Term
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Definition
| the balanced functioning of physiological processes and maintenance of an organism's internal environment within a narrow range |
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Term
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Definition
| a hypothalamic region that lies most medially, bordering the third ventricle |
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Term
| magnocellular neurosecretory cell |
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Definition
| a large neuron of the periventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus that projects to the posterior pituitary and secretes oxytocin or vasopressin into the blood |
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Term
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Definition
| a hormone released by neurons into the bloodstream |
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Definition
| a small peptide hormone released from the posterior pituitary by magnocellular neurosecretory cells; stimulates uterine contractions and milk letdown from the mammary glands |
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Term
| vasopressin or antidiuretic hormone (ADH) |
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Definition
| a small peptide hormone released from the posterior pituitary by magnocellular neurosecretory cells; promotes water retention and decreased urine production by the kidney |
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Term
| parvocellular neurosecretory cell |
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Definition
| a small neuron of the medial and periventricular hypothalamus that secretes hypophysiotropic peptide hormones into the hypothalamo-pituitary portal circulation to stimulate or inhibit the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary |
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Term
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Definition
| a peptide hormone, such as corticotropin-releasing hormone or gonadotropin-releasing hormone, released into the blood by the parvocellular neurosecretory cells of the hypothalamus; stimulates or inhibits the secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary |
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Term
| hypothalamo-pituitary portal circulation |
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Definition
| a system of blood vessels that carries hypophysiotropic hormones from the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary |
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Term
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Definition
| the outer segment of the adrenal gland; releases cortisol when stimulated by the pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone |
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Term
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Definition
| the inner segment of the adrenal gland, innervated by preganglionic sympathetic fibers; releases epinephrine |
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Term
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Definition
| a steroid hormone released by the adrenal cortex; mobilizes energy reserves, suppresses the immune system and has direct actions on some CNS neurons |
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Term
| autonomic nervous system (ANS) |
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Definition
| a system of central and peripheral nerves that innervates the internal organs, cardiovsdcular system and glands; also called visceral PNS; consists of sympathetic, parasympathetic and enteric divisions |
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Term
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Definition
| a division of the ANS that in fight-or-flight situations activates physiological responses, including increased heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and energy mobilization and decreased digestive and reproductive functions; its peripheral axons emerge from the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord |
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Term
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Definition
| a division of the ANS that maintains heart rate and respiratory, metabolic and digestive functions under normal conditions; its peripheral axons emerge from the brain stem and sacral spinal cord |
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Term
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Definition
| peripheral ganglia of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisons of the autonomic nervous system |
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Term
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Definition
| a peripheral neuron of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the ANS; its cell body lies in the autonomic ganglia, and its axons terminate on peripheral organs and tissues |
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Term
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Definition
| a neuron of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the ANS; its cell body lies in the CNS (spinal cord or brain stem), and its axons extend peripherally to synapse on postganglionic neurons in the autonomic ganglia |
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Term
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Definition
| a series of interconnected sympathetic ganglia of the ANS, adjacent to the vertebral column, that receive input from preganglionic sympathetic fibers and project postganglionic fibers to target organs and tissues |
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Definition
| a division of the ANS that innervates the digestive organs; consists of the myenteric and submucous plexuses |
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Term
| nucleus of the solitary tract |
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Definition
| a brain stem nucleus that receives sensory input and uses it to coordinate autonomic funtion via its outputs to other brain stem and forebrain nuclei and to the hypothalamus |
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Term
| diffuse modulatory system |
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Definition
| one of several systems of CNS neurons that project widely and diffusely onto large areas of the brain and use modulatory neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin and acetylcholine |
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Term
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Definition
| a small nucleus located bilaterally in the pons; using NE as their neurotransmitter, its neurons project widely on all levels of the CNS |
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Term
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Definition
| clusters of serotonergic neurons that lie along the midline of the brain stem from the midbrain to the medulla and project diffusely upon all levels of the CNS |
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Term
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Definition
| several cholinergic nuclei of the telencephalon, including the medial septal nuclei and basal nucleus of Meynert |
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