Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Human Biology > Exam 3 > Flashcards

Exam 3 Flashcards

1
Q

How does the nervous system communicate with the other systems of the body?

A

Sensory input, integration, motor output

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Motor output goes to an effector. What can be the effector?

A
  • Smooth muscle, skeletal muscles and cardiac muscles
  • Glands
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What makes up the CNS?

A

Brain and spinal chord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What makes up the PNS?

A

Cranial and spinal nerves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

The _______ division carries out the response

A

motor (efferent)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the two divisions of the motor division? describe them

A
  • Somatic (voluntary): skeletal muscles
  • Autonomic (involuntary): cardiac and smooth muscle, glands
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the two arms of the autonomic division?

A

Parasympathetic and sympathetic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

T / F : neuroglia outnumber neurons by a factor of 10

A

T

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How many kinds of neuroglia are there?

A

6

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the cells of the nervous system?

A

Neuroglia and neurons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

4 of the 5 kinds of neuroglia reside in the ______

A

CNS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

__________ are the most abundant and versatile neuroglia

A

Astrocytes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

________ cells are phagocytes that defend CNS cells and monitor the health of the neuron

A

Microglial

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

_________ cells line cerebrospinal fluid-filled cavities and have cilia

A

Ependymal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

_________ have processes that form myelin sheaths around CNS nerve fibers

A

Oligodendrocytes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Any neuron that has a myelin sheath has a _______ rate of conduction

A

faster

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the 2 neuroglia of the PNS?

A

Satellite and Schwann cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Satellite cells are analogous to

A

astrocytes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Schwann cells are analogous to

A

oligodendrocytes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Where is gray matter found within the brain? White matter? How about in the spinal cord?

A
  • Gray matter is usually made up of cell bodies and their associated dendrites
  • White matter is white from myelinated axons
  • Gray matter in the brain: surrounds the cerebrum, known as the cortex (cerebellar and cerebral cortex) and is also found in the brain stem; gray matter is superficial
  • White matter in the brain: found in deeper tissues of the brain (subcortical); white matter is deep
  • Gray matter in the spinal cord: within the white matter
  • White matter in the spinal cord: towards the outside of the spinal cord
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Differentiate between tracts and nerves; nuclei and ganglia (what do they consist of and where are each located?)

A
  • Tracts: bundles of nerve fibers in the central nervous system
  • Nerves: bundles of nerve fibers in the peripheral nervous system
  • Nuclei: clusters of neuron cell bodies in the central nervous system
  • Ganglia: clusters of neuron cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Contrast sensory and motor neurons.

A
  • Sensory (afferent): carry signals to your brain/CNS to help you touch, taste, smell and see
  • Motor (efferent): carry signals to your muscles or glands/PNS to help you move and function
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Where are interneurons found and what is their function?

A
  • Found in CNS
  • Function: aka association neurons, complete the communication pathway between sensory and motor neurons
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What are the parts of a neuron and the functions of these parts

A
  • 3 main parts: cell body, dendrites, axon
  • Cell body: contains nucleus and nucleolus, where all cellular products are made as well as where protein synthesis and transport take place, etc. *housekeeping tasks, keeps neuron alive
  • Dendrites: short, branched structures that receive incoming signals/information from other neurons
  • Axon: send/transmit signal away from cell body, has Schwann cells surrounding it that form the myelin sheath, exposed nodes (Nodes of Ranvier)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Which structural type of neuron do we have the most of?

A

Multipolar neuron

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What are the different types of sensory receptors?

A
  • Free nerve endings: pain reception
  • Meissner’s corpuscle: fine touch receptor
  • Lamellar corpuscle: deep pressure receptor
  • Golgi tendon organ: proprioceptor of tendons (detects stretch/tension)
  • Muscle tendon: proprioceptor of muscles (detects stretch/tension)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What is the resting membrane potential and describe how the resting membrane potential is achieved.

A
  • RMP: -70 mV
  • Maintained because the polarized membrane is more permeable to K+ than Na+, meaning more K+ move out than Na+ in
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Contrast polarized, depolarized and repolarized.

A
  • Polarized: more negative inside the membrane relative to the outside (neuron at rest)
  • Depolarized: inside is now more positive and outside is less positive
  • Repolarized: return to resting state, outflow of positive ions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Describe what happens when a neuron is stimulated (i.e. an action potential and the conduction of the action potential)

A
  • Local depolarization
  • Ion channels open
  • Electrical impulse = nerve impulse = action potential (result of Na+ flowing in, will get AP if stimulus is strong enough)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Describe the phases of the action potential: stimulus, depolarization, repolarization and back to rest

A
  • Stimulation: initiates local depolarization, Na+ ions diffuse into a “patch” of the cell
  • Depolarization: if stimulus is strong enough, depolarization spreads, resulting in an action potential, which is propagated along the length of the neuron membrane
  • Repolarization: caused by opening of K+ channels and outflux of K+
  • Back to rest: back to RMP via Na+/K+ resetting ionic conditions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What happens at a chemical synapse?

A
  • AP is transmitted to axon terminal
  • Upon arrival of AP, Ca+ ion channels in the axon terminals open
  • Ca+ channels opening causes the exocytosis of vesicles filled with chemicals (neurotransmitter)
  • NT diffuses across/through the synaptic cleft and binds its receptor (ion channels) on the receiving cell membrane
  • If enough of NT opens enough ion channels, depolarization occurs, leading to the generation of another AP!
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Define reflex arc

A

Involuntary, rapid, predictable response to stimulus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

What are the 5 elements of a reflex arc?

