Nervous System - , the bodily system that is made up of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, ganglia, and parts of the receptor organs.

sense organ - , a body part that has special nerve cells that gathers information about the surroundings.

nerve cell - , a cell that gathers and carries information in the body.

neuron - , a nerve cell.

central nervous system - , part of the nervous system that consists of the brain and the spinal cord.

peripheral nervous system - , part of the nervous system that connects the central nervous system with all other parts of the body.

cerebrum - , the part of the brain that controls thinking and voluntary movements and receives information from the senses.

cerebellum - , the part of the brain that coordinates movements and helps maintain balance.

brain stem - , the part of the brain that controls involuntary actions, such as breathing; connects the brain to the spinal cord.

hypothalamus - , the part of the brain that controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, and emotions.

spinal cord - , bundle of neurons that carries messages back and forth between the brain and the spinal cord.

sensory receptor - , a cell within the PNS that gathers information from the environment.

dendrite - , the part of a neuron that collects information from other neurons.

nerve impulse - , a message that travels from the dendrite of a neuron to the axon.

axon - , the part of a neuron that carries messages away from the cell body.

synapse - , the gap between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another one.

sensory neuron - , a nerve cell in the PNS that carries information from sensory receptors to the CNS.

motor neuron - , a nerve cell in the PNS that carries information from the CNS to muscles and organs.

retina - , an area at the back of the eye that contains sensory receptors for light.