Neuroscience Vocabulary

noun harm or injury to the brain

• The patient suffered from severe brain damage after the car accident.
• He got brain damage from hitting his head on the pavement.
• Dude, don't do that stunt again, you could end up with some serious brain damage!
• The misinformation campaign caused irreparable brain damage to the public's perception of the issue.

noun an organ of soft nervous tissue contained in the skull of vertebrates, functioning as the coordinating center of sensation and intellectual and nervous activity

• The brain is the most complex organ in the human body.
• I need to use my brain to solve this puzzle.
• I totally fried my brain studying for that exam.
• She has a sharp brain for business.

adjective relating to or situated near or toward the tail or the posterior part of the body

• The caudal fin is located at the back end of a fish's body.
• The fish's tail is also known as the caudal fin.
• Check out the cool caudal fin on that fish!
• The caudal region of the city is known for its historical landmarks.

noun a large part of the brain located at the back of the skull, responsible for coordinating movement and balance

• The cerebellum is responsible for coordinating voluntary movements.
• I heard that the cerebellum helps with balance and coordination.
• Dude, my cerebellum is working overtime trying to keep me from falling over!
• Her cerebellum was on high alert as she navigated through the crowded room.

adjective relating to the brain or intellectual rather than physical activity

• The patient suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage.
• She's known for her cerebral approach to problem-solving.
• I can't hang out tonight, I have a cerebral overload from studying.
• His writing style is very cerebral, often delving into deep philosophical concepts.

noun the largest part of the brain, responsible for voluntary movement, sensory perception, and higher functions such as reasoning and memory

• The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and is responsible for higher brain functions such as thought and action.
• I heard that hitting your head can damage your cerebrum and affect your memory.
• Dude, my cerebrum is fried after that intense study session.
• Her cerebrum was working overtime trying to come up with a solution to the problem.

noun a person who is compelled or forced to do something

verb to compel or force someone to do something

• The two organizations decided to coact on the project to maximize their resources.
• Let's coact with the other team to get this done faster.
• We should totally coact with them to make this happen.
• The different elements of the dish coact to create a harmonious flavor profile.

noun a punctuation mark (,) indicating a pause between parts of a sentence or separating items in a list

• The patient remained in a coma for several weeks after the accident.
• I heard that she was in a coma for a while, but thankfully she's awake now.
• Dude, I was in a coma after that party last night.
• The economy has been in a coma for the past few months, but it's finally starting to show signs of improvement.

verb to suffer violent involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles

• The patient began to convulse uncontrollably after being administered the wrong medication.
• I freaked out when I saw him convulse like that.
• She started convulsing out of nowhere and it was scary.
• The news of the scandal caused the company's stock to convulse wildly.

noun the process of deteriorating or declining in quality, strength, or condition

• The doctor diagnosed the patient with spinal degeneration.
• My grandma's knees are really hurting her because of the degeneration.
• I heard that sitting too much can cause back degeneration.
• The political party blamed the country's problems on the degeneration of moral values.

adjective relating to or situated on the back or upper side of an animal or organ

• The dorsal fin of the shark helps with its stability in the water.
• I saw a cool tattoo of a dorsal fin on someone at the beach.
• That new car has some serious dorsal power under the hood.
• His dorsal strength in negotiations helped him secure a better deal.

noun a person who has epilepsy

adjective relating to or suffering from epilepsy

• The doctor prescribed medication to control the epileptic seizures.
• My friend has an epileptic condition and needs to take regular medication.
• Some people mistakenly believe that flashing lights can trigger a seizure in epileptics.
• The stock market experienced an epileptic surge in trading volume.

noun a weather system characterized by a large, warm air mass and a cold air mass meeting

adjective relating to the forehead or the front part of something

• The frontal lobe is responsible for decision making and problem solving.
• She got a frontal lobotomy to treat her severe mental illness.
• I can't believe he went full frontal during the performance!
• The company's new marketing strategy is a frontal assault on their competitors.

noun a term used to refer to the brain and spinal cord, especially with regard to higher functions such as thought and memory

• Gray matter is the darker tissue of the brain and spinal cord, consisting mainly of nerve cell bodies and branching dendrites.
• Scientists study the gray matter of the brain to understand how it functions.
• I need to work on exercising my gray matter more by doing puzzles and brain teasers.
• Reading books and engaging in deep conversations helps to exercise our gray matter and keep our minds sharp.

