Chapter 4: The Nervous System (Kaplan)

Question 1

All cells have nuclei except for…

Answer 1

…mature red blood cells.

p. 136

Question 2

Aside from the nucleus, what else is also located in the soma of the neuron?

Answer 2

the endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes

Question 3

Nerves (bundles of neurons) can be sensory, motor, or mixed. In the CNS, axons may be bundled together to form ______. Unlike nerves, these only carry one type of information. The cell bodies of neurons in the same tract are grouped into ______.

Answer 3

tracts
nuclei

p. 137

Question 4

Which type of glial cell form the blood-brain barrier, which controls the transmission of solutes from the bloodstream into nervous tissue?

Answer 4

astrocytes

p. 140

Question 5

Which type of glial cell lines the ventricles of the brain and produce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which physically supports the brain and serves as a shock absorber?

Answer 5

ependymal cells

p. 140

Question 6

Which type of glial cell is a phagocytic cell that ingests and breaks down waste products and pathogens in the CNS?

Answer 6

microglia

p. 140

Question 7

Myelin is produced by ________ in the CNS, and by ________ in the PNS.

Answer 7

oligodendrocytes

Schwann cells

p. 137

Question 8

Sensory neurons are also known as ________ neurons, and transmit sensory information from sensory receptors to the spinal cord and brain.

Answer 8

afferent

Question 9

Motor neurons, also known as ________ neurons, transmit motor information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands.

Answer 9

efferent

Question 10

Interneurons are found between other neurons and are the most ________ of the three types. Interneurons are located predominantly in the brain and spinal cord and are often linked to _________ behavior.

Answer 10

numerous
reflexive

p. 153

Question 11

Sensory neurons bring information in from the periphery and enter on the dorsal (back) side of the spinal cord. The cell bodies of these sensory neurons are found in the ______ root _______.

Answer 11

dorsal root ganglia

Question 12

The peripheral nervous system is made up of nerve tissue and fibers outside the brain and spinal cord, including all __ pairs of spinal nerves and 10 of the 12 pairs of cranial nerves. Which cranial nerves are technically outgrowths of the CNS?

Answer 12

31

olfactory and optic nerves

Question 13

The peripheral nervous system can be divided into the…

Answer 13

….somatic and autonomic nervous systems.

p. 154

Question 14

One primary difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems is that the peripheral component of the ANS contains _ neurons. In contrast, a motor neuron in the somatic nervous system goes directly from the spinal cord to the muscle without synapsing.

Answer 14

2

p. 155

Question 15

The soma of the __________ neuron is in the CNS, and its axon travels to a ganglion in the PNS. Here it synapses on the cell body of the postganglionic neuron, which then stimulates the target tissue.

Answer 15

preganglionic

p. 155

Question 16

__________ is the neurotransmitter responsible for parasympathetic responses in the body and is released by both preganglionic and postganglionic neurons.

Answer 16

Acetylcholine

p. 155

Question 17

In the sympathetic nervous system, preganglionic neurons release __________, while most postganglionic neurons release __________.

Answer 17

acetylcholine
norepinephrine

p. 156

Question 18

The parasympathetic nervous system act to...
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ pupils
stimulates flow of saliva
constricts bronchi
slows heartbeat
stimulates peristalsis and secretion
stimulates bile release
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ bladder

Answer 18

constrict
contracts

p. 156

Question 19

What is a monosynaptic reflex arc?

Answer 19

In a monosynaptic reflex arc, there is a single synapse between the sensory neuron that receives the stimulus and the motor neuron that responds to it.

p. 157

Question 20

What is the only sensory stimulus that does not synapse at the thalamus?

Where does it synapse?

Answer 20

olfaction

at the amygdala and hippocampus

(from MCAT Self-Prep cards)

Question 21

Where and what is the striate cortex?

Answer 21

It’s the visual cortex in the occipital lobe

from MCAT Self-Prep cards

Question 22

_____ and _____ are the two major inhibitory neurotransmitters.
They both open ________ channels in the cell membrane, allowing chloride ions to enter the cell and hyperpolarize it.

(Remember hyperpolarize means it becomes MORE NEGATIVE, not more positive.)

Answer 22

GABA and glycine
chloride

(from MCAT Self-Prep cards)