chapter 8 the nervous system Flashcards
What are the functions of the nervous system?
detect changes and feel sensations
initiate responses to changes
organize information and store it
what does the nervous system consist of?
the CNS- brain and spinal cord
the PNS- cranial and spinal nerves and the ANS
What are nerve cells called?
neurons or nerve fibers
What are dendrite cells?
conduct nerve impulses towards the cell body
neurons may have hundreds of dendrites
What are Axons?
conduct nerve impulses away from the cell body
Neurons only have one axon
Where are neuron cell bodies found?
in the CNS
What kind of cells are found in the CNS?
Oligodendrocytes and microglia
What kind of cells are found in the PNS
schwann cells and myelin sheath
What are schwann cells?
consists of axons and dendrites
grow to surround the neuron processes, enclosing them in layers of Schwann cell membrane
produce myelin sheath around axons
What is the myelin sheath?
a phospholipid that electrically insulated neurons from one to another
What are the nodes of Ranvier?
spaces between adjacent Schwann cells or segments of the myelin sheath
What is the function of the Nodes of Ranvier?
parts of the neuron cell membrane that depolarize when an electrical impulse is transmitted
What is the neurolemma?
the nuclei and cytoplasm of the Schwann cells are wrapped around the outside of the myelin sheath
What is the function of neurolemmas?
essential for the regeneration of neurons
What are oligodendrocytes?
produce myelin sheaths around axons of the CNS
one of the neuroglia
Why doesn’t the regeneration of neurons happen in the CNS?
There are no Schwann cells present which means there is no neurolemma
This is why severing of the spinal cord results in permanent loss of function
What are the microglia?
another kind of neuroglia
they are phagocytes- they clean up cellular debris and damaged cells and phagocytize pathogens
What are asrocytes?
another kind of neuroglia
they provide framework for the migrating neurons that will form the brain
help regulated localized blood flow within the brain
What do Astrocytes contribute to?
Blood-Brain Barrier- which prevents potentially harmful waste products in the blood from diffusing out into brain tissue
What are disadvantages of the blood-brain barrier?
some useful medications cannot cross it
antibodies produced by lymphocytes cross only with difficulty
What is Polarization?
a neuron not carrying an impulse
more Na+ ions outside cell/ more K+ ions and negative ions inside the cell
results in positive charge outside of cell membrane and negative charge inside cell
What is depolarization
entry on na+ ions
reversal of charges on either side of the membrane
outside now has a negative charge and inside has positive charge
What is repolarization?
K+ ions exit the cell
this restores positive charge outside and the negative inside
What does the term action potential refer to?
depolarization followed by repolarization
What do the sodium and potassium pumps do?
they return Na+ ions outside and K+ ions inside
the neuron is now ready to respond to another stimulus and transmit another impulse
What is saltatory conduction?
in a myelinated neuron only the nodes of Ranvier depolarize
increase speed of impulses
How do nerve impulses differ?
they are all exactly the same but they different effects depending on on their various destinations
(muscles,glands, or other neurons)
What is a nerve impulse considered as?
like a switch or signal that activates the cell, tissue, or organ of its destination
What is the synapse?
the small gap between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of the next neuron
What happens during the process of a synapse?
A neurotransmitter carries the impulse across a synapse and is then destroyed by a chemical inactivator or absorbed
Many synapses are termed excitatory why?
the neurotransmitter causes the postsynaptic neuron to depolarize
transmits an electrical pulse
Why are some synapses termed inhibitory?
the neurotransmitter causes the postsynaptic neuron to hyperpolarize
What is hyperpolarization?
the neuron membrane becomes even more positive outside as K+ ions leave the cell or Cl- ions enter the cell
does not transmit an electrical impulse
What groups are neurons classified as?
Sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons
What are sensory neurons?
carry impulses from receptors to the CNS
may be somatic (from skin, skeletal muscles, joints)
or visceral (from internal organs)
What are receptors?
structures that detect external or internal changes and generate impulses that travel along afferent neurons to the CNS
Sensory neurons from receptors in skin, skeletal muscles and joints are called?
somatic
Sensory neurons from receptors in internal organs are called?
visceral sensory neurons