Brain and behaviour, the environment of the neuron. Synapse.

In the first lecture, we will focus on the basic organization of the human nervous system (NS) and its simplified anatomy. We will describe the cellular components of NS and their functions, barriers in NS, and mechanisms of intercellular communication. We will also describe neurotransmitters, their categories and functions.

Basic terms:

Homeostasis, behaviour; grey matter, white matter, pathways, nuclei, hemispheres, lobes – frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal; neuron – dendrites, body, axon, synaptic terminals; glial cells – oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, microglial cells, Schwann cells; myelin; meninges – dura mater, arachnoid membrane, pia mater, subdural space, subarachnoid space; cerebrospinal fluid; choroid plexus; blood-brain (hematoencephalic) barrier, blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier;  synapse – presynaptic cell, synaptic cleft, postsynaptic cell; synaptic delay, unidirectional conduction; dendritic spines; chemical transmission steps; neurotransmitters – excitatory (glutamate), inhibitory (GABA), modulatory (serotonin, dopamine, noradrenalin, acetylcholine, histamine); receptors – ionotropic, metabotropic; receptors - presynaptic, postsynaptic.

Basic anatomical terminology of the brain.

frontal gyrus - superior, middle, inferior

temporal gyrus - superior, middle, inferior

precentral and postcentral gyrus

central sulcus, lateral sulcus

parahippocampal gyrus, cingulate gyrus

angular and supramarginal gyrus

frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes

brainstem – midbrain, pons and medulla

hypothalamus, thalamus, basal ganglia, cerebellum

hippocampus, amygdala

insula

dorso-, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex

dorso-, ventromedial prefrontal cortex

orbitofrontal cortex

primary motor cortex, premotor cortex, supplementary motor area,

somatosensory cortex

primary and secondary visual cortex

primary and secondary auditory cortex