|
GI Web Glossary |
| There are 243 entries in the glossary. | Pages: «1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 » |
|
|
| Term |
Definition |
| auditory cortex | That part of the cerebral cortex that processes sounds and produces our awareness of them. |
| | axon | The cable-like structure neurons used to send messages to other neurons. It carries the neuron's electrical message. |
| | axon terminal | The structure at the end of an axon that produces and releases chemicals (neurotransmitters) to transmit the neuron's message across the synapse to another neuron. |
| | barbiturates | Depressant drugs that produce relaxation and sleep. Barbiturates include sleeping pills such as pentobarbital (Nembutal) and secobarbital (Seconal). |
| | basal ganglia | The large, complex set of brain structures involved in generating movements, in some cognitive functions, and in some emotional and motivational activities. The basal ganglia and the cerebral cortex work together to refine movements, thoughts, and feelings. |
| | behavior | The observable activity of humans and animals. |
| | behaviorism | The study of behavior, especially using operant conditioning. |
| | benzodiazepines | The so-called "minor" tranquilizers, depressants, which relieve anxiety and produce sleep. Benzodiazepines include tranquilizers such as diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax) and sleeping pills such as flurazepam (Dalmane) and triazolam (Halcion). |
| | bind | What occurs when a neurotransmitter attaches itself to a receptor. The neurotransmitter is said to "bind" to the receptor. |
| | binge | Uninterrupted consumption of a drug for several hours or days. |
| | bolus | A concentrated amount of drug; a dose injected rapidly into a vein, a rounded mass of matter. |
| | brain | That part of the central nervous system inside our heads. Our brain is the seat of all our perceptions, thoughts, feelings and voluntary movements. |
| | brain reward system | A brain circuit that, when activated, reinforces behaviors. The circuit includes the dopamine-containing neurons of the ventral tegmental area, the nucleus accumbens, and part of the prefrontal cortex. We perceive the activation of this circuit as pleasure. |
| | brain stem | The relatively primitive brain structure that starts where our spinal cord enters our head. Neurons within the brain stem control basic functions such as heart rate and breathing. |
| | Buprenorphine | A long-lasting opiate analgesic that has both opiate agonist and antagonist properties. Buprenorphine shows promise for treating heroin addiction. |
| | caffeine | A mild stimulant, the most widely used drug in the world. |
| | cannabinoid receptor | The receptor in the brain that recognizes THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Marijuana exerts its psychoactive effects via this receptor. |
| | cannabis | The botanical name for the plant from which marijuana comes. |
| | capillaries | The smallest blood vessels. Oxygen and nutrients leave the bloodstream through capillaries to get into the body. Gases from the alveoli enter the bloodstream through capillaries in the lungs. |
| | cell body | The central structure of a neuron, which contains all of the molecular parts that keep the cell alive, generate new parts, and repair or destroy existing parts. |
| | cell membrane | The outside covering, or "skin" or a cell. Receptors and ion channels are embedded in it. |
| | cellular metabolism | The production of energy and new materials in a cell. |
| | central nervous system | The brain and spinal cord. |
| | cerebral cortex | The large, deeply folded outer layers of the brain that make our heads so big. The cortex carries out complex perceptual, cognitive, and motor tasks. |
| | China White | A designer drug that was an opiate derivative. Some batches contained a neurotoxin called MPTP, which killed neurons that make dopamine, producing symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease. |
| Special Thanks:
Addiction Studies Program - Wake Forest University School of Medicine
False Messengers: How Addictive Drugs Change the Brain by David Friedman, PhD, and Sue Rusche, Harwood Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1999. [www.addictionstudies.org]
|
