Exam 2 Flashcards
What is the CNS, and what does it include?
Central nervous system and includes the brain and spinal cord
What is the PNS, and what does it include?
Peripheral nervous system and includes the rest of the nervous system (cranial nerves, spinal nerves, and their branches)
What regions of the body does the somatic nervous system connect to the PNS?
Through the nerves to/from the glands and internal organs
What regions of the body does the autonomic nervous system connect to the PNS?
Through the nerves to/from the glands and internal organs
What is/are the functions of the sympathetic nervous system?
“Fight or flight”
What is/are the functions of the parasympathetic nervous system?
“Rest and digest”
What are neurons, and what is their primary function?
A cell in the nervous system that supports the neurons and their primary function is nutrient, waste, and oxygen transport
What is the structure of dendrites?
Short, branchlike extensions of the cell body that receives signals from the neighboring neurons
What is the structure of the cell body?
Contains nucleus and organelles, collects information from thousands of neurons, integrates (processes) these messages, and sends electrical impulses down the axon
What is the structure of the axon?
Longer protection from the cell body, vary tremendously in length, transmit electrical impulses down to the terminal button, coated in a fatty insulating “myelin sheath”
What is the structure of the terminal buttons?
Knoblike structures at the end of the end of the axon and when triggered by an action potential, release neurotransmitters into the synapse
What is a synapse, and what is its role in neural communication?
A tiny gap between neurons where communication occurs and they communicate by sending/receiving neurotransmitters across the synapse
What is the myelin sheath, and what is its role in neural communication?
A fatty material that covers and insulates some axons to allow for faster movement of electrical impulses along the axon
How does Multiple Sclerosis affect neural communication?
People with MS lose the ability to coordinate their movements and gradually lose their ability to move, see, and think
What is the transmission stage of neural communication?
“Presynaptic” neuron (neuron before the synapse) creates electrical signals in its cell body and passes those signal along its axon
What is the reception stage of neural communication?
Dendrites of postsynaptic neurons receive neurotransmitters from the presynaptic neuron
What is the integration stage of neural communication?
Neuron processes (integrate) incoming signals from potentially thousands of other neurons
In general, how is the electrical activity and charge inside of a neuron regulated?
The sodium-potassium pumps (in the cell membrane) pump 3 positively charged sodium ions out for every 2 positively charged ions they bring in
What is the refractory period?
As a neuron returns to its resting state, it experiences a refractory period during which it is less responsive to stimulation
What is an agonist?
Enhances or mimics the actions of a neurotransmitter
What is an antagonist?
Suppress or inhibit the actions of a neurotransmitter
What are the tasks that the cerebellum is responsible for?
Motor memory, motor coordination, and balance
What are the tasks that the amygdala is responsible for?
Fear learning
What are the tasks that the thalamus is responsible for?
Serving as a sensory relay station between the sensory organs (eyes, ears, tongue, skin) and the cortex
What are the tasks that the hypothalamus is responsible for?
Regulating basic drives like hunger, thirst, and sexual desires
What are the tasks that the hippocampus is responsible for?
Formation of new explicit memory
