Stroke and Migraine
KEY CONCEPTS Print Section Listen Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted and the areas of brain deprived of oxygen die. This can be caused by obstruction…
Seizure Disorders
KEY CONCEPTS Print Section Listen A seizure is caused by the abnormal synchronous firing of large ensembles of neurons. Epilepsy refers to any neurologic disorder that is characterized by recurrent…
Higher Cognitive Function and Behavioral Control
KEY CONCEPTS Print Section Listen Executive function, the cognitive control of behavior, depends on the prefrontal cortex, which is extensively developed in higher primates and especially humans. Working memory is…
Neural and Neuroendocrine Control of the Internal Milieu
KEY CONCEPTS Print Section Listen Hormones are signaling molecules that reach their target cells via the bloodstream. The hypothalamus is the key regulator of the endocrine system by releasing hormones…
Sleep and Arousal
KEY CONCEPTS Print Section Listen Both sleep and arousal are active processes mediated by specific brain regions and neurotransmitter systems. Sleep can be divided into two phases, nonrapid eye movement…
Mood and Emotion
KEY CONCEPTS Print Section Listen Emotions activate physiologic, cognitive, and behavioral outputs that facilitate adaptive responses to salient external and internal stimuli. A crucial emotion, important in several mental disorders,…
Autonomic Nervous System
KEY CONCEPTS Print Section Listen The autonomic nervous system plays a central role in maintaining homeostasis and regulates almost every organ system in the body. The major functional divisions are…
Widely Projecting Systems: Monoamines, Acetylcholine, and Orexin
KEY CONCEPTS Print Section Listen The monoamine neurotransmitters (dopamine [DA], norepinephrine [NE], epinephrine, serotonin, and histamine), the related small molecule neurotransmitter, acetylcholine (ACh), and the neuropeptides, orexin A and B,…
Cellular Basis of Communication
KEY CONCEPTS Print Section Listen Neurons are the principal cells in the brain that process information. There is a great diversity of neuronal cell types based on morphology, chemistry, location,…
