Chapter 10: Neural Homeostatic Control Pathways

Question 1

What are the two components of the nervous system?

Answer 1

The central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Question 2

What is the CNS made of?

Answer 2

The brain and the spinal cord which is responsible for processing, storing and coordinating information

Question 3

What is the PNS made of?

Answer 3

Neurons which is responsible for transmitting information to the and from the CNS

Question 4

What are neurons?

Answer 4

A nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses in the body

Question 5

What are sensory neurons?

Answer 5

A cell that transmits nerve impulses from the receptor to the CNS

Question 6

What are the interconnecting neurons (interneurons)?

Answer 6

A cell that transmits nerve impulses within the CNS, between sensory and motor neurons

Question 7

What are motor neurons?

Answer 7

A cell that transmits nerve impulses from the CNS to the effector

Question 8

What is the process after a stimulus?

Answer 8

From the stimulus to sensory neurons, to interneurons, to the appropriate motor neurons and then to the effectors

Question 9

What are the common features to all neurons?

Answer 9

The soma, the main cell body and the axon

Question 10

What is the soma?

Answer 10

The main cell body of a neuron

Question 11

What is an axon?

Answer 11

The tubular extension of a neuron cell body that conducts the nerve impulse

Question 12

What is the myelin sheath?

Answer 12

The fatty layers of insulation surrounding the axon of a neuron; made of Schwann cells

Question 13

What is a Schwann cell?

Answer 13

A cell that wraps around the axon of a neuron to form the myelin sheath

Question 14

What is the node of Ranvier?

Answer 14

A small space between the Schwann cells along the axon of a neuron

Question 15

What are dendrites?

Answer 15

A fine, thread-like extension of the neuron that converts external signals to nerve impulses within the neuron

Question 16

What is the distinguishable factor of a sensory neuron?

Answer 16

The soma is usually located as a side bulge somewhere along the length of the axon

Question 17

What are the two functions of interneurons

Answer 17

They receive sonsory information from the snsory neurons and send response information to the motor neurons, and they process the information received

Question 18

What is the distinguishable factor of interneurons?

Answer 18

They have many terminals off their axon and many dendrites off their stoma

Question 19

What is resting potential?

Answer 19

The state of a neural cell membrane at rest, when outside the cell is more positive than inside

Question 20

What is depolarisation?

Answer 20

A change in a cell’s membrane potential so that the inside of the membrane is less negative than outside

Question 21

What is action potential?

Answer 21

The state of a neural cell membrane in active transmission, when inside the cell is more positive than outside

Question 22

What is a synapse (synaptic cleft)?

Answer 22

The tiny space between an axon terminal and its target (neuron, mucle or gland)

Question 23

What is a presynaptic neuron?

Answer 23

The neuron sending the signal across the synapse

Question 24

What is a postsynaptic neuron?

Answer 24

The neuron receiving the signal from the synapse

Question 25

What is signal trnasduction?

Answer 25

The process of converting a signal from one type to another (for example, chemical to electrical)

Question 26

What is a nerotransmitter?

Answer 26

A hormone that is used ny neurons to carry a signal across the synapse