Language of science

acetylcholine (ACh)

(as-ee-til-KOH-leen [ay see aych])

[acetyl- vinegar, -chole- bile, -ine made of]

action potential

(AK-shun poh-TEN-shal)

[act- moving, -ion condition, poten- power, -ial relating to]

adrenergic fiber

(ad-ren-ER-jik FYE-ber)

[ad- toward, -ren- kidney, -erg- work, -ic relating to, fibr- thread]

afferent neuron

(AF-fer-ent NOO-ron)

[a[d]- toward, -fer- carry, -ent relating to, neur- string or nerve, -on unit]

antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

(an-tee-dye-yoo-RET-ik HOR-mohn [ay dee aych])

[anti- against, -dia- through, -uret- urination, -ic relating to, hormon- excite]

arachnoid mater

(ah-RAK-noyd MAH-ter)

[arachn- spider(web), -oid like, mater mother]

astrocyte

(AS-troh-syte)

[astro- star shaped, -cyte cell]

autonomic effector

(aw-toh-NOM-ik ef-FEK-tor)

[auto- self, -nom- rule, -ic relating to, effect- accomplish, -or agent]

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

(aw-toh-NAHM-ik NER-vus SIS-tem [ay en es])

[auto- self, -nom- rule, -ic relating to, nerv- nerve, -ous, relating to]

autonomic neuron

(aw-toh-NOM-ik NOO-ron)

[auto- self, -nom- rule, -ic relating to, neuron nerve]

axon

(AK-son)

[axon axle]

basal nuclei (basal ganglia)

(BAY-sal NOO-klee-aye [GANG-glee-ah])

sing., basal nucleus or ganglion

(BAY-sal NOO-klee-us [GANG-glee-un])

[bas- foundation, -al relating to, nucle- nut or kernel (ganglion knot)]

blood-brain barrier (BBB)

(blud brayn BAYR-ee-er [bee bee bee])

catecholamine

(kat-eh-KOHL-ah-meen)

[catech- melt, -ol- alcohol, -amine ammonia compound]

cell body

(sell BOD-ee)

[cell storeroom]

central nervous system (CNS)

(SEN-tral NER-vus SIS-tem [see en es])

[centr- center, -al relating to, nerv- nerve, -ous relating to]

cerebellum

(sayr-eh-BEL-um)

pl., cerebella or cerebellums

(sayr-eh-BEL-ah or sayr-eh-BEL-umz)

[cereb- brain, -ell- small, -um thing]

cerebral cortex

(seh-REE-bral KOR-teks)

[cerebr- brain (cerebrum), -al relating to, cortex bark]

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

(seh-ree-broh-SPY-nal FLOO-id [see es ef])

[cerebr- brain, -spin- backbone, -al relating to]

cerebrum

(SAYR-eh-brum)

[cerebrum brain]

cholinergic fiber

(koh-lin-ER-jik FYE-ber)

[chole- bile, -erg- work, -ic relating to, fibr- thread]

choroid plexus

(KOH-royd PLEK-sus)

pl., choroid plexuses

(KOH-royd PLEK-sus-ez)

[chorio- skin, -oid like, plexus braid or network]

corpus callosum

(KOHR-pus kah-LOH-sum)

pl., corpora callosa

(KOHR-por-ah kah-LOH-sah)

[corpus body, callosum callous or tough]

cranial nerve (CN)

(KRAY-nee-al nerv [see en])

[crani- skull, -al relating to, nerv- string or nerve]

dendrite

(DEN-dryte)

[dendr- tree, -ite part (branch)]

dermatome

(DER-mah-tohm)

[derma- skin, -tome cut (segment)]

diencephalon

(dye-en-SEF-ah-lon)

[di- between, -en- within, -cephalon head]

dopamine

(DOH-pah-meen)

[dopa- amino acid, -amine ammonia]

dura mater

(DOO-rah MAH-ter)

[dura hard, mater mother]

effector

(ef-FEK-tor)

