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afferent
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transmits impulses from peripheral organs to the central nervous system
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albumin
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a common protein in plasma that carries hormones and helps maintain the integrity of the blood vessels.
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amyloids
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proteins that tend to accumulate in clusters that are insoluble; amyloid proteins are associated with a number of conditions, including Alzheimer's disease
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autonomic nervous system
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regulates involuntary body processes such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, digestion, and sexual arousal
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axons
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the long slender projections of neurons that efficiently and rapidly conduct electrical impulses across nerve cells
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cerebral autoregulation
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the inherent ability of blood vessels in the cerebrum to maintain homeostatic cerebral blood flow despite a wide range of changes in mean arterial pressure
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cerebral blood flow
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the volume of blood that moves through the vessels in the brain
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cerebral cortex
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the protective outer layer of the cerebrum
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dysphagia
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difficulty swallowing
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efferent
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carrying outward or away; in reference to the nervous system, transmitting impulses from the central nervous system outward to peripheral organs to initiate an active response or action
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hyponatremia
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a serum sodium level less than 135 mEq/L
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Mediterranean diet
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a diet low in saturated fat and rich in other nutrients, commonly consumed Greece and Southern Italy
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myelin
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the fatty protein membrane that provides a protective coating for nerve cells
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neuromuscular junctions
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locations at the terminal end of motor nerves, where action potential impulses are conducted to various muscles
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neuroplasticity
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the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections
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neurotransmitters
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chemicals within the body that allow neurons to communicate with each other to enable the brain to execute a wide range of functions through the process of chemical synaptic transmission
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omega-3 fatty acids
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a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids that the human body requires but does not synthesize
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parasympathetic nervous system
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the part of the nervous system that relaxes the body after stress and danger and facilitates the body’s “rest-and-digest” response
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polyphenols
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micronutrients that have health-promoting properties and are present in many fruits and vegetables
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prealbumin
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a protein synthesized by the liver that transports various thyroid hormones in the blood
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soma
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the body of a neuron
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somatic nervous system
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facilitates movement and muscle control in the body
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sympathetic nervous system
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a division of the autonomic nervous sytem that is reponsible for the body’s “fight or flight” response
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syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone release (SIADH)
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an unsuppressed release of antidiuretic hormone from the pituitary gland or other nonpituitary sources that signals the body to retain fluid
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tau proteins
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present in nerve cells, proteins that stabilize microtubules