ch 3- nervous system functioning

Question 1

CNS- central nervous system

Answer 1

the brain and spinal cord: processes and coordinates responses to sensory stimuli

Question 2

brain

Answer 2

a complex structure that receives and processes sensory stimuli from the body and coordinates responses, including voluntary movements, emotions and conscious thought.

Question 3

spinal cord

Answer 3

a dense bundle of nerves that carry sensory information from the body to the brain and motor information from the brain to the body

Question 4

spinal reflex

Answer 4

involuntary and unconscious response to a stimulus involving the spinal cord, occuring without input from the brain

Question 5

sensory receptor

Answer 5

a sensory nerve ending producing an afferent or sensory impulse when stimulated

Question 6

sensory neuron

Answer 6

a nerve cell that carries sensory signals throughout the nervous system

Question 7

interneurons

Answer 7

a nerve cell in the spinal cord connecting motor and sensory neurons by relaying information between the two

Question 8

motor neuron

Answer 8

a nerve cell that transmits motor impulses from the spinal cord to the skeletal and smooth muscles

Question 9

PNS- peripheral nervous system

Answer 9

all the nerves outside of the CNS, carrying messages between the CNS and muscles, organs and glands throughout the body

Question 10

SNS- somatic nervous system

Answer 10

subdivision of the PNS carrying sensory information to the CNS and motor information to the body

Question 11

what is the afferent role of the SNS

Answer 11

afferent refers to sensory- it carries sensory information gathered by our five senses towards the CNS

Question 12

what is the efferent role of the SNS

Answer 12

efferent refers to motor- it carries motor commands from the CNS to skeletal muscles, enabling voluntary movements

Question 13

ANS- autonomic nervous system

Answer 13

a subdivision of the PNs that controls the body’s internal environment in an autonomous or self regulated manner

Question 14

sympathetic nervous system

Answer 14

a subdivision of the ANS increasing our arousal and readying the body for a quick response

Question 15

parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 15

a subdivision of the ANS controlling the body’s internal environment in an autonomous or self regulated manner

Question 16

unconscious response

Answer 16

any response of our nervous system that doesn’t require awareness

Question 17

conscious reponse

Answer 17

any response of the nervous system requiring awareness

Question 18

neurons

Answer 18

individual nerve cells specialised to receive, process and/or transmit information within the nervous system

Question 19

neural transmission

Answer 19

an electrical impulse occuring when a neuron is activated or fires

Question 20

neurotransmitters

Answer 20

chemicals producerd by neurons that carries messages to other neurons or cells within the nervous system. including muscles, organs and glands

Question 21

synapses

Answer 21

point of communication between two neurons or between a neuron and target cell like a muscle or a gland

Question 22

synaptic vesicle

Answer 22

membrane bound sphere filled with neurotransmitter molecules

Question 23

synaptic gap

Answer 23

space between the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron and the membrane of the most synaptic neuron

Question 24

receptor site

Answer 24

membrane protein on the dendrites of neurons that receive and detect specific neurotransmitters

Question 25

excitatory effect

Answer 25

the increased likelihood that the post synaptic neuron will fire an action potential or neural impulse

Question 26

glutamate

Answer 26

main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system involved with learning and memory

Question 27

inhibatory effect

Answer 27

decreased likelihood that the post synaptic neuron will fire an action potential or neural impulse

Question 28

gamma aminobutyric acid or GABA

Answer 28

main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, associated with anxiety, specific phobias and parkinsons

Question 29

neuromodulators

Answer 29

subclass of neurotransmitters that alter the strength of a neural transmission, increasing or decreasing the responsiveness of neurons to neurotransmitter signals

Question 30

dopamine

Answer 30

multifunctional neurotransmitter with both excitatory and inhibitory effects that is involved in many CNS functions like movement, pleasure, attention, mood, cognition and motivation

Question 31

reward pathway

Answer 31

a group of structures in the brain that are activated by rewarding or reinforcing stimuli

Question 32

serotonin

Answer 32

an inhibitory neurotransmitter that also acts as a neuromodulator, influencing a variety of brain activities

Question 33

serotonin pathway

Answer 33

serotonins neuromodulatory system which originates in the brainstem and extends to almost all areas of the cerebrum including the cerebral cortex

Question 34

synaptic plasticity

Answer 34

specific changes that occur within the synapse between neurons

Question 35

long term potentation

Answer 35

relatively permanent strengthening of synapting connections, as a result of repeated activation of a neural pathway

Question 36

long term depression

Answer 36

relatively permanent weakening of synaptic connections as a result of repeated low level activation

Question 37

LTP+LTD=

Answer 37

more effeicient neural pathways as a result of neural plasticity

Question 38

sprouting

Answer 38

growth of axon or dendrite fibres at the synapsed

Question 39

dendritic spine

Answer 39

a dendrite fibre that grows by sprouting on the post synaptic neuron

Question 40

filigree appendage

Answer 40

a fibre that grows by sprouting from the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron

Question 41

synaptogenesis

Answer 41

formation of new synapses that result from the process of sprouting

Question 42

rerouting

Answer 42

the formation of new connections between neurons to establish alternative neural pathways

Question 43

pruning

Answer 43

removal of excess neurons and synaptic connectinos to increase the efficiency of neuronal transmissions