Exam 1 Flashcards
List the overall functions of the nervous system.
Sensory Input: gathering information from sensory receptors about internal and external changes
Integration: Processing and interpreting sensory input to determine the appropriate message
Motor Output: Activation effector organs to produce response. (Muscle and glands)
Homeostasis: maintains balance internally
Mental Activity: cognitive function like thinking, memory, and emotions
List the major anatomical and functional subdivisions of the PNS. (lots of writing)
Somatic Nervous system: controls voluntary movements by innervating skeletal muscles.
Autonomic Nervous System: Regulates involuntary functions. Sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.
Sympathetic division: fight or flight response
Parasympathetic division: rest and digest function
Enteric Nervous system: manages gastrointestinal functions independently
List two alternate names for the autonomic nervous system.
Visceral Nervous System and Involuntary System
List the effector organs of the autonomic nervous system.
Smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands
List the glial cells of the CNS along with their functions.
Astrocytes: support neurons and maintain blood brain barrier. Regulates nutrient transport
Oligodendrocytes:form myelin sheaths around CNS axons
Microglia: act as immune cells and remove any debris and pathogens
Ependymal cells: lines the ventricles and prose cerebrospinal fluid
List the glial cells of the PNS along with their functions.
Schwann Cells: form myelin sheaths around peripheral axons
Satellite cells: provide support and nutrient to neurons in ganglia
List the steps that occur during an action potential. (think about ion movement, what channels are open/closed)
Resting state. Na and K are both closed
Depolarization. Na channel opens
Repolarization. Na channel closes and K channel opens
Hyper-polarization: K channel remains open and Na resets
Return to resting state. Na/K pump balances
Be able to put steps for local potentials and action potential generation
Local potentials: graded [potentials occur when stimulus causes small change in membrane potential
Threshold potential: if erased threshold, action potential Is triggered
Describe what occurs during the absolute and relative refractory period.
Absolute: no new action potential can be generated no matter stimulus strength due to inn active Na channels.
Relative: stronger than normal stimulus is requires to generate an action potential because some Na channels are still inactive while K channels are open
List the steps that lead to the cessation of the signal in a synaptic transmission.
Neurotransmitter Release: neurotransmitter are released into synaptic cleft
Binding to receptors: neurotransmitters bing to receptors
Reuptake/degradation: neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by presynaptic neuron or broken down by enzymes
Signal termination: signal ceases when neurotransmitter levels decrease
Regarding a dendrite what direction do signals travel? (toward or away from cell body)
Toward the body
Define spatial summation.
Process where multiple presynaptic neurons release neurotransmitters at different locations
Define temporal summation.
Single presynaptic function fires multiple times rapidly
Describe continuous and saltatory conduction.
Continuous- occurs in unmyelinated axons where the action potential propagates along entorse length of axon.
Saltatory- occurs in myelinated axons where the action potential jumps between nodes of Ranvier speeding up transmission
What is the primary function of interneurons?
Continuous- occurs in unmyelinated axons where the action potential propagates along entorse length of axon.
Saltatory- occurs in myelinated axons where the action potential jumps between nodes of Ranvier speeding up transmission
Explain the charge difference for a neurons resting membrane potential. (inside vs outside of cell)
The inside of the cell is negatively charges where the outside due to ion concentration differences
List where the nuclei (origin) are located for the cranial nerves. (what part of the brain do they start on?)
Located in the brain stem, medulla oblongata, pons, midbrain
What three brain structures make up the brainstem?
Midbrain, Pons, Medulla oblongata,
Where is the primary somatosensory cortex located?
The primary somatosensory cortex is located in the post central gurus of the parietal lobe
What type of information does the spinocerebellar tracts carry?
Proprioceptive information
List some functions of the medulla oblongata.
Regulating vital functions: heart rate and breathing
Controlling reflexes: swallowing, coughing, vomiting
Conducing signal: between brain and spinal cord
What are the grooves and raised areas called on the brain?
Sulci and gyri
List the lobes of the brain.
Frontal lobe, Parietal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe
What is the Broca’s area responsible for?
Speech production and language processing
What is the function of the prefrontal cortex (anterior association area)?
Higher cognitive functions
List the functions for cerebral spinal fluid.
Cushioning the brain, providing buoyancy, removing waste products, transporting nutrients
List the main parts of the diencephalon.
Thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, and sub thalamus
List the functions for the hypothalamus.
Regulating body temperature, controlling hunger and thirst, managing sleep cycle, regulating hormonal output
Where do the second order neurons terminate/synapse?
Thalamus and spinal cord
What type of sensation is the posterior root associated with?
Sensory sensations; touch, pain and temperature
List the regions of the spinal cord and the number of spinal nerves in each region.
Cervical: 8 spinal nerves
Thoracic: 12 spinal nerves
Lumbar: 5 spinal nerves
Sacral: 5 spinal nerves
List the meningeal layers and spaces.
Dura mater (outer layer)
Arachnoid mater (middle layer)
Pita matter (inner layer)
Subdural space (between dura and arachnoid)
What parts of a neuron are in the gray matter?
Cell bodies, dendrites, unmylineated axons
What type of signal do the ascending and descending tracts carry?
Sensory signals and motor signals
Where do second and third-order neurons synapse?
Thalamus
What is a ganglion and how are they formed?
Collection of neuron cell bodies and formed by the grouping of sensory or autonomic neurons
What type of neurotransmitter is secreted by motor neurons innervating skeletal muscle?
Acetylcholine