noun a device or substance placed inside the body for medical purposes

verb to insert or embed something into something else

• The surgeon carefully inserted the dental implant into the patient's jawbone.
• I heard she's getting an implant to fix her missing tooth.
• I can't believe she got implants, her teeth look so perfect now.
• The new policy seemed to implant a sense of distrust among the employees.

noun a sudden strong and unreflective urge or desire to act

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• She struggled to control her impulse to buy the expensive handbag.
• I couldn't resist the impulse to splurge on new shoes.
• I had a sudden impulse to ditch class and go to the beach.
• His impulse to speak out against injustice was strong, despite the risks involved.

adjective not easily excited or disturbed

• The scientist remained inexcitable even in the face of groundbreaking discoveries.
• She's so inexcitable, nothing seems to faze her.
• My friend is totally inexcitable, he never gets worked up about anything.
• The old oak tree stood inexcitable against the raging storm.

noun a measure of a person's intelligence as indicated by an intelligence test

• The intelligence quotient is a measure of a person's cognitive abilities.
• My IQ score is pretty high, I guess I'm pretty smart.
• She's got a high IQ, she's a real brainiac.
• His emotional intelligence quotient is off the charts, he's very in tune with others' feelings.

adverb Involuntarily is an adverb that describes an action done without conscious control or intention.

• She involuntarily flinched at the sudden loud noise.
• He involuntarily jumped when the spider crawled on his arm.
• I involuntarily bailed on the plans because I wasn't feeling well.
• The news hit him so hard that he involuntarily recoiled in shock.

noun the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught

• The process of learning a new language can be challenging but rewarding.
• I love learning new skills through online tutorials.
• Learning to code is a piece of cake once you get the hang of it.
• Life is a continuous journey of learning and self-improvement.

noun a threshold or boundary between two states or conditions

• The limen is the threshold at which a stimulus is detected by a sensory system.
• I always feel like I'm on the limen between awake and asleep during early morning classes.
• I can never seem to find my limen when it comes to deciding what to wear to a party.
• The limen of success can sometimes be reached through perseverance and hard work.

noun a condition in which a part of the body is abnormally formed or shaped

• The doctor diagnosed the baby with a congenital malformation.
• The baby was born with a malformation that will require surgery.
• That's a weird malformation on your arm, dude.
• The malformation in the data caused the entire system to crash.

noun a complex and confusing network of passages or paths, typically designed as a puzzle

• The hedge maze in the garden is a popular attraction for visitors.
• Let's try to find our way out of this corn maze before it gets dark.
• I feel like I'm stuck in a maze trying to navigate through this paperwork.
• Her mind was like a maze, full of twists and turns that were difficult to understand.

noun the part of a computer in which data or program instructions can be stored for retrieval

• The study aimed to investigate the effects of aging on memory function.
• I have a vivid memory of our trip to the beach last summer.
• My memory is so bad, I always forget where I put my keys.
• The old house held many memories within its walls.

noun a recurrent throbbing headache that typically affects one side of the head and is often accompanied by nausea and disturbed vision

• She was unable to attend the meeting due to a severe migraine.
• I can't come out tonight, I have a killer migraine.
• I feel like my head is going to explode with this migraine.
• Dealing with that difficult client was a real migraine for the team.

noun a lens or eyepiece for the eye

adjective relating to the eyes or vision

• The doctor conducted an ocular examination to assess the patient's vision.
• I need to get my oculars checked soon; I've been having trouble reading small print.
• Check out these cool new oculars I just bought for the concert!
• His ocular observations revealed the truth behind the mystery.

noun a person who operates a machine or device

adjective relating to or functioning as an operand

• The psychologist explained the concept of an operant to the students in the behavior analysis class.
• I heard that using operants in training your dog can be really effective.
• Dude, you gotta try using operants when teaching your cat new tricks.
• In life, our choices and actions can be seen as operants that shape our future.

noun a fundamental psychological concept introduced by Sigmund Freud, which suggests that people seek pleasure and avoid pain in their behaviors and decision-making

• Freud's pleasure principle posits that individuals seek pleasure and avoid pain in their pursuit of happiness.
• According to the pleasure principle, we naturally gravitate towards activities that bring us joy.
• The pleasure principle is all about doing what feels good and avoiding what doesn't.
• Living by the pleasure principle means prioritizing your own happiness above all else.

