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MCAT Biology > Chapter 4: The Nervous System > Flashcards

Chapter 4: The Nervous System Flashcards

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1
Q

Neurons are specialized cells capable of

A

Transmitting electrical impulses and then translating those electrical impulses into chemical signal

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2
Q

Where is the nucleus located in the neuron

A

Cell body (soma)

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3
Q

Soma is also the location of

A

Endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes

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4
Q

Dendrites receive

A

Incoming messages from other cells

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5
Q

Information received from the dendrites is transmitted

A

Through the cell body before it reaches the axon hillock

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6
Q

Axon hillock integrates the

A

Incoming signals

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7
Q

Axon hillock plays an Important role in

A

Action potentials

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8
Q

Action potentials is the transmission of

A

Electrical impulses down the axon

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9
Q

Signals arriving from the dendrites can be either

A

Excitatory or inhibitory

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10
Q

Axon is a long appendage that

A

Terminates in close proximity to a target structure

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11
Q

Axon carry neural signals

A

Away from the soma

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12
Q

Dendrites carry signals

A

Toward the soma

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13
Q

Myelin is a fatty membrane that

A

Prevents signal loss or crossing of signals

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14
Q

Myelin sheath maintains the

A

Electrical signal within one neuron

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15
Q

Myelin increases the

A

Speed of conduction in the axon

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16
Q

Myelin is produced by

A

Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells

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17
Q

Oligodendrocytes are in the

A

Central nervous system

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18
Q

Schwann cells are in the

A

Peripheral nervous system

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19
Q

Nodes of Ranvier are

A

Small breaks in the myelin sheath with exposed areas of axon membrane

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20
Q

Nodes of Ranvier are critical for

A

Rapid signal conduction

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21
Q

What is at the end of an axon

A

Nerve terminal (synaptic bouton)

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22
Q

The nerve terminal is enlarged and flattened to maximize

A

Transmission of the signal to the next neuron and ensure proper release of neurotransmitters

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23
Q

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that

A

Transit information between neurons

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24
Q

The synaptic cleft is

A

Space between neurons into which the terminal portion of the axon releases neurotransmitters

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25
Q

Synaptic cleft bind to the

A

Dendrites of the adjacent neuron

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26
Q

Synapse is

A

Nerve terminal, synaptic cleft, postsynaptic membrane

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27
Q

Nerve is a bundle of

A

Neurons

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28
Q

Nerves may be

A

Sensory, motor, mixed

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29
Q

Cell bodies of neurons of the same type are clustered together into

A

Ganglia

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30
Q

Axons may be bundled together to form

A

Tracts

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31
Q

Cell bodies of neurons in the same tract are grouped into

A

Nuclei

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32
Q

Astrocytes nourish

A

Neurons and form the blood brain barrier which controls the transmission of solutes from the bloodstream into nervous tissue

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33
Q

Ependymal cells line the

A

Ventricles of the bran and produce cerebrospinal fluid

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34
Q

Microglia are phagocytic cells that

A

Ingest and break down waste products and pathogens in the central nervous system

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35
Q

Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells produce

A

Myelin around axons

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36
Q

Resting membrane potential is the

A

Net electric potential difference across the cell membrane

37
Q

Resting membrane potential is created by

A

Movement of charged molecules across that membrane

38
Q

Potassium leak channels allow the

A

Slow leak of K out of the cell

39
Q

Potential difference that represents this K+ equilibrium is called the

A

Equilibrium potential of K

40
Q

Pushing Na into the cell is facilitated by

A

Sodium leak channels

41
Q

Equilibrium potential of K is negative because

A

K+ is leaving the cell

42
Q

Equilibrium potential of Na+ is positive because

A

Sodium is moving into the cell

43
Q

Net effect of Na and K equilibrium potentials is called the

A

Resting membrane potential

44
Q

Na+/K+ ATPase continually pumps

A

Na and K back to where they started

45
Q

Excitatory input causes depolarization (raising the membrane potential, Vm, from its resting potential) and makes the

A

Neuron more likely to fire an action potential

46
Q

Inhibitory input causes hyperpolarization (lowering the membrane potential from its resting potential) and makes the

