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Brain & Behaviour > Exam 1 > Flashcards

Exam 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 4 zones of a neuron?

A

Input Zone - Dentrites, cell body

Integration Zone - Axon hillock

Conduction Zone - Axon

Output Zone - Axon terminals

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2
Q

What are the different shapes of neurons and their functions?

A

Motor neurons - large, long axons, stimulate muscles

Sensory neurons - various shapes, respond to specific stimuli (light, odor, smell)

Interneurons - have small axons, communicates with other neurons

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3
Q

Are the 3 physical types of neurons?

A

Multipolar neurons - 1 axon, many dendrites; most common

Bipolar neurons - 1 axon, 1 dendrite

Unipolar neurons - single extension branches in 2 directions, forming input and output zones.

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4
Q

What’s are the 3 components of the synapse?

A

Presynaptic membrane - on axon terminal of presynaptic neuron.

Postsynaptic membrane - on dendrite or soma of postsynaptic neuron.

Synaptic cleft - gap the separates membranes.

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5
Q

What are the 2 types of glial cells that wrap around axons to create myelin?

A

Oligodendrocytes - form myelin sheaths in brain & spinal cord.

Schwann cells - provide myelin to neurons outside the brain and spinal cord.

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6
Q

What is an astrocyte?

A

Star shaped, symmetrical, structural support for neurons, transports substances between neurons and capillaries, secrete chemicals.

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7
Q

What is Microglia?

A

Tiny, mobile cells that remove debris from injured or dead cells. Originate in the blood as part of immune system. Provide growth factors to aid in repair of neurons. Engage in PHAGOCYTOSIS (eat & dissolve damage).

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8
Q

What are motor nerves?

What are sensory nerves?

A

Transmit information from spinal cord & brain to muscles and glands.

Convey information from body to CNS.

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9
Q

What are the directional terms used to describe the brain?

A

Medial, lateral, anterior, posterior, dorsal, ventral

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10
Q

What are the structures of the basal ganglia and what does it do?

A

Important in motor control consisting of:

Caudate nucleus
Putamen
Globus pallidus

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11
Q

What structures are included in the limbic system & what do they do?

A 
Amygdala - emotional regulation, smell
Hippocampus & fornix - learning
Cingulate gyrus - attention
Olfactory bulb - sense of smell
Thalamus - relays sensory information
Hypothalamus - regulatory functions, controls pituitary.
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12
Q

What are the structures of the brainstem & their functions?

A

Cerebellum - coordination

Pons - sensory and motor

Medulla - transition from brain to spinal cord —> respiration and heart rate.

Reticular formation - sleep and arousal

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13
Q

What is the protective membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord?

A

Meninges:

Dura mater - tough outermost layer
Pia mater - delicate innermost layer
Arachnoid membrane - between other two, filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

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14
Q

What is diffusion?

What is the concentration gradient?

A

Movement of ions from area of high concentration to area of low concentration through random motion.

Differences in concentration that allows the substance to diffuse from an area of high to low concentration.

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15
Q

What is the voltage gradient?

A

Difference in charge between two regions that allows flow of current if two regions are connected. Neuron becomes a batter and generates electricity.

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16
Q

What are Ion?

Anions?

Cations?

A

Ions - electrically charged molecules

Anions - negatively charged (Cl-)

Cations - positively charged (Na+, K+)

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17
Q

What is the flow of ions in a neuron effected by?

A

Concentration gradient - random motion of particles

Voltage gradient - electrostatic pressure causes opposites to attract and likes to repel.

Sodium potassium pump.

Selective permeability of the membrane.

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18
Q

How does the sodium-potassium pump work?

A

Uses energy to pump 3 Na+ ions out for every 2 K+ ions pumped in.

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19
Q

What is the equilibrium potential?

A

Electrical charge that balances two opposing forces - the concentration gradient and electrostatic pressure - and corresponds to the resting potential.

20
Q

What is hyperpolarization?

A

Increase in membrane potential - the inside of the cell becomes even more negative and farther from zero.

21
Q

What is Depolarization?

A

A decrease in membrane potential - the inside of the cell becomes less negative and closer to zero. (Action potential)

22
Q

What is a threshold potential?

A

The voltage on a neural membrane at which an action potential is triggered (usually between -70mV and -50mV)

23
Q

What is absolute refractory?

A

When the neuron cannot generate another action potential. Just after depolarization.

24
Q

Explain Myelin, Nodes of Ranvier, and Saltatory conduction in relation to action potentials.

A

Myelin is a sheath of insulation around the axon formed by glial cells which speeds up conduction

Saltatory conduction-the potential travelling inside the axon jumps from node to node.

25
Q

What is a postsynaptic potential?

A

Brief changes in membrane potential of the postsynaptic cell in response to neurotransmitter that has been released from the presynaptic cell.

26
Q

Explain postsynaptic depolarizations.

Explain postsynaptic hyper-polarizations.

A

Postsynaptic depolarizations are and excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)- make it more likely a neuron will fire

Postsynaptic hyper-polarizations are an inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) - make it less likely a neuron will fire.

