brain and spinal
cord
21.cerebrum: Largest part of the brain; responsible for voluntary
muscular activity, vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought, and memory
22.cranial nerves: twelve pairs of nerves that carry messages to and
from the brain with regard to the head and neck (except the vagus
nerve)
23.dendrite: microscopic branching fiber of a nerve cell that is the
first part to receive the nervous impulse
24.dura mater: thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and
protecting the brain and spinal cord (Latin for "hard mother.")
2/
, The Language of Medicine - Chapter 10
25.efferent nerve: carries messages away from the brain and spinal
cord; motor nerve
26.ependymal cell: a glial cell that lines membranes within the brain
and spinal cord and helps form cerebrospinal fluid
27.ganglion (plural: ganglia): collection of nerve cell bodies in the
peripheral nervous system
28.glial cell (neuroglial cell): Supportive and connective nerve cell that
does not carry nervous impulses. Examples are astrocytes, microglial
cells, ependymal cells, and oligodendrocytes.
29.gyrus (plural: gyri): sheet of nerve cells that produces a rounded
ridge on the surface of the cerebral cortex; convolution
30.hypothalamus: Portion of the brain beneath the thalamus; controls
sleep, ap- petite, body temperature, and secretions from the pituitary
gland.
31.medulla oblongata: Part of the brain just above the spinal cord;
controls breath- ing, heartbeat, and the size of blood vessels; nerve
fibers cross over here
32.meninges: three protective membranes that surround the brain and
spinal cord
33.microglial cell: phagocytic glial cell that removes waste products
from the central nervous system.
34.motor nerve: carries messages away from the brain and spinal cord
to muscles and organs; efferent nerve
35.myelin sheath: Covering of white fatty tissue that surrounds and
insulates the axon of a nerve cell. Myelin speeds impulse conduction
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