Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Biochemistry Y2 > BIOL2051 “Principles Of Neuroscience” > Flashcards

BIOL2051 “Principles Of Neuroscience” Flashcards

1
Q

What is the PNS made up of? (general)

A

Cranial nerves
Spinal nerves
Ganglia (dorsal root ganglia and autonomic ganglia)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the CNS? (general)

A

Brain
Spinal cord
Control centre for info processing, responding to sensory info

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Neurones (general)

A

Receive stimuli
Transmit nerve impulses or action potentials
activate muscles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Define a neurone

A

The functional units of the nervous system, organised into a functional network capable of:
- Response to stimuli
- Information processing
- Communication (?)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Function of dendrites

A

Collect electrical signals and carry input to cell body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Function of cell body/soma of a neurone

A

Integrates signals and generates action potential

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Function of axons

A

Transmit signals over long distances from the cell body to the axon terminals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

List 4 ways in which neurones are organised

A

Nerve nets
Cephalisation
CNS
PNS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are invertebrate nervous systems specialised for?

A

Stimulus/response, receptor/effector
Reflexes, conditioned responses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are nerve nets?

A

Definition (kind of): simplest form of nervous system found in some invertebrates (such as hydras, jellyfish, etc.)

Individual nerve cells exist in a net-like formation scattered in layers of body wall. Neurones exist in a ‘loose network’ to allow for contraction and expansion of the body cavity

Nerve nets lack distinct central or peripheral regions, and anything that resembles a brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What can/can’t nerve nets do?

A

Nerve nets have no associative activity, only reflexes (with action potentials)

However, neurones can carry:
- Info from sensory organs that detect touch, light, or other changes in the environment
- These neurones in turn contact neurones that control movement of the organism, such as swimming

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Describe the structure of the nervous system found in species such as sea stars (echinoderms)

A

Display some centralisation of the nervous system

A ring of neurones is located in the centre with simple bundles of neurones (radial nerves) extending from the ring to the tip of each arm

Radial nerves form nerve nets, permitting coordinated movement of each arm and the tube feet located on the surface of the arm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Cephalisation and formation of the primitive brain

A

In animals with bilateral symmetry, there is a clustering of neurones into ‘ganglia’ near head of animal to form more complex systems to integrate incoming/outgoing signals (sight, hearing, taste, etc.)

Nerve cords and trunks:
- With bilateral symmetry (flatworms, etc.), 2 nerve cords run down the length of the body
- This system allows more complex control of muscles for movement

Distinct PNS and CNS regions:
- Connections required between PNS and CNS, but PNS can act autonomously in some cases
- Invertebrates lack myelin but AP propagation overcome by increasing diameter of axons (giant squid axons)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Summarise the different nervous systems (/list them)

A

Giant neurones and axons - no myelin
Nerve nets - APs, reflexes
Ganglia chains (in molluscs, worms, arthropods)
- Head ganglia are fused/cephalisation
- Specialisation of cells (receptors - eyes, etc.)
Brain (& spinal cord) - organisation of CNS (vertebrates)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What do all vertebrate nervous systems contain? (general)

A

Sophisticated sensory mechanisms
Clear differentiation of CNS and PNS as well as sensory and motor nerves
Elaboration of brain structure, etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

3 general regions of the brain, and which specific brain regions make them

A

Forebrain:
- Cerebrum
- Optic structures
- Olfactory lobe

Midbrain

Hindbrain: coordination of motor reflexes in vertebrates; regulation of autonomic processes
- Brainstem - pons
- Medulla
- Cerebellum

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are sulci?

A

Infoldings of the cerebral hemispheres that form ‘valleys’ between the gyri

Singular = sulcus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are gyri?

A

Ridges of the infolded cerebral cortex

Singular = gyrus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Brain areas based on development

A

Forebrain:
Prosencephalon
- Telecephalon (cerebrum)
- Diencephalon (thalamus, & hypothalamus)

Midbrain:
Mesencephalon

Hindbrain:
Rhombencephalon
- Myelencephalon (medulla)
- Metencephalon (pons & cerebellum)

20
Q

Name the four lobes of the cerebrum

A

Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe
Temporal lobe
Occipital lobe

21
Q

Functional areas of the cerebrum

A

Motor: primary motor and premotor in FRONTAL LOBE

Sensory: primary somatosensory and somatosensory association areas in PARIETAL LOBE

Vision: primary viual and visual association areas in OCCIPITAL LOBE

Auditory: primary auditory & auditory association areas in TEMPORAL LOBE

22
Q

What are the 7 major parts of the human CNS?

A

Cerebrum
Diencephalon
Brain stem
- Midbrain
- Pons
- Medulla
Spinal cord

23
Q

What is grey matter?

A

Cell bodies of neurones reside in the grey matter

Has a pinkish/grey colour in the brain, and is a major component of the CNS

24
Q

What is white matter?