adjective describing a structure with a complex network of interconnected parts

• The plexiform layer of the retina is responsible for processing visual information.
• The plexiform layer looks like a tangled web of neural connections.
• I got lost in the plexiform maze of wires behind my computer.
• Her thoughts were plexiform, branching out in all directions.

noun a mental state that exists before conscious awareness

adjective relating to or existing in the mind before conscious awareness

• The preconscious mind is responsible for storing information that is readily available for recall.
• Sometimes our preconscious thoughts can influence our actions without us even realizing it.
• I swear, my preconscious mind is always looking out for me, like a silent guardian.
• His preconscious desires bubbled to the surface in the form of vivid dreams.

adjective relating to or resembling a net or network; having a reticulated pattern

• The reticular formation is a network of nerve pathways in the brainstem involved in regulating consciousness and sleep.
• The reticular pattern on this fabric is really intricate and detailed.
• I can't believe she reticulated her hair, it looks so cool!
• The reticular structure of society is complex and interconnected, much like a web.

noun The act of deceiving oneself or the state of being deceived by oneself.

• Self-deception is a psychological defense mechanism in which an individual denies or distorts reality to protect their ego.
• Stop with the self-deception and face the truth about your situation.
• Don't fool yourself with self-deception, you know what's really going on.
• His self-deception was like wearing blinders, unable to see the truth right in front of him.

verb to encourage or arouse interest or enthusiasm in someone or something

• The new government policy aims to stimulate economic growth through various incentives.
• Drinking coffee in the morning can really stimulate your brain and help you wake up.
• Listening to upbeat music can really stimulate your vibe and get you in a good mood.
• Reading a good book can stimulate your imagination and take you to different worlds.

noun something that incites to action or exertion or quickens action, feeling, thought, etc.

• The research study aimed to measure the response to auditory stimulus in infants.
• When I hear my favorite song, it's like a stimulus for me to start dancing.
• The loud music was such a stimulus for the party last night.
• The challenging obstacle course served as a stimulus for the team to work together and overcome it.

verb to mark with striae or grooves

adjective having striae or grooves

• The striate cortex is responsible for processing visual information in the brain.
• The striate pattern on her dress looked really nice.
• I'm going to striate my hair before the party tonight.
• His words seemed to striate her heart, leaving her feeling raw and exposed.

noun the part of the mind that operates below the level of conscious awareness

adjective existing or operating in the mind beneath or beyond conscious awareness

• The subconscious mind is responsible for storing memories and controlling automatic bodily functions.
• Sometimes our subconscious thoughts can influence our behavior without us even realizing it.
• I swear my subconscious is always looking out for me, like when I randomly remember where I left my keys.
• His fear of failure was deeply rooted in his subconscious, holding him back from taking risks.

verb to be helpful or useful to achieve a particular purpose

• The primary goal of this project is to subserve the needs of the community.
• The main aim of this project is to serve the community's needs.
• This project is all about helping out the community.
• The project acts as a foundation to support the community's requirements.

noun a grammatical category used to indicate time

adjective relating to time or temporary

• The study of temporal patterns in weather data is crucial for predicting climate change.
• I always struggle to keep up with temporal differences when traveling to different time zones.
• I'm so over this temporal drama with my ex, I just want to move on.
• His paintings often depict a surreal world where temporal boundaries are blurred.

noun a state of being unconscious; the unconscious mind

adjective not conscious; not aware of one's surroundings; lacking awareness or perception

• The patient remained unconscious after the surgery.
• He was knocked unconscious during the fight.
• She got so drunk last night, she was totally unconscious.
• His ignorance of the situation left him unconscious to the potential consequences.

noun a small bladder-like cell or cavity

• The cell transported molecules in a vesicle to the Golgi apparatus for processing.
• The cell carried stuff in a vesicle to the Golgi for processing.
• The cell hauled things in a vesicle to the Golgi for some work.
• Her emotions were like a vesicle, carrying memories to be processed in her mind.

noun a conscious choice or decision

• She made the decision to pursue further education of her own volition.
• He chose to go on the trip on his own volition.
• I did that on my own volition, nobody forced me.
• The wind seemed to blow of its own volition, as if it had a mind of its own.

