Bowman- Physiology of CNS Flashcards
What is general functions of CNS
Patterns of action potentials encode information leading to:
- Sensory perception
- Information processing, integration and storage
- Motor and behavior
What is white matter?
High density of myelin covering axon pathways (few neurons)
What is gray matter?
High density of neurons and denddrites (axons are present)
What is a nucleus?
Cluster of neurons within CNS
What is ganglion?
Cluster of neurons outside of CNS
What is a tract
Axons within CNS that travel as a group (name based on region of origin and termination)
What is a pathway?
Similar to tract but relates more to synaptically connected neurons performing a function
What is neuroglia?
“Glue” that holds CNS together.
What do astrocytes do?
Help to maintain extracellular environment in CNS, in normal conditions and in response to damage.
- Cell body with several main branches
- Astrocyte processes contact neurons and surround synaptic endings
- Contact capillaries and connective tissue at surface of CNS, the pia mater.
- Take up K and neurotransmitter substances, which they metabolize, degrade or recycle.
What do oligodendroglia do?
- Produce myelin in CNS; increase speed of conduction
- single oligodendrocyte will myelinate multiple axons in CNS
What do microglia DO?
latent phagocytes in CNS
What do ependymal cells do?
Line ventricles and CSF production (CNS)
What are satellite cells/
Similar to astrocytes but in PNS
What are schwann cells?
Slimilar to oligodendrocytes but in PNS. Will only myelinate single axon in PNA
Inhibitory inputs to neuron tend to be more on the ___ ____
Cell body
Excitatory neurons tend to be more on ____
dendrites
The axon hillock has a high concentration of which type of channel?
VG Na channel
Types of neuron cell types?
Unipolar
Pseudounipolar (sensory neurons)
Bipolar (interneuron)
Multipolar (classic neuron)
What is point of axonal transport?
Transport substances up or down neuron. Like a guidewire in axon.
What is kinesin?
Performs anterograde axonal transport, powered by ATP. (transport from soma toward axonal terminals)
What is dynein?
Axonal transport in retrograde direction. Takes synaptic vesicle membrane to soma for lysosomal degradation
What does myelination do?
- Greater conduction velocity
- increases effective membrane resistance (lenght constant)
- Decreases capacitance
- Restricts AP generation to nodes of ranvier
What are benefits of myelination?
- Fast reflexes
- Complex mental processing
- Metabolic advantage
Relative size a fibers?
Largest type. Largest to smallest subtype: alpha, beta, gamma, delta


