Chapter 12 Central Nervous System Flashcards
The nervous system
Brain and spinal cord
Receptors of sense organs (eyes, ears, etc.)
Nerves that connect to other systems
Nervous tissue contains two kinds of cells
Neurons for intercellular communication
Neuroglia (glial cells)
Neuroglia (glial cells)
Essential to survival and function of neurons
Preserve structure of nervous tissue
Anatomical divisions of the nervous system
Central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
Central nervous system (CNS)
Brain and spinal cord
Consists of nervous tissue, connective tissue, and blood vessels
Functions to process and coordinate sensory data from inside and outside body
Motor commands control activities of peripheral organs (e.g., skeletal muscles)
Higher functions of brain include intelligence, memory, learning, and emotion
Special Sensory Receptors Path
Smell, Taste, Vision, Balance, Hearing - to Afferent Div of the PNS then to brain (CNS)
Visceral Sensory Receptors Path
Monitors internal organs, to Afferent Div of the PNS then to brain
Somatic Sensory Receptors Path
Skeletal, Muscle, Joints, Skin, (External Senses) to Afferent Div of PNS and then to brain
From Brain (CNS) to Skeletal Syst
Brain to Efferent Motor Command then to Somatic Nervous Syst (SNS), to Skeletal syst.
From Brain to Parasympathetic System
Brain, To Efferent Syst, Motor Commands, Autonomic Nervous Syst (ANS), Parasympathetic Syst to Smooth Muscle, Cardiac Muscle and Glands
From Brain to Sympathetic Nervous Syst
Brain, to Efferent Motor Commands, Autonomic Nervous Syst (ANS), Sympathetic Syst. to Smooth Muscle, Cardiac Muscle, Glands and Adipose Tissue
Neurons
Basic functional units of the nervous system
Send and receive signals
Function in communication, information processing, and control
Neurons – Cell body (soma)
Large nucleus and nucleolus
Perikaryon (cytoplasm)
Mitochondria (produce energy)
RER (Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum) and ribosomes (synthesize proteins)
Cytoskeleton of perikaryon
Neurofilaments and neurotubules
Similar to intermediate filaments and microtubules
Neurofibrils
Bundles of neurofilaments that provide support for dendrites and axon
Nissl bodies
Dense areas of RER and ribosomes in perikaryon
Make nervous tissue appear gray (gray matter)
Dendrites
Short and highly branched processes extending from cell body
Dendritic spines
Fine processes on dendrites
Receive information from other neurons
80–90 percent of neuron surface area
Axon
Single, long cytoplasmic process
Propagates electrical signals (action potentials)
Axoplasm
Cytoplasm of axon
Contains neurofibrils, neurotubules, enzymes, and organelles
Structures of the axon
Axolemma - Plasma membrane of the axon and Covers the axoplasm
Initial segment - Base of axon
Axon hillock - Thick region that attaches initial segment to cell body
Structures of the axon pt 2
Collaterals
Branches of the axon
Telodendria
Fine extensions of distal axon
Axon terminals (synaptic terminals)
Tips of telodendria
Neurons - Axonal (axoplasmic) transport
Movement of materials between cell body and axon terminals
Materials move along neurotubules within axon
Powered by mitochondria, kinesin, and dynein
Structural classification of neurons
Anaxonic neurons - May have more than 2 processes
Small and may all be Dendrites
All cell processes look similar, Axons not Obvious
Found in brain and special sense organs
Bipolar neurons - 2 processes, Seperated by Cell Body
Small and rare
One dendrite and one axon
Found in special sense organs (sight, smell, hearing)
Structural classification of neurons pt 2
Unipolar neurons (pseudounipolar neurons)
Single Elongated Process off to the side
Axon and dendrites are fused
Cell body to one side
Most sensory neurons of PNS
Multipolar neurons - have more than 2 processes
Has single long axon and multiple dendrites
Common in the CNS
All motor neurons that control skeletal muscles
Sensory neurons (afferent neurons)
Unipolar
Cell bodies grouped in sensory ganglia
Processes (afferent fibers) extend from sensory receptors to CNS
Somatic sensory neurons
Monitor external environment
Visceral sensory neurons
Monitor internal environment
Ganglia
Nerve cell cluster or a group of nerve cell bodies located in the autonomic nervous system and sensory system
ganglia house the cells bodies of afferent nerves and efferent nerves
Sensory receptors
Interoceptors
Monitor internal systems (e.g., digestive, urinary)
Internal senses (stretch, deep pressure, pain)
Exteroceptors
Monitor external environment (e.g., temperature)
Complex senses (e.g., sight, smell, hearing)
Proprioceptors
Monitor position and movement of skeletal muscles and
joints
Types of sensory receptors pt 2
Proprioceptors (cont)
Carry instructions from CNS to peripheral effectors
Via efferent fibers (axons)
Somatic motor neurons of SNS
Innervate skeletal muscles
Visceral motor neurons of ANS
Innervate all other peripheral effectors
Smooth and cardiac muscle, glands, adipose tissue
Motor neurons
Signals from CNS to visceral effectors cross autonomic ganglia that divide axons into
Preganglionic fibers
Postganglionic fibers
Interneurons
Most are in brain and spinal cord
Some in autonomic ganglia
Located between sensory and motor neurons
Responsible for
Distribution of sensory information
Coordination of motor activity
Involved in higher functions
Memory, planning, learning
Neuroglia
Support and protect neurons
Make up half the volume of the nervous system
Many types in CNS and PNS
Neuroglia
Types of NEUROGLIA
Astrocytes
Ependymal
Oligodendrites
Microgila
Astrocytes (Brain) Star Shaped, anchor to capillaries
Blood Brain Barrier, structural support, regulate ion, neutrient, gas concentrations, absorb recycle neurotransmitters, scar tissue after injury
Have large cell bodies with many processes
Function to
Maintain blood brain barrier (BBB)
Create three-dimensional framework for CNS
Repair damaged nervous tissue
Guide neuron development
Control interstitial environment
Ependymals (Brain) - simple cuboidal epithelial cells that line fluid-
filled passageways within the brain and spinal
cord
line the ventricles + central canal (spinal cord), assist with cerebrospinal fluid
Form epithelium that lines central canal of spinal cord and ventricles of brain
Produce and monitor cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Have cilia that help circulate CSF
Oligodendrites (Brain)
structural framework, myelinate sheet like process that surrounds CNS Axons, increases speed of action potentials. Nerves appear white.
Internodes—myelinated segments of axon
Nodes (nodes of Ranvier) lie between internodes
Where axons may branch
White matter
Regions of CNS with many myelinated axons
Gray matter of CNS
Contains unmyelinated axons, neuron cell bodies, and dendrites
Microgila (Brain) - are phagocytes
Smallest and least numerous neuroglia
Have many fine-branched processes
Migrate through nervous tissue
Clean up cellular debris, wastes, and pathogens by phagocytosis
Neural responses to injuries
Wallerian degeneration
Axon distal to injury degenerates
Schwann cells
Form path for new growth
Wrap around new axon
Nerve regeneration in CNS
Limited by astrocytes, which
Produce scar tissue
Release chemicals that block regrowth
All plasma (cell) membranes produce electrical signals by ion movements
Membrane potential is particularly important to neurons