noun a nerve or group of nerves

• The doctor explained that the patient's nervo system was highly sensitive.
• I always get nervo before giving a presentation.
• Don't be so nervo about asking her out, just go for it!
• His words cut through her like a sharp nervo blade.

noun a noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'cognitive bias' is a noun that refers to a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, whereby inferences about other people and situations may be d

• The research study aimed to analyze the impact of cognitive bias on decision-making processes.
• Sometimes our cognitive biases can lead us to make irrational choices without even realizing it.
• I know it's hard to see things clearly when your cognitive bias is clouding your judgment.
• His cognitive bias acted like a pair of tinted glasses, coloring his perception of reality.

noun something that excites or stimulates

• The excitation of the electrons in the atom leads to the emission of light.
• The excitation of the crowd at the concert was palpable.
• The excitation of the party was off the charts.
• Her excitation about the upcoming trip was contagious.

noun a type of protein that plays a role in regulating cellular processes such as aging and metabolism

• Sirtuins are a class of proteins that play a key role in regulating cellular processes.
• I read an article about sirtuins and how they can impact aging.
• Have you heard about those sirtuin things? They're supposed to be like the fountain of youth or something.
• Sirtuins are like the gatekeepers of our cells, making sure everything runs smoothly.

noun a small, precise amount of a substance, especially a drug, that is intended to produce a specific effect

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• Some people believe that a microdose of certain substances can have therapeutic effects.
• I heard that taking a microdose of mushrooms can enhance your creativity.
• I'm thinking about microdosing LSD to see if it helps with my anxiety.
• She took a microdose of courage before giving her presentation.

adjective relating to or affecting the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as biting and chewing

• The trigeminal nerve is the fifth cranial nerve responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as chewing.
• My trigeminal nerve is acting up again, causing sharp pains in my jaw.
• I can't eat anything too crunchy right now, my trigeminal nerve is on fire.
• The trigeminal nerve of the operation is the team leader, coordinating all the different aspects of the project.

noun a type of monkey found in Asia and Africa, typically having a short tail and cheek pouches for holding food

• The macaque is a type of monkey found in various parts of Asia.
• I saw a group of macaques playing by the river.
• That macaque stole my sandwich when I wasn't looking!
• The politician was compared to a macaque for his erratic behavior.

noun a type of long-term memory that involves the recall of specific events, often with great detail and accuracy

• The concept of flashbulb memory refers to a highly detailed, exceptionally vivid 'snapshot' of the moment and circumstances in which a piece of surprising and consequential news was heard.
• I can still remember that day like it was yesterday, it's like a flashbulb memory in my mind.
• That moment is etched in my brain like a flashbulb memory.
• The memory of that event is like a flashbulb that never stops flashing in my mind.

noun a field of neuroscience and biomedical engineering that involves developing prostheses controlled by neural signals from the brain

• Neuroprosthetics are devices that can help restore or enhance the function of the nervous system.
• I heard they're working on some cool new neuroprosthetics that can help people with paralysis.
• Check out these high-tech brain gadgets - they're like neuroprosthetics for your noggin!
• Using neuroprosthetics is like giving your brain a technological upgrade.

adjective relating to or affected by neuralgia, which is a sharp, sudden, intense pain along a nerve or group of nerves

• The patient complained of neuralgic pain in their lower back.
• I've been dealing with this neuralgic pain for weeks now.
• That neuralgic pain is a real pain in the neck.
• The neuralgic issue in our project has been causing delays.

verb to learn something to an excessive or unnecessary degree

• It is important for students to not overlearn information and instead focus on understanding the concepts.
• Don't stress yourself out by trying to overlearn everything for the exam.
• Dude, you don't need to overlearn this stuff, just chill and you'll be fine.
• Sometimes we tend to overlearn our mistakes, preventing us from moving forward.

adjective relating to or situated on or close to the abdomen; abdominal

• The ventral side of the fish is typically lighter in color than the dorsal side.
• I think I saw a weird mark on the ventral part of the car.
• Check out the cool design on the ventral side of that skateboard!
• She always keeps her emotions hidden on the ventral side, but you can tell she's hurting inside.

noun a branch of surgery that deals with the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord

• Neurosurgery is a medical specialty that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system.
• My cousin is studying neurosurgery and hopes to become a neurosurgeon one day.
• I heard that neurosurgery is no joke, it's some serious brain surgery stuff.
• Navigating through the complexities of neurosurgery is like trying to untangle a web of intricate connections in the brain.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