A

Myelinated axons reside in white matter

These axons connect different parts of the grey matter to each other

25
Q

What are the 3 brain planes?

A

Coronal (slice vertically from ear to ear)

Sagittal (slice vertically from front to back of head)

Horizontal/axial (what it says on the tin)

26
Q

If you look at someone from their left side (they are facing the left), what are each of the directions in the head?

A

North = superior

East = posterior

South = inferior

West = anterior

27
Q

If you look at someone from their left side (they are facing the left), what are the directions in the brain?

A

Dorsal = back of brain

Caudal = south/brain stem

Ventral = towards the mouth

Rostral = forehead

28
Q

Which 3 things protect the CNS?

A

Bone (skull & vertebral column)
Meninges
CSF (cerebrospinal fluid)

29
Q

Meninges & each of the layers

A

Meninges: encloses the brain and spinal cord, and their blood vessels

3 protective tissue layers:
Dura - superficial most and strongest, usually in contact with bone
Arachnoid - adhered closely to dura, web-like in appearance
Pia - deepest layer, in direct contact with CNS tissue

30
Q

CSF (cerebrospinal fluid)

A

Clear, cell-free fluid produced by the choroid plexus (ependymal cells) that circulates in the subarachnoid space

31
Q

What is the subarachnoid space?

A

The space between the arachnoid and pia matter

32
Q

Which areas does afferent input to the (neo)cortex come from?

A

Ascending info from the thalmus

Ascending info from the brainstem and other parts of the forebrain, also the hypothalamus

Axons travelling between hemispheres (commisural fibres)

Info from the ipsilateral cortex

33
Q

Output from the neocortex

A

Is excitatory from pyramidal cells (uses excitatory neurotransmitters such as glutamate, etc.)
- All parts of cortex project to thalamus
- Axons from motor & somatosensory cortices project to basal ganglia
- Axons project to brainstem (nuclei) & spinal cord
- Axons project to contralateral hemisphere; axons project to ipsilateral hemisphere

34
Q

Functions of the brain

A

Serves as aconduit for ascending & descending tracts connecting the spinal cord to higher centres (cerebrum, cerebellum)

Contains important relex centres associated with control of respiration, heart rate & blood pressure, & consciousness

Contains cranial nerve nuclei

35
Q

Functions of the cerebellum

A

Integrates ascending (proprioceptive information, feeds back to cerebral cortex to refine movement

Modifies movement (compares sensory info with pre-motor inifo)

Maintenance of upright posture

Maintenance of the tension or firmness (i.e., tone) of the muscle

Aids the cerebral cortex in planning sequential mmovements to make smooth progressions from one movement to the next

Synergy of movement - motor coordination

Balance

36
Q

Cerebellar input

A

Spinal cord
Cerebellar cortex
Vestibular system
Motor systems in neocortex

37
Q

Cerebellar output

A

Vestibular systems
Brain stem
Muscle spindles
Motor & pre-motor cortices

38
Q

Spinal cord (general)

A

2 way impulse conduction pathway and reflex centre

31 pairs of spinal nerves in total

39
Q

Name the sections of spine

A

Cervical (C1 - C8)
Thoracic (T1 - T12)
Lumbar (L1 - L5)
Sacral (S1 - S5)
Coccygeal (Co)

40
Q

Dorsal root

A

Posterior

Through which afferent fibres enter (sensory)
Contains dorsal root ganglion (DRG) with the cell bodies of the afferent fibres

41
Q

Ventral root

A

Anterior

Through which the efferent fibres leave
Their cell bodies are within the spinal cord

42
Q

Reflexes

A

Survival mechanism
Inherited (‘hard-wired’), pre-set behaviour that does not require learning, practice, or experience
Simplest type of animal behaviour
Performed without conscious thought; usually rapid, automatic/involuntary responses to stimuli
Usually follow specific pattern

43
Q

Reflex arc

A

Receptor (site of stimulus) –> sensory neurone (transmits stimulus) –> integration centre (can be mono or polysynaptic) –> motor neurone (conducts impulse to effector) –> effector (muscle or gland)

44
Q

Spinal reflex

A

Somatic spinal reflexes provide info on integrity of the reflex pathway and degree of excitability of the spinal cord

45
Q

Polysynaptic reflexes

A

Involves multiple synapses between sensory axons, interneurones, and motor neurones
- Interneurones control more than 1 muscle group
- Produce either EPSPs or IPSPs

46
Q

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) (general)

A

2 divisions responsible for maintenance of homeostasis (sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions)

Both systems are continuously active under normal conditions, with each having discreet and independent functions (antagonistic functions)

ANS together with endocrine system controls body’s interal organs, thus controlling the circulation of blood, activity of the GI tract, & body temp’

Innervates smooth msucle, cardiac muscle, & glands of internal organs (involuntary)

Biochemistry Y2 (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions