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Biology - MCAT > Class Seven > Flashcards

Class Seven Flashcards

1
Q

structural unit of the nervous system

A

neuron

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2
Q

electrochemical signals of the nervous system

A

action potentials

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3
Q

where is the nucleus found in a neuron

A

in the soma

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4
Q

how many axons and dendrites does a neuron have

A

one axon

can have many dendrites

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5
Q

bipolar vs multipolar neurons

A

bipolar: only one dendrite
multipolar: many dendrites

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6
Q

resting membrane potential

A

-70 mV

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7
Q

how does the Na/K ATPase pump work

A

2 Na out and 2 K in with the hydrolysis of 1 ATP

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8
Q

what type of transport is the Na/K pup

A

primary active transport → transports against a gradient

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9
Q

how do voltage gated sodium channels open

A

opened by depolarization of the membrane

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10
Q

3 factors that allow for depolarization

A

voltage gated sodium channels close

voltage gated potassium channels open

potassium leak channels and Na/K pump continue to function to bring it back to RMP

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11
Q

what is myelin made up of

A

Schwann cells → type of glial cells

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12
Q

Schwann cells are found in the..

A

PNS

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13
Q

myelination via oligodendrocytes is found in the..

A

CNS

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14
Q

what is found in the nodes of Ranvier

A

concentrations of voltage gated sodium and potassium channels

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15
Q

saltatory conduction

A

rapid jumping conduction in myelinated axons

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16
Q

function of astrocytes

A

found in CNS

guide neuronal development

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17
Q

function of microglia

A

found in CNS

remove dead cells + debris

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18
Q

function of ependymal cells

A

found in CNS

produce & circulate CSF

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19
Q

Nernst equilibrium potential formula

A
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20
Q

absolute refractory period

A

neuron will not fire another AP no matter how strong a membrane depolarization is

voltage gated sodium channels are inactivated (not closed_

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21
Q

relative refractory period

A

neuron can be induced to transmit an AP but needs a greater depolarization because the membrane is hyperpolarized