• The scientist presented a detailed afollowgy of the experiment results.
• I couldn't understand the afollowgy of that lecture at all.
• I skipped the afollowgy part of the book because it was too boring.
• Her explanation was like an intricate afollowgy of interconnected ideas.

noun a catchy song or tune that runs continually through a person's mind

• The catchy jingle from the advertisement has become an earworm that I can't seem to get out of my head.
• That song is such an earworm, it's been stuck in my head all day.
• I've had this earworm playing on repeat in my mind for hours.
• The idea of going on a vacation has become an earworm, constantly nagging at the back of my mind.

adjective relating to or designating organisms that lack a distinct head or have a head that is not easily recognizable

• The new medication is an acephaline drug designed to target headaches at the source.
• I heard that acephaline pills work wonders for migraines.
• I need to pop an acephaline pill to get rid of this pounding headache.
• Her mind felt clear and focused after taking the acephaline medication.

adjective relating to or characteristic of the adenohypophysis, which is the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland

• The adenohypophysial gland is responsible for secreting various hormones in the body.
• I heard the adenohypophysial gland plays a big role in hormone regulation.
• That adenohypophysial thingy is all about hormones, right?
• Her adenohypophysial power was evident in her ability to control her emotions.

noun a nucleoside consisting of adenine and ribose, found in RNA and other nucleic acids

• Adenosine is a nucleoside that plays a crucial role in various biochemical processes in the body.
• I read that adenosine is important for energy production in our cells.
• Yo, have you heard about adenosine? It's like the MVP of cellular energy.
• Adenosine is like the conductor of an orchestra, coordinating all the different players in our body's functions.

adverb relating to or resembling the effect of adrenaline or other substances that mimic the actions of the sympathetic nervous system

• The medication works adrenergically to increase heart rate and blood pressure.
• When you're feeling anxious, your body reacts adrenergically by releasing adrenaline.
• I heard that energy drinks can really get you going adrenergically.
• His speech was delivered adrenergically, with passion and intensity.

noun the act of paying attention or noticing something

• The researcher's keen advertence to detail allowed them to uncover significant patterns in the data.
• Pay closer advertence to the instructions next time so you don't make the same mistake.
• I didn't have enough advertence to realize the consequences of my actions.
• Her advertence to the subtle nuances of the painting revealed its hidden meaning.

noun a protein found in certain jellyfish that emits light when it binds with calcium ions

• Aequorin is a photoprotein found in certain jellyfish species that emits blue light when bound to calcium ions.
• I heard aequorin is what makes jellyfish glow in the dark.
• Yo, did you see that jellyfish? It's like they got some aequorin magic going on.
• Her smile lit up the room like aequorin in the deep sea.

noun aesthesio- is a combining form used in medicine to indicate a relationship to sensation or perception, particularly in terms of the nervous system.

verb There is no applicable verb for 'aesthesio-'.

adjective There is no applicable adjective for 'aesthesio-'.

adverb There is no applicable adverb for 'aesthesio-'.

pronoun There is no applicable pronoun for 'aesthesio-'.

preposition There is no applicable preposition for 'aesthesio-'.

conjunction There is no applicable conjunction for 'aesthesio-'.

interjection There is no applicable interjection for 'aesthesio-'.

article There is no applicable article for 'aesthesio-'.

• The patient experienced aesthesio- symptoms after the surgery.
• I can't feel my leg, it's like aesthesio- or something.
• My arm went all aesthesio- after I lifted those heavy boxes.
• The music was so beautiful, it felt like aesthesio- for my ears.

noun visual images that persist after a stimulus has been removed

adjective describing the images that are seen after looking at a bright light or intense stimulus

• Afterimages are visual perceptions that remain in the eyes after staring at a bright light.
• I keep seeing afterimages of the sun after staring at it for too long.
• Those afterimages are tripping me out, man.
• The memories of her laughter lingered in his mind like afterimages.

noun a lasting effect or feeling that occurs after an event or experience

• The afterimpression of the artwork left a lasting impact on the viewers.
• I couldn't shake off the afterimpression of that movie for days.
• The afterimpression of the party was wild, we had a blast!
• The afterimpression of her words lingered in the air long after she had left.