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- Glossary
Norepinephrine
Along with dopamine and adrenaline, norepinephrine (NE) or sometimes noradrenaline (NA)belongs to the catecholamines. It is produced in cells of the locus coeruleus and in the adrenal medulla and usually has a stimulating effect. Noradrenaline is often associated with stress.
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- Glossary
Nociceptor
Nociceptors are the pain receptors in the body. They respond to sharp stimuli, heat, or chemical stimuli such as acid. In other words, they respond to imminent or actual tissue damage. Noxiceptors are found in almost all tissues in the human body – with one important exception: the brain itself, whose nerve tissue does not contain any noxiceptors.
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- Glossary
Anterior nuclei
This anterior, or front, core group of the thalamus maintains fiber connections with limbic areas, especially the hippocampus and the cingulate gyrus. It is considered an important hub of the limbic system.
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- Glossary
Medial nuclei
The medial thalamic nuclei, especially the mediodorsal nucleus, are located in the medial thalamus and are closely connected to the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system. They are primarily responsible for higher cognitive functions such as planning, attention, and working memory, but are also involved in processing emotions and motivation. In addition, they integrate complex information from different areas of the brain.
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- Glossary
Raphe nuclei
The raphe nuclei are located in the reticular system and are distributed throughout the brain stem. They belong to the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) and are the site of serotonin production.
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- Glossary
Ventrolateral nuclei
The lower lateral nucleus group of the thalamus is responsible for motor function (movement). It receives inputs from the cerebellum and basal ganglia and has outputs to motor and premotor areas of the cerebral cortex.
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- Glossary
Nucleus
Nucleus, plural nuclei, has two meanings: in cell biology, it refers to the cell nucleus, which contains chromosomes, among other things. In neuroanatomy, it refers to a collection of cell bodies in the nervous system – in the central nervous system as gray matter, in the peripheral nervous system as ganglia.
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- Glossary
Nucleus accumbens
The nucleus accumbens is a nucleus in the basal ganglia that receives dopaminergic (dopamine-responsive) inputs from the ventral tegmental area. It is associated with reward and attention, but also with addiction. In pain processing, it is involved in motivational aspects of pain (reward, pain reduction) and in the effect of placebos.
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- Glossary
Basal nucleus
A collection of nerve cells in the basal region of the telencephalon. The basal ganglia are considered to be an important producer of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. In Alzheimer's patients and, in some cases, Parkinson's patients, the basal ganglia degenerate. As a result, they produce less and less acetylcholine, which neurologists associate with some of the symptoms of these diseases.
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- Glossary
Basal nucleus, lateral part
The pars lateralis refers to the lateral part of the basal nucleus, i.e., the part located on the side.
