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- Glossary
Broca's area
An area of the prefrontal cortex (cerebral cortex) that is usually located in the left hemisphere. Plays a key role in the motor production of speech. First described by French neurologist Paul Pierre Broca in 1861.
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- Glossary
Brodmann area
As early as 1909, neuroanatomist Korbinian Brodmann divided the cerebral cortex into different areas. He did this based on histological criteria, distinguishing these areas according to their cellular structure. It later became apparent that these different structures of the cortex are often associated with different specializations.
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- Glossary
Olfactory bulb
The anterior part of the brain that transmits information from the olfactory nerves to the olfactory brain (rhinencephalon) after initial processing via the olfactory tract.
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- Glossary
Caenorhabditis elegans
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a well-known and popular model organism in genetics. This is not least because each adult animal has exactly 1031 cell nuclei and its nervous system consists of exactly 302 nerve cells. It is only about a millimeter long and lives in the soil in temperate zones.
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- Glossary
cAMP
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate is produced from ATP by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase. It is a second messenger in intracellular signal transduction. In particular, it serves to activate protein kinase A. These trigger the activation of enzymes and genes.
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- Glossary
Cannon-Bard theory
An emotion theory developed by Walter Cannon and Philip Bard in 1927/1928 which, in contrast to the James-Lange theory of 1884/85, assumes that emotions are independent of emotional expression and arise through the thalamus. This means that when there is a loud bang, the subjective feeling of fear occurs in parallel with trembling or a racing heart, not as a result of each other. It is also known as the "thalamic theory of emotion."
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- Glossary
Capgras syndrome
Perceptual disorder in which loved ones – e.g., parents or children – are perceived as "not real." Patients often assume that they have been replaced by doppelgangers or robots.
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Cerebellum
The cerebellum is an important part of the brain, located at the back of the brain stem and below the occipital lobe. It consists of two cerebellar hemispheres covered by the cerebellar cortex and plays an important role in motor processes, among other things. It develops from the rhombencephalon.
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- Glossary
Cerebrospinal fluid
A clear fluid that fills the ventricular system and bathes the brain and spinal cord in the subarachnoid space, protecting them from impact. Three to five times a day, 100 to 160 ml of fluid is renewed by the choroid plexus. Certain diseases are reflected in the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid.
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- Glossary
CGRP
The abbreviation stands for calcitonin gene-related peptide. It refers to a messenger substance in the nervous system that consists of 37 amino acids. CGRP is produced in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. The peptide dilates the blood vessels. Migraine patients often have elevated CGRP levels. The effect of CGRP is of interest for other diseases, such as circulatory disorders or coronary heart disease.
