Exam 2 Flashcards
What are the main cells of the nervous system?
Neurons
What are the electrical signals generated by nervous system called?
Action Potential
How does the central nervous system differ from the peripheral nervous system?
Central - includes brain and spinal cord
Peripheral - any nerve cell outside brain and spinal cord
How does the Somatic division differ from the Autonomic division?
Somatic - under conscious control
Autonomic - under unconscious control
How does the Sympathetic Branchof the autonomic division differ from the Parasympathetic Branch?
Sympathetic - stimulates fight or flight
Parasympathetic - relaxes body
State 1 example of a Sympathetic Branch response on an organ.
Increase heart rate
State 1 example of a Parasympathetic Branch response on an organ.
Decrease heart rate
What is the name of the gap that sits between 2 neuurons?
Synaptic cleft (Synapse)
What is the name of the gap that sits between a neuron and a muscle cell?
Neuromuscular junction
What is the name of a neuron that SENDS neurotransmitters to another?
Presynaptic
What is the name of a neuron that RECEIVES neurotransmitters from another?
Postsynaptic
Explain in detail the 8 steps involved in generating an action potential.
- During resting state, cell has a net negative charge
- Stimulus will open sodium channels, allowing sodium to enter cell
- The entry of sodium causes the cell to become more positive (depolarization)
- Sodium channels will close and potassium channels will open.
- Potassium atoms will leave cell
- The cell becomes more negative as potassium leaves (repolarization)
- Potassium channels are slow to close, cell becomes more negative (hyper polarization)
- The sodium - potassium pump fixes the membrane gradient to return to resting state
What type of activities does the cerebral cortex do?
higher-level thinking functions
How does the cerebral cortex left hemisphere differ from the right hemisphere?
Left
- logical
- math-based
Right
- emotional
- artistic based
Which lobe of the brain is responsible for controlling vision?
occipital lobe