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22
Q

2 types of synapses

A

chemical and electrical

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23
Q

electrical synapses

A

cytoplasm of 2 cells are joined by gap junctions

action potential spreads from one cell to another

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24
Q

chemical synapses

A

action potentials are converted into chemical signals

found in the nervous system

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25
what neurotransmitter is released at neuromuscular junctions
ACh
26
what degrades ACh
acetylcholinesterase
27
key regulated step in the nervous system
whether or not a neuron will fire an AP
28
EPSPs
excitatory neurotransmitters cause postsynpaic depolarization
29
IPSPs
inhibitory neurotransmitters cause IPSPs
30
temporal summation
presynaptic neurons fire lots of APs that pile on top of eachother within a short time period
31
spatial summation
EPSPs and IPSPs from all of the synapses on the postsynaptic membrane are summed at the same time
32
efferent vs afferent neurons
efferent neurons carry info away from CNS afferent neurons carry info to the CNS
33
monosynaptic reflex arc
a reflex involving only 2 neurons and 1 synapse
34
somatic vs autonomic nervous systems
somatic → voluntary control of skeletal muscle autonomic → involuntary control of glands + SM
35
2 branches of ANS
sympathetic and parasympathetic
36
pupils during parasympathetic activation
constriction
37
pupils during sympathetic activation
dilation
38
myelinated vs unmyelinated - white vs grey
myelinated = white matter unmyelinated = grey matter
39
role of medulla
regulating vital autonomic functions - BP etc
40
where is most of the RAS found
in the midbrain
41
function of frontal lobes
voluntary movements + problem solving
42
function of parietal lobes
sensations & taste
43
functions of temporal lobes
auditory + smell language comp + emotion
44
function of occipital lobes
visual sensation
45
how many pairs of cranial nerves
12
46
how many pairs of cranial nerves
31
47
cranial nerves convey..
sensory and motor info to & from the brainstem
48
spinal nerves convey..
convert sensory and motor info to and from the spinal cord
49
what neurotransmitters do all somatic motor neurons use
ACh
50
where do somatic motor neurons have their cell bodies
in the brain stem or ventral part of spinal cord
51
somatic effectors
skeletal muscles
52
which is the craniosacral system
parasympathetic
53
which is the thoracolumbar system
sympathetic
54
usual neurotransmitter for sym. postganglionic axon
norepinephrine
55
usual neurotransmitter for parasym. postganglionic axon
ACh
56
what does the adrenal gland secrete (3)
cortisol aldosterone hormones (E and NE)
57
exteroceptors
sensory receptors that detect stimuli from the outside world
58
interoceptors
receptors that respond to internal stimuli
59
mechanoreceptors
respond to mechanical disturbances
60
Pacinian corpuscles
pressure sensors in the skin nerve ending becomes depolarized when there is pressure from the skin
61
chemoreceptors
respond to chemicals e.g. olfactory and gustatory receptors
62
nociceptors
pain receptors stimulated by tissue injury
63
thermoreceptors
stimulated by changes in temperature
64
electromagnetic receptors
stimulated by electromagnetic waves e.g. photoreceptors in eyes
65
tonic receptors
fire electric potentials as long as the stimulus occurs
66
phasic receptors
only fire APs when the stimulus begins
67
where are olfactory receptors found
roof of the nasopharynx
68
where do olfactory nerves project
directly to the olfactory bulbs of the brain
69
where are olfactory bulbs located
temporal lobe of the brain
70
what makes up the outer ear
auricle and external auditory canal
71
what divides the middle and outer ear
tympanic membrane aka eardrum
72
what makes up the ossicles
the malleus (hammer) the incus (anvil) the stapes (stirrup)
73
what divides the middle and inner ear
oval window
74
what attaches to the oval window
stapes
75
what is responsible for releasing excess pressure in the ear
round window
76
what causes ear popping
the auditory tube
77
fluids in the cochlea
perilymph and endolymph
78
what opens the ion channels in the hair cells of the ear
movement of the hair cells results in neurotransmitter release
79
how is pitch distinguished
by which regions of the basilar membrane vibrates
80
where do low frequency sounds stimulate hair cells
at the apex of the cochlear duct, farthest from the oval window
81
where do high frequency sounds stimulate hair cells
base of cochlea, near oval window
82
where is the auditory cortex found
temporal lobe
83
what makes up the vestibular complex (4)
semicircular canals auricle saccule ampullae
84
where does the vestibular complex send information
to the pons and cerebellum (balance info)
85
how does light enter the eyes
by passing through the cornea
86
purpose of the choroid
contains dark pigmented cells to absorb excess light in the eye
87
what foes the anterior chamber of the eye contains
aqueous humour
88
what do the muscles in the iris do
regulate the diameter of the pupil
89
purpose of the eye lens
to fine tune the angle of incoming light so it focuses on the retina
90
what does the vitreous chamber contain
vitreous humour
91
what does the retina contain
rods and cones → detects light
92
what do rods and cones synapse with
bipolar cells
93
whats special about the optic disk
aka blind spot → no photorecepto4rss
94
significance of the macula
center of it is the focal point, only contains cones → extreme visual acuity
95
special pigment proteins in the eyews
opsin, which is bound to one molecule of retinal
96
rods and cones at rest (in the dark)
retinal has many trans double bonds and one cis bond this allows for opsin to keep sodium channel open
97
rods and cones when absorbing light
retinal is converted to its all-trans form opsin closes the sodium channel → cell hyperpolarizes
98
what do rods and cones release onto bipolar cells
glutamate (neurotransmitter)
99
when do rods/cones release glutamate
in the dark → depolarization
100
on center vs off center bipolar cells
on center: increased glutamate = decreased transmitter release off center: increased glutamate = increased transmitter release
101
what accomplishes night vision
rods
102
emmetropia
normal vision
103
myopia
nearsightedness → too much curvature of the cornea
104
hyperopia
farsightedness → dues to the focusing of light behind the retina
105
how to fix myopia
with a concave lens
106
how to fix hyperopia
with a convex lens
107
presbyopia
inability to focus → due to loss of lens flexibility (occurs w aging)
108
feature detection theory
different parts of the brain are activated when looking at different things (face vs words etc)
109
parallel processing
many aspects of a stimulus are processed simultaneously
110
Weber's law
says that two stimuli must differ by a constant proportion in order for their difference to be perceptible
111
bottom up processing
begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain
112
top down processing
brain applies knowledge to interpret sensory information
113
dendrites send nerve impulses towards..
the soma
114
axons send nerve impulses..
away from the soma
115
what is hyperpolarization
moving away from rest potential in the negative direction
116
where are electrical synapses always found
in cardiac muscle cells
117
what breaks a synapsin bond
calcium

Biology - MCAT (11 decks)

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