Knowra Human brain Human brain The central organ of the human nervous system, integrating sensory information and coordinating thought, emotion, memory, movement, and bodily regulation.
Cerebral cortex : The layered outer tissue of the cerebrum, involved in perception, voluntary action, language, and higher cognition. Its specialized areas support many functions associated with the human brain.
Action potential : A rapid, regenerative change in a cell’s membrane voltage that carries signals along excitable cells. Neurons use action potentials to transmit signals over distance.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging : An imaging method that estimates brain activity by measuring changes in blood oxygenation and flow. It maps activity associated with tasks without directly measuring neural firing.
Chimpanzee brain : The brain of a chimpanzee, a close living evolutionary relative of humans. Its similarities and differences help identify changes in human brain evolution.
Consciousness : The state of having subjective experience, including awareness of sensations, thoughts, and surroundings. How brain activity produces subjective experience remains unexplained.
Hippocampus : A medial temporal-lobe structure essential for forming episodic memories and supporting spatial navigation. It helps explain how the brain creates new memories.
Chemical synapse : A junction where one cell releases neurotransmitters that alter the activity of another cell. Synapses let brain cells pass signals and adjust circuit strength.
Electroencephalography : A method that records electrical voltage fluctuations from electrodes placed on the scalp. It tracks brain activity with millisecond-scale timing.
Human neocortex : The extensive, layered outer region of the human cerebrum, associated with complex perception and cognition. Its expansion is a prominent feature distinguishing human brain anatomy.
Neural correlates of consciousness : The minimal neural processes that reliably accompany a particular conscious experience. Identifying these processes helps distinguish brain activity linked to awareness.
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