A
  1. Receptor
  2. Sensory neuron
  3. Integration center
  4. Motor neuron
  5. Effector
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Contrast a 2 vs 3 neuron reflex arc

A
  • 2 neuron reflex arc: (think of the patellar tendon reflex) contains only sensory and motor neurons that synapse directly together
  • 3 neuron reflex arc: contains all 3 types of neurons (sensory, motor and interneurons)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Describe the sulci/gyri/fissures

A
  • Sulci: the valleys of the folds/wrinkles of the brain
  • Gyri/gyrus: a fold or hill, the high parts of the wrinkles of the brain
  • Fissures: divide the brain into lobes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Describe hemispheres

A

The left and right hemispheres are separated by the longitudinal fissure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

What are the four lobes of the brain?

A

Frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Describe the cerebral cortex

A
  • Outermost, thin layer of gray matter (about 1/8 of an inch in thickness), very active
  • Involved in speech, memory, logic, emotional responses, consciousness, interpretation of situations and voluntary movements
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Describe the corpus callosum

A

Thick band of white matter that connects the cerebral hemispheres

38
Q

Describe basal nuclei

A

Islands of gray matter, functional in helping with motor activity, enabling you to start and stop a particular motion, influence motor activity or movement, deep within white matter of cerebrum

38
Q

Describe the prefrontal cortex

A

Involved in working memory, judgement, problem solving, comprehension, important cognitive area of brain

39
Q

What are the roles in movement played by the primary motor cortex?

A

Where all voluntary skeletal muscle originates

40
Q

What are the roles in movement played by the premotor cortex?

A

Where the planning of movements occurs, repetitive movements are learned and stored here

41
Q

What are the roles in movement played by the cerebellum?

A

Balance, equilibrium, coordination, posture

41
Q

What are the roles in movement played by the basal nuclei?

A

Islands of grey matter, help to regulate voluntary motor activities by modifying instructions sent to the skeletal muscles by the primary motor cortex

42
Q

What are the roles in movement played by the frontal eye field?

A

Control over 6 extrinsic eye muscles

43
Q

What are the roles in movement played by Broca’s area?

A
  • In charge of motor speech
  • Involved in moving face, tongue, forming words, etc.
44
Q

What happens in the sensory areas of the cerebral cortex? What are the association areas?

A
  • Sensory information is sent to the area and then neurons on the outside of that area help to interpret the incoming information
  • Anterior association area: higher intellectual reasoning and comprehension as well as socially acceptable behaviors
  • Posterior association area: pattern and face recognition, also contains speech area
45
Q

Be able to identify the location and function of the following: thalamus, hypothalamus, mammillary bodies, pineal gland, reticular formation and RAS!

A
  • thalamus: oval shaped, central relay center for senses, often called the gateway to the sensory cortex, because that sensory information comes in first to the thalamus which then relays it on to the somatic sensory portion, etc.
  • hypothalamus: beneath/below the thalamus, important autonomic nervous system regulatory center. Important for body temp control, hunger and thirst center, fluid balance, hormones, etc.
  • mammillary bodies: just behind pituitary gland, important for memory
  • pineal gland: important for daily sleep and wake cycles, secretes melatonin
  • reticular formation: runs the entire length of the brain stem, helps to coordinate a lot of activities within the brain
  • RAS: reticular activating system, a part of the reticular formation. Involved in consciousness and arousal of cerebral cortex (when you wake up or maybe keeping you asleep), helps to filter sensory information
46
Q

Describe the protective layers around the brain

A
  • Dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater make up the meninges
  • Dura mater: double layer membrane of connective tissue, protects the brain on the outside
  • Arachnoid mater: wispy middle layer
  • Pia mater: delicate, nourishing, lots of blood vessels
47
Q

What are the numbers of the different groups of spinal nerves (cervical, etc.)? How does this differ from the numbers of bones in each segment of the vertebral column?

A

Cervical
- spinal nerves: 8
- vertebrae: 7

Thoracic
- spinal nerves: 12
- vertebrae: 12

Lumbar
- spinal nerves: 5
- vertebrae: 5

5 sacral spinal nerves

1 coccygeal spinal nerve

47
Q

What are the 3 parts of the brain stem from superior to inferior and their functions

A
  • Midbrain: has several reflex centers for reflex and vision
  • Pons: means bridge, has long tracts that act as a bridge/form connection between the upper parts of the brain and your medulla. Also contains an important respiratory center called the pontine respiratory center
  • Medulla: major, visceral (organ) control center. Damage to this is often fatal as many organs rely on it/are controlled by it (heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, swallowing, vomiting)
48
Q

Describe how the spinal nerves associated with each numbered vertebral bone exit the vertebral column (above or below).

A
  • C1 nerve exits above C1
  • C2-7 nerves exit above corresponding vertebrae
  • C8 exits below C7 vertebra
  • all thoracic and lumbar nerves than exit below their corresponding vertebrae
49
Q

Define/describe the conus medullaris

A

the terminal end of the spinal cord (~L1)

50
Q

Define/describe the intervertebral foramen

A

serves as the doorway between the spinal canal and periphery

51
Q

Define/describe the vertebral foramen

A
  • the foramen (opening) formed by the anterior segment (the body), and the posterior part, the vertebral arch
  • begins at cervical vertebra #1 and continues inferior to lumbar vertebra #5
52
Q

Define/describe the cauda equina

A