Unit Wordlist and Definitions

Synaptic vesicles release neurotransmitters which bind to the receptors on the postsynaptic membrane
Synaptic vesicles release neurotransmitters, which bind to the receptors on the postsynaptic membrane. By Scientific Animations, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Nervous System

The following Terms and Concepts are important in the study of the Nervous System.

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(Hover over terms below to view definitions and their multilingual translations)


Anatomical Divisions

central nervous system (CNS)

peripheral nervous system

(PNS) sensory (afferent) division

somatosensation

transduction

receptor cell

kinesthesia

mechanoreceptor

chemoreceptor

free nerve ending

thermoreceptor

nociceptor

osmoreceptor

proprioceptor

special sense

visceral sense

motor (efferent) division

somatic nervous system (SNS)

Autonomic nervous system (ANS)

sympathetic division

parasympathetic division

integration

Cellular Basis of NS Function

neuron

soma

process

dendrite

axon

axon hillock

multipolar

bipolar

unipolar

neuroglia

astrocyte

microglia

oligodendrocyte

ependymal cell

blood-brain barrier (BBB)

schwann cell

satellite cell

myelin sheath

myelin

node of Ranvier

Physiology of Neurons

excitable membrane

membrane potential

stimulus

graded potential

action potential

ion channel

leakage channel

gated channel

ligand-gated channel

voltage-gated channel

inactivation gate

mechanically-gated channel

resting membrane potential

sodium-potassium pump

depolarization

threshold

repolarization

absolute refractory period

relative refractory period

propagation

continuous conduction

saltatory conduction

Neuronal Synapses

synapse

chemical synapse

neurotransmitter

electrical synapse

Central Nervous System

brain

gray matter

nucleus

white matter

tract

ventricle

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Meninges

dura mater

arachnoid mater

pia mater

cerebrum

cerebral hemisphere

frontal lobe

parietal lobe

temporal lobe

occipital lobe

insula

cerebral cortex

sensory modality

primary sensory cortex

topographical

sensory homunculus

association area

primary motor cortex

premotor cortex

broca’s area

diencephalon

thalamus

hypothalamus

brain stem

cerebellum

spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system

ganglion

cranial nerve

olfactory nerve

optic nerve

oculomotor nerve

trochlear nerve

trigeminal nerve

abducens nerve

facial nerve

vestibulocochlear nerve

glossopharyngeal nerve

vagus nerve

spinal accessory nerve

hypoglossal nerve

Spinal nerve

dorsal (posterior) nerve root

ventral (anterior) nerve root

systemic nerve

Special Senses

audition

external ear

middle ear

tympanic membrane

ossicles

malleus

incus

stapes

inner ear

cochlea

vestibule

organ of corti

hair cells

equilibrium

semicircular canals

otolith

vision

photon

photoreceptor

fibrous tunic

cornea

sclera

pupil

iris

lens

ciliary body

aqueous humor

vitreous humor

vascular tunic

retina

optic disc

fovea

rod photoreceptor

cone photoreceptor

optic nerve

optic tract

gustation

gustatory receptor cells (taste buds)

umami

olfaction

odorant molecules

olfactory epithelium

olfactory sensory neuron

olfactory bulb


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Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology: A Multilingual Approach Copyright © 2025 by Rachel Thwing; Hugh Jarrard; Ann DeChenne; Kiana Pigao; and Zach Ellsworth is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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