Many EPSP needed to cause neuron to fire, one is not sufficient

27
Q

What is the synaptic transmission sequence?

A
  1. AP arrives at presynaptic axon terminal
  2. Voltage-gated calcium channels in the terminal membrane open and calcium enters
  3. Calcium ions cause synaptic vesicles that are filled with neurotransmitter to fuse with the presynaptic membrane, which releases neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft.
  4. Transmitters bind to postsynaptic receptor molecules, which causes ion channels to open and leads to either an EPSP or IPSP.
  5. EPSP or IPSPs spread toward the postsynaptic axon hillock if threshold is reached and an AP will occur.
28
Q

What is a ligand?

A

Molecules that fit into receptors and activate or block them. Neurotransmitter is a ligand of its receptor. (lock and key - neurotransmitter is the key, receptor is the lock)

29
Q

What effects transmitter action?

A

Diffusion - moves away from the synaptic cleft

Degradation - degraded by enzymes in the synaptic cleft

Reuptake - back into the presynaptic neuron for re-use

Taken up by neighbouring glial cells.

30
Q

What is exocytosis?

A

When an action potential causes vesicles to release neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft.

31
Q

What is an Ionotropic receptor?

What is a Metabotropic receptor?

A

ionotropic - opens or closes an ion channel when the neurotransmitter binds.

Metabotropic - alters chemical reactions in the cell: uses second messengers to open an ion channel, may start chemical reactions to alter gene expression, slower & longer acting.

32
Q

What are the types of neurotransmitters?

A

Amino acid neurotransmitters - GABA (decrease activity IPSP), glutamate (inhibit activity EPSP)
Amine neurotransmitters - dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine.
Peptide neurotransmitters - oxytocin, vasopressin, endogenous opioids (slow, long lasting, big)
Gas neurotransmitters - nitric oxide, carbon monoxide (very small, have no receptors)

33
Q

What is an agonist?

Antagonist?

A

Agonist - when a drug activates the receptor (increases activity)

Antagonist - when a drug binds to a receptor without activating it and blocks it (decreases activity)

34
Q

How do drugs alter the presynaptic neuron?

A

Transmitter production ( block synthesis enzymes), transmitter release (block AP by blocking ion channels), transmitter clearance (block reuptake of transmitter)

35
Q

How do drugs alter the postsynaptic neuron?

A

Transmitter receptors (block postsynaptic receptors from being activated), intracellular postsynaptic processes (activation of 2nd messenger systems - Metabotropic receptors, up or down regulation of receptors.

36
Q

What are examples of agonists?

A

Cocaine (blocks reuptake)

Benzodiazepines (GABA agonist - binds to GABA molecule and increases the binding of GABA)

37
Q

What are examples of antagonists?

A

Atropine (ACH antagonist, binds and blocks muscarinic receptors, high doses disrupt memory)

Curare (ACH, binds and blocks nicotinic receptors, can cause paralysis)

38
Q

What are first-generation antipsychotics?

Second-generation antipsychotics?

A

1st - neuroleptics, alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia by blocking dopamine receptors, calms hallucinations, etc, has severe side effects.

2nd- act on receptors in addition to or other than dopamine, may relieve symptoms resistant to typical antipsychotics, fewer side effects.

39
Q

What are the different kinds of antidepressants?

A

MAO - inhibitors prevent the breakdown of monoamines at the synapses (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, serious side effects)
Tricyclics - block reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine
SSRIs - block serotonin reuptake (most common)

40
Q

What are anxiolytics?

A

Barbiturates - depress nervous activity, addictive and easily overdosed, GABA agonist.

Benzodiazepines - act as GABA receptor agonists, are addictive but harder to overdose, causes feeling of calm.

41
Q

What do opiates do?

A

Bind to opioid receptors, especially in periaqueductal gray matter (transmission of pain signals - morphine codeine, heroin)

42
Q

What are the endogenous opioids?

A

Enkephalins, endorphins, dynorphins. There are three kinds of opioid receptors - delta, kappa, mu - are all Metabotropic receptors.

43
Q

How does caffeine affect the brain?

Nicotine?

Cocaine?

Amphetamine?

A

Caffeine - blocks presynaptic adenosine receptors, resulting in increased transmitter release.
Nicotine - acts as an agonist on nicotinic ACH receptors, activated reward/addiction pathways.
Cocaine - blocks reuptake of monoamine transmitters (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine) so that they accumulate in synapses throughout the brain, boosting their effects.
Amphetamine - causes larger than normal release of transmitters at axon terminals, interferes with the breakdown of transmitter.

44
Q

How do hallucinogens effect the brain?

A

Alter sensory perception and produce inverse neural actions -> LSD - strongly activates serotonin receptors in the visual cortex.

45
Q

How does MDMA effect the brain?

A

Stimulates visual cortical serotonin receptors but also changes levels of dopamine and prolactin. Ecstasy - hallucinogenic amphetamine derivative. High followed by a low.

Brain & Behaviour (2 decks)

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