Neurobiology Glossary
100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
tetrodotoxin TTX
Potent neurotoxin that selectively blocks voltage-gated sodium channels, preventing action potential generation.
electroencephalography
Non-invasive technique for recording electrical activity of the brain through electrodes placed on the scalp.
engram
The hypothetical physical neural substrate of a specific memory trace within the brain.
entorhinal cortex
Brain region serving as the main interface between the hippocampus and neocortex for memory processing.
ependymoma
A type of brain tumor arising from ependymal cells that line the ventricular system and central canal of the spinal cord...
excitatory postsynaptic potential
Depolarizing electrical response in a postsynaptic neuron caused by neurotransmitter binding.
excitotoxicity
Neural cell death caused by excessive stimulation from excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate.
fasciculation
Involuntary muscle twitching caused by spontaneous activation of motor units, often indicating lower motor neuron diseas...
GABA
The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.
gamma oscillation
High-frequency brain waves (30-100 Hz) associated with cognitive processing and neural synchronization.
glia
Non-neuronal cells in the nervous system that provide support and protection for neurons.
hyperpolarization-activated current
An inward current activated by membrane hyperpolarization, mediated by HCN channels and important for pacemaking and rhy...
inhibitory postsynaptic potential
Hyperpolarizing electrical response that reduces the likelihood of action potential generation.
interictal spike
Brief epileptiform discharges recorded between seizures on EEG, serving as markers of epileptic brain tissue.
intracranial pressure (ICP)
The pressure of cerebrospinal fluid within the skull, measured in mmHg or cmH2O.
intrinsic excitability
A neuron's inherent tendency to generate action potentials in response to synaptic input.
ionotropic receptor
Ligand-gated ion channel that opens directly upon neurotransmitter binding.
kindling
A phenomenon where repeated subthreshold electrical stimuli eventually trigger spontaneous seizures, modeling epilepsy d...
kindling model
An experimental epilepsy model where repeated subthreshold electrical stimulation progressively lowers seizure threshold...
lateral inhibition
Neural circuit mechanism where active neurons inhibit their neighbors to enhance contrast.
lateralization
Preferential localization of specific neural functions to one hemisphere of the brain rather than being equally distribu...
local field potential
Extracellular electrical signal reflecting synchronized synaptic activity in a local neural population.
Long-Term Potentiation
A persistent strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity.
magnetoencephalography
Non-invasive technique measuring magnetic fields produced by electrical brain activity.
metabotropic receptor
G-protein coupled receptor that activates intracellular signaling cascades upon neurotransmitter binding.