Diploma Prep: Nervous System

Question 1

What are the three basic structures of the nervous system?

Answer 1

Receptors, nerve cells, effectors

Question 2

What are the five steps involved in a reflex arc?

Answer 2

stimulus, sensory receptor, sense neuron, interneuron, motor neuron, effector (gland / muscle)

Question 3

When a neuron is polarized, where is sodium / potassium?

Answer 3

sodium outside, potassium inside

Question 4

What is different between neurons int eh CNS and PNS?

Answer 4

neurons in the PNS have a myelinated sheath and Sshwann Cells

Question 5

What is a myelinated sheath?

Answer 5

outer coating on the axon of a neuron which allows a signal to travel faster

Question 6

What are Schwann cells?

Answer 6

Cells which help in the regeneration of damaged neurons

Question 7

What are the steps of depolarization in an action potential?

Answer 7

1. Depolarization
2. Repolarization
3. Refractory Period / Hyperpolarization

Question 8

What happens in the depolarization period of an action potential?

Answer 8

Na+ rushes into axon, +40 mV

Question 9

What happens in the repolarization period of an action potential?

Answer 9

K+ rushes out of axon, -70mV

Question 10

What happens in the repolarization period of an action potential?

Answer 10

Na+ / K+ pump restores concentration gradient, no new action potential can occur

Question 11

What direction (on the neuron) does an action potential go?

Answer 11

dendrite to axon

Question 12

What are the main components of a neuron?

Answer 12

dendrites, nucleus, axon, myelinated sheath, axon terminal, synapse

Question 13

What is the threshold level?

Answer 13

how much stimulus is required to create an action potential

Question 14

What is the all - or - nothing response?

Answer 14

size of action potential does not change, regardless of the size of the stimulus

Question 15

How is strength of a stimulus measured?

Answer 15

high frequency, many neurons

Question 16

How many different types of neurotransmitters can be released by a neuron?

Answer 16

one

Question 17

What are the two neurons in a transmission called?

Answer 17

presynaptic neuron and postsynaptic neuron

Question 18

What is a synapse?

Answer 18

Space between an axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron and the dendrites of the post synaptic neuron

Question 19

What are the steps of a synapse?

Answer 19

1. Ca2+ gate opens
2. Ca2+ rushes into neuron
3. Ca2+ triggers vessicles containing neurotransmitters to move to the presynaptic membrane
4. Neurotransmitters diffuse across the synaptic cleft and bind the postsynaptic cleft
5. Excitatory neurotransmitters create an action potential, inhibitory transmitters open K+ or Cl- gate to hyperpolarize

Question 20

What happens to dopamine after it lands on the post-synaptic cleft?

Answer 20

reabsorbed by vesicles in the presynaptic neuron

Question 21

What happens to acetylcholine after it lands on the post-synaptic cleft?

Answer 21

It is broken down by acetylcholinesterase and reabsorbed into the presynaptic neuron

Question 22

What is ACh used for as a neurotransmitter?

Answer 22

neuromusclar junctions, parasympathetic neurons

Question 23

What is Epinepherine/norepinephere used for as a neurotransmitter?

Answer 23

concentration

Question 24

What nervous system (sns/psns) is epinepherine used in?

Answer 24

psns

Question 25

What nervous system (sns/psns) is norepinepherine used in?

Answer 25

sns

Question 26

What is Serotonin used for as a neurotransmitter?

Answer 26

mood neurotransmitter

Question 27

What is GABA used for as a neurotransmitter?

Answer 27

inhibitory neurotransmitter, motor control and vision

Question 28

What is Dopamine used for as a neurotransmitter?

Answer 28

muscle contraction, motor control in the brain, reward pathway

Question 29

What is a excitatory neurotransmitter?

Answer 29

trigger depolarizatoin by opening sodium channels

Question 30

What is an inhibitory neurotransmitter?

Answer 30

trigger hyperpolarization by opening potassium channels

Question 31

What is summation?

Answer 31

multiple neurons synapsing on one post synaptic neuron

Question 32

What are the parts of the central nervous system?

Answer 32

spinal cord and brain

Question 33

Where is the frontal lobe and what is its role?

Answer 33

forehead area, thinking (data processing, critical thinking, decision making)

Question 34

Where is the occipital lobe and what is its role?

Answer 34

very back, seeing

Question 35

Where is the temporal lobe and what is its role?

Answer 35

sides, sensory/motor

Question 36

Where is the parietal lobe and what is its role?

Answer 36

top, sensory/motor

Question 37

Where is the cerebellum and what is its role?

Answer 37

very bottom back side, motor control

Question 38

What is the corpus callosum?

Answer 38

region that connects the left and right hemisphere

Question 39

Where is the thalamus and what is its role?

Answer 39

region in the very middle, relay center (nerve centre), breathing

Question 40

Where is the hypothalamus and what is its role?

Answer 40

below the thalamus, controls pituitary gland, controls water balance

Question 41

Where is the pons and what is its role?

Answer 41

top of the medulla oblongata, relay station

Question 42

Where is the medulla oblongata and what is its role?

Answer 42

top of the spinal cord, basic body control (heart rate, breathing)

Question 43

Where is the pituitary gland and what is its role?

Answer 43

directly below hypothalamus, synthesizes and secretes hormones

Question 44

Where is the motor cortex and what is its role?

Answer 44

back of the frontal lobe, planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements

Question 45

Where is the sympathetic nervous system response?

Answer 45

thoracic and lumbar

Question 46

Where is the parasympathetic nervous system response?

Answer 46

sacral cervical

Question 47

What is the somatic nervous system?

Answer 47

sensory neurons and motor neurons

Question 48

What is the autonomics nervous system?

Answer 48

motor neurons from the brain and spinal cord that regulate internal environment, through the hypothalamus

Question 49

Where are photoreceptors and what is their role?

Answer 49

eyes, respond to light (rods and cones)

Question 50

what is the role of chemoreceptors?

Answer 50

respond to chemical stimuli

Question 51

what is the role of mechanoreceptors?

Answer 51

detect changes in shape

Question 52

what is the role of thermoreceptors?

Answer 52

detect heat and cold in the skin

Question 53

What is the pathway of signal transduction?

Answer 53

ear canal, ear drum, ossicles, cochlear branch, vestibular branch, auditory nerve, temporal lobe

Question 54

What are the main components of the eye and what is their role?

Answer 54

cornea (transparent cover for eye), iris (colour), pupil (space for light to pass through), lens (bends light), aqueous humour (liquid in front of lens), ciliary muscle (moves lens), choroid (connective tissue), sclera (white), vitreous humour (liquid inside eye), retina (nerves at the back that converts light to signal), fovea (lots of cones for sharp colour vision), optic nerve (sends signal to optic chiasma)

Question 55

What are the reflexes of the eye?

Answer 55

accomodation (changing lens shape), adaptation (stimulating rods vs cones), light reflext ( sns - dilation, psns - constriction)

Question 56

What is myopia?

Answer 56

near-sightedness, image forms in front of retina

Question 57

what is hyperopia?

Answer 57

far-sightedness, image forms behind retina

Question 58

What is astigmatism?

Answer 58

irregular curvature of cornea

Question 59

What are cataracts?

Answer 59

cloudiness of eyes