neuropathways
Neural signal highways
Neuropathways are the routes along which nerve impulses travel through the nervous system, connecting different regions of the brain or linking the brain to the body.
The term appears frequently in popular discussions of habit formation and learning—the idea that repeated actions strengthen certain pathways: Building new neuropathways takes consistent practice.
Also spelled as two words: neural pathways.
Neuron's signal-sending projection
- dendriteNeuron's input branch
- synapseNerve signal crossing point
- myelinNerve fiber insulation
- cortexOrgan's external tissue
hippocampus · amygdala · cerebellum · brainstem · cerebrum · glia · ganglion · gyrus
Synaptic chemical messenger
- impulseSudden urge to act
- electrochemicalInvolving electricity and chemistry
- depolarizationLoss of electrical gradient
- repolarizationMembrane voltage reset
receptor · vesicle · glutamate · GABA · dopamine · serotonin · acetylcholine · excitatory
Brain's self-rewiring ability
- rewiringReplacing electrical connections
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
- neurogenesisNew nerve cell formation
recovery · rehabilitation · remapping · strengthening · weakening · reconsolidation
Progressive loss of neurons
- Alzheimer'sDegenerative brain disease
- Parkinson'sNeurodegenerative motor disorder
- dementiaChronic cognitive impairment
- lesionArea of pathological change
stroke · trauma · disruption · damage · impairment · dysfunction · atrophy · plaque
axon
Neuron's signal-sending projection
cortex · hippocampus · amygdala · cerebellum · brainstem · cerebrum · glia · ganglion · gyrus · sulcus
neurotransmitter
Synaptic chemical messenger
- impulseSudden urge to act
- electrochemicalInvolving electricity and chemistry
- depolarizationLoss of electrical gradient
repolarization · receptor · vesicle · glutamate · GABA · dopamine · serotonin · acetylcholine · excitatory · inhibitory
neuroplasticity
Brain's self-rewiring ability
- rewiringReplacing electrical connections
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
neurogenesis · recovery · rehabilitation · remapping · strengthening · weakening · reconsolidation
neurodegeneration
Progressive loss of neurons
- Alzheimer'sDegenerative brain disease
- Parkinson'sNeurodegenerative motor disorder
- dementiaChronic cognitive impairment
lesion · stroke · trauma · disruption · damage · impairment · dysfunction · atrophy · plaque · inflammation
neuropathwaysblood vessels
Tubes carrying circulating fluid
vasculature · circulatory system · lymphatic vessels · airways · cardiovascular system
neuro, pathway, pathways, neuron, neurons, neuronal, neural, neurological, neurology