CH. 9 The Nervous System: Central Nervous System

Question 1

What is downstream and upstream referring to in regard to an action potential?

Answer 1

upstream: towards soma/cell body
downstream: towards axonal ending

Question 2

What is the importance of the blood-brain barrier?

Answer 2

necessary to protect brain and part of lymphatic system

Question 3

What are the five types of glial cells?

Answer 3

1. astrocytes
2. ependymal cells: line cavities
3. microglia: phagocytes (ingest bacteria)
4. oligodendrocytes: form myelin
5. schwann cells: form myelin

Question 4

What are the functions of astrocytes?

Answer 4

connect nervous and non-nervous tissue

• forms blood-brain barrier
• communicate to neurons through chemical messengers
• remove neurotransmitters from synaptic cleft
• maintain normal electrolyte composition of interstitial fluid in CNS
• protect neurons against toxic substances and oxidative stress
• glycogen synthesis

Question 5

What are the functions of microglia?

Answer 5

works with astrocyte to protect neurons from toxic substances
- protect CNS from foreign matter through phagocytosis

Question 6

What are the three meninges of the CNS?

Answer 6

1. dura mater
2. arachnoid mater
3. pia mater

Question 7

What secretes cerebral spinal fluid?

Answer 7

ependymal cells of the choroid plexus

Question 8

What can be used as energy in extreme conditions in the brain?

Answer 8

ketones

Question 9

What are capillaries?

Answer 9

sites of exchange between blood and interstitial fluids

Question 10

What are projection fibers?

Answer 10

connect cerebral cortex with lower levels of brain or spinal cord

Question 11

What are association fibers?

Answer 11

connect two areas of cerebral cortex on same side of brain

Question 12

What are commissural fibers?

Answer 12

connect same cortical regions on two sides of brain?

Question 13

What is the primary location of commissural fibers?

Answer 13

corpus callosum

Question 14

What functions does the dorsal gray matter serve?

Answer 14

sensory functions

Question 15

What functions does the ventral gray matter serve?

Answer 15

motor functions

Question 16

What is the function of the cerebellum?

Answer 16

• motor coordination and balance

- coordination of eye and body movements

Question 17

What are the three parts of the brainstem?

Answer 17

1. midbrain
2. pons
3. medulla oblongata

Question 18

What is the function of the trigeminal nerve?

Answer 18

motor control of chewing; somatic sensations of face, nose, and mouth

Question 19

What is the function of the vagus nerve?

Answer 19

motor and visceral afferent of thoracic and abdominal viscera; motor control of larynx and pharynx

Question 20

What accounts for the highest level of neural processing?

Answer 20

cerebral cortex

Question 21

How is the cerebral hemisphere divided?

Answer 21

1. frontal
2. parietal
3. occipital
4. temporal

Question 22

What is the function of broca’s area?

Answer 22

speech formation

Question 23

What is the function of wernicke’s area?

Answer 23

language comprehension

Question 24

Where is the primary motor cortex?

Answer 24

in frontal lobe

Question 25

Where is the primary somatosensory cortex?

Answer 25

found in parietal cortex

Question 26

What are the structures of the basal nuclei?

Answer 26

1. globus pallidus
2. caudate
3. putamen
4. claustrum

Question 27

What are the functions of the basal nuclei?

Answer 27

• inhibition of unwanted movements
• selection of purposeful movements
• postural support

Question 28

What is the function of the thalamus?

Answer 28

integrate sensory and motor information

- sensory relay to cortex

Question 29

What is the function of the hypothalamus?

Answer 29

• food intake
• thermoregulation
• produces oxytocin and ADH

Question 30

What are the structures of the limbic system?

Answer 30

1. amygdala
2. hippocampus
3. fornix
4. cingulate gyrus
5. parts of the thalamus and hypothalamus

Question 31

What are the neurotransmitters of the awake state?

Answer 31

• acetylcholine

- norepinephrine and dopamine

Question 32

What are the neurotransmitters of the sleep state?

Answer 32

• adenosine

- acetylcholine