[effect- accomplish, -or agent]

efferent neuron

(EF-fer-ent NOO-ron)

[e- away, -fer- carry, -ent relating to, neur- string or nerve, -on unit]

endoneurium

(en-doh-NOO-ree-um)

[endo- inward, -neuri- nerve, -um thing]

endorphin

(en-DOR-fin)

[endo- within, -(m)orph- Morpheus (Roman god of dreams), -in substance]

enkephalin

(en-KEF-ah-lin)

[en- within, -kephalo- head, -in substance]

epineurium

(ep-ih-NOO-ree-um)

[epi- upon, -neuri- nerve, -um thing]

fascicle

(FAS-ih-kul)

[fasci- band or bundle, -cle small]

fight-or-flight response

(fyte or flyte ree-SPAHNS)

ganglion

(GANG-lee-on)

pl., ganglia

(GANG-lee-ah)

[gangli- knot, -on unit]

glia

(GLEE-ah)

sing., glial cell

(GLEE-al sel)

[glia glue]

gray matter

(gray MAT-ter)

gyri

(JYE-rye)

sing., gyrus

(JYE-rus)

[gyrus circle]

hypothalamus

(hye-poh-THAL-ah-mus)

[hypo- under or below, -thalamus inner chamber]

interneuron

(in-ter-NOO-ron)

[inter- between, -neuron nerve]

limbic system

(LIM-bik SIS-tem)

[limb- edge, -ic relating to]

medulla oblongata

(meh-DUL-ah ob-long-GAH-tah)

[medulla marrow or pith, oblongata oblong]

meninges

(meh-NIN-jeez)

sing., meninx

(meh-NINKS)

[meninx membrane]

microglia

(my-KROG-lee-ah)

sing., microglial cell

(my-KROG-lee-al sel)

[micro- small, -glia glue]

midbrain

(MID-brayn)

[mid- middle, -brain skull]

motor neuron

(MOH-ter NOO-ron)

[mot- movement, -or agent, neuron nerve]

myelin

(MY-eh-lin)

[myel- marrow, -in substance]

myelinated fiber

(MY-eh-lih-nay-ted FYE-ber)

[myel- marrow, -in- substance, -ate act of, fibr- thread]

nerve

(nerv)

[nerv- string or nerve]

neurilemma

(noo-rih-LEM-mah)

[neuri- neuron, -lemma sheath]

neuroglia

(noo-ROH-glee-ah or noo-roh-GLEE-ah)

sing., neuroglial cell

(noo-ROH-glee-al sel)

[neur- nerve, -glia glue]

neuron

(NOO-ron)

[neur- string or nerve, -on unit]

neurotransmitter

(noo-roh-trans-MIT-ter)

[neuro- nerve, -trans- across, -mitt- send, -er agent]

nitric oxide (NO)

(NYE-trik AWK-side [en oh])

[nitr- nitrogen, -ic relating to, ox- oxygen, -ide chemical]

node of Ranvier

(nohd ov rahn-vee-AY)

[nod- knot, Louis A. Ranvier French pathologist]

norepinephrine (NE)

(nor-ep-ih-NEF-rin [en ee])

[nor- chemical prefix (unbranched C chain), -epi- upon, -nephr- kidney, -ine substance]

oligodendrocyte

(ohl-ih-goh-DEN-droh-syte)

[oligo- few, -dendr- part (branch) of, -cyte cell]

parasympathetic division

(payr-ah-sim-pah-THET-ik dih-VIZH-un)

[para- beside, -sym- together, -pathe- feel, -ic relating to]

parasympathetic postganglionic neuron

(payr-ah-sim-pah-THET-ik post-gang-glee-ON-ik NOO-ron)

[para- beside, -sym- together, -pathe- feel, -ic relating to, post- after, -ganglion- knot, -ic relating to, neur- string or nerve, -on unit]

parasympathetic preganglionic neuron

(payr-ah-sim-pah-THET-ik pree-gang-glee-ON-ik NOO-ron)

[para- beside, -sym- together, -pathe- feel, -ic relating to, pre- before, -ganglion- knot, -ic relating to, neur- string or nerve, -on unit]

perineurium

(payr-ih-NOO-ree-um)

[peri- around, -neur- nerve, -um thing]

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

(peh-RIF-er-al NER-vus SIS-tem [pee en es])

[peri- around, -phera- boundary, -al relating to, nerv- nerve, -ous relating to, system organized whole]

pia mater

(PEE-ah MAH-ter)

[pia tender, mater mother]

pineal gland

(PIN-ee-al gland)

[pine- pine, -al relating to, gland acorn]

plexus

(PLEK-sus)

[plexus braid or network]

pl., plexuses

(PLEK-sus-ez)

pons

(ponz)

[pons bridge]

postganglionic neuron

(post-gang-glee-ON-ik NOO-ron)

[post- after, -ganglion- knot, -ic relating to, neuron nerve]

postsynaptic neuron

(post-sih-NAP-tik NOO-ron)

[post- after, -syn- together, -apt- join, -ic relating to, neuron nerve]

preganglionic neuron

(pree-gang-glee-ON-ik NOO-ron)

[pre- before, -ganglion- knot, -ic relating to, neuron nerve]

presynaptic neuron

(pree-sih-NAP-tik NOO-ron)

[pre- before, -syn- together, -apt- join, -ic relating to, neuron nerve]

receptor

(ree-SEP-tor)

[recept- receive, -or agent]

reflex

(REE-fleks)

[re- again, -flex bend]

reflex arc

(REE-fleks ark)

[re- back or again, -flex bend, arc curve]

reticular formation

(reh-TIK-yoo-lar for-MAY-shun)

[ret- net, -ic- relating to, -ul- little, -ar characterized by, form- shape, -ation state]

saltatory conduction

(SAL-tah-tor-ee kon-DUK-shun)

[salta- leap, -ory relating to, con- with, -duct- lead, -ion process]

Schwann cell

(shwon or shvon sell)

[Theodor Schwann German anatomist, cell storeroom]

sensory neuron

(SEN-sor-ee NOO-ron)

[sens- feel, -ory relating to, neur- string or nerve, -on unit]

serotonin

(sayr-oh-TOH-nin)

[sero- watery body fluid, -ton- tension, -in substance]

spinal nerve

(SPY-nal nerv)

[spin- backbone, -al relating to, nerv- string or nerve]

spinal tract

(SPY-nal trakt)

[spin- backbone, -al relating to, trac- course or trail]

sulci

(SUL-kye or SUL-kee)

sing., sulcus

[sulcus furrow]

sympathetic division

(sim-pah-THET-ik dih-VIZH-un)

[sym- together, -pathe- feel, -ic relating to]

sympathetic postganglionic neuron

(sim-pah-THET-ik post-gang-glee-ON-ik NOO-ron)

[sym- together, -pathe- feel, -ic relating to, post- after, -ganglion- knot, -ic relating to, neur- string or nerve, -on unit]

sympathetic preganglionic neuron

(sim-pah-THET-ik pree-gang-glee-ON-ik NOO-ron)

[sym- together, -pathe- feel, -ic relating to, pre- before, -ganglion- knot, -ic relating to, neur- string or nerve, -on unit]

synapse

(SIN-aps)

[syn- together, -aps- join]

synaptic cleft

(sin-AP-tik kleft)

[syn- together, -apt- join, -ic relating to]

synaptic knob

(sin-AP-tik nob)

[syn- together, -apt- join, -ic relating to]

thalamus

(THAL-ah-mus)

[thalamus inner chamber]

tract

(trakt)

[trac- course or trail]

ventricle

(VEN-trih-kul)

[ventr- belly, -icle little]

visceral effector

(VIS-er-al ee-FEK-tor)

[viscer- internal organ, -al relating to, effect- accomplish, -or agent]

white matter

withdrawal reflex

(with-DRAW-ul REE-fleks)

[with- away, -draw- draw, -al relating to, re- again, -flex bend]