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- Glossary
Ammon's horn
Part of the cerebrum, specifically the front end of the hippocampus. The Cornu Ammonis is divided into fields CA1 to CA4. It owes its name to its shape, which resembles the horn of an ammon sheep.
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- Glossary
Mamillary bodies
Two structures of the posterior thalamus (largest part of the diencephalon). Due to their similarity to the female breast, they are also called mammillary bodies. They are located at the front end of the fornix and are attributed to the limbic system.
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- Glossary
Corpus callosum
As the largest commissure (connection in the brain), the corpus callosum connects the two cerebral hemispheres. It consists of 200-250 million nerve fibers and serves to exchange information.
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- Glossary
Lateral geniculate body
The lateral geniculate nucleus is the section of the thalamus (the largest part of the diencephalon) where around 90% of the optic nerve axons terminate. It has a characteristic stratification into six cell layers. The nerve cells of the lateral geniculate nucleus send their projections to the visual cortex. Together with the medial geniculate nucleus, it forms the metathalamus.
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- Glossary
Medial geniculate body
The medial geniculate body (medial geniculate nucleus) is a nucleus of the thalamus (the largest part of the diencephalon). As the central switching point of the auditory pathway, it transmits impulses from the inferior colliculus to the auditory radiation. Together with the lateral geniculate body, it forms the metathalamus.
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- Glossary
Cortex
Cortex refers to a collection of neurons, typically in the form of a thin surface. However, it usually refers to the cerebral cortex, the outermost layer of the cerebrum. It is 2.5 mm to 5 mm thick and rich in nerve cells. The cerebral cortex is heavily folded, comparable to a handkerchief in a cup. This creates numerous convolutions (gyri), fissures (fissurae), and sulci. Unfolded, the surface area of the cortex is approximately 1,800cm².
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- Glossary
Corti’s organ
The organ of Corti is part of the cochlea (hearing organ) in the inner ear. Here, sound waves are picked up by hair cells and converted into nerve impulses.
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- Glossary
Cortical cell layers
The cortical cell layers form the structure of the cerebral cortex and cerebellar cortex. In the cerebral cortex, the number of layers varies, reaching a maximum of six in the neocortex. These six layers differ in terms of cell types and interconnections.
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- Glossary
Cortisol
A hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that is primarily an important stress hormone. It belongs to the group of glucocorticoids and influences carbohydrate and protein metabolism in the body, suppresses the immune system, and acts directly on certain neurons in the central nervous system.
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- Glossary
CREB
A transcription factor in the cell nucleus that is activated by cAMP-dependent signaling pathways. CREB influences gene activity and can thus improve communication between two cells. This is a cellular basis for learning processes.