A

Neuron less likely to fire an action potential

47
Q

If the axon hillock receives enough excitatory input to be depolarized to the

A

Threshold value, an action potential is triggered

48
Q

Summation is the effect of

A

Multiple signals

49
Q

What are the two types of summation

A

Temporal and spatial

50
Q

Temporal summation is where multiple signals

A

Are Integrated during a short period of time

51
Q

Spatial summation is where the additive effects are based on

A

The number and location of the incoming signals

52
Q

Sodium channels can be closed meaning

A

Before the cell reaches threshold and after activation has been reversed

53
Q

Sodium channels can be open meaning

A

From threshold to about +35mV

54
Q

Sodium channels can be inactive meaning

A

From about +35mV to the resting potential

55
Q

Positive potential inside the cell triggers the voltage-gated sodium channels to inactivate and also triggers the

A

Voltage-gated potassium channels to open

56
Q

Repolarization is when the positively K cations are driven out of the cell and there will be

A

A restoration of the negative membrane potential

57
Q

During the absolute refractory period, no amount of stimulation can

A

Cause another action potential to occur

58
Q

During the relative refractory period, there must be a great than normal

A

Stimulation to cause an action potential

59
Q

Neurons starts at the resting potential which has a value of

A

-70mV

60
Q

At resting potential, what is K and Na like in and out of the cell

A

K is high inside the cell and low outside

Na is high outside the cell and low inside

61
Q

Impulse propagation is for when a signal has to be conveyed to another neuron and so the action potential has to travel

A

Down the axon and initiate neurotransmitter release

62
Q

Anesthetics work by blocking the

A

Voltage gated Na channels

63
Q

Increased length of the axon results in

A

Higher resistance and slow conduction

64
Q

Greater cross sectional areas allow for

A

Faster propagation due to decreased resistance

65
Q

Myelin is a good insulator which prevents

A

The dissipation of the electric signal

66
Q

Saltatory conduction is where the signal

A

Hops from node to node

67
Q

Neuron proceeding the synaptic cleft is the

A

Presynaptic neuron

68
Q

Neuron after the synaptic cleft

A

Postsynaptic cleft

69
Q

Neuron signals to a gland or muscle is called

A

Effector

70
Q

What allows a neurotransmitter to relay a message

A

Neurotransmitter molecule diffuse across the cleft and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane

71
Q

Neurotransmitters can be broken down by

A

Enzymatic reaction

72
Q

Neurotransmitters can be brought back into the presynaptic neuron using

A

Reuptake carriers

73
Q

Neurotransmitters may simply diffuse out of the

A

Synaptic cleft

74
Q

What are some functions of the nervous system

A

Sensation and perception
Motor function
Memory
Etc

75
Q

Afferent neurons ascend in the

A

Spinal cord toward the brain

76
Q

Efferent neurons exit the

A

Spinal cord on their way to the rest of the body

77
Q

Supraspinal circuits are used when

A

Some scenarios require input from the brain or brain stem

78
Q

White matter in the brain consists of

A

Axons encased in myelin sheaths

79
Q

Grey matter consists of

A

Unmyelinated cell bodies and dendrites

80
Q

Brain consists of what two matters

A

White and grey

81
Q

Spinal cord consists of what types of matter

A

Grey and white

82
Q

Axons of motor and sensory neurons are in the

A

Spinal cord

83
Q

Sensory neurons bring information in from the

A

Periphery and enter the dorsal side of the spinal cord (found in dorsal root ganglia)

84
Q

Motor neurons exit the spinal cord

A

Ventrally or side closest to the front of the body

85
Q

First neuron in the autonomic nervous system is called

A

Preganglionic neuron

86
Q

Second neuron in the autonomic nervous system is called

A

Postganglionic neuron

87
Q

What are the two types of reflex arcs

A

Monosynaptic and polysynaptic

88
Q

Monosynaptic reflex arc is where there is a signal synapse between

A

The sensory neuron that receives the stimulus and the motor neuron that responds to it

89
Q

Polysynaptic reflex arc is where there is at least one Inter neuron between the

A

Sensory and motor neurons

MCAT Biology (1 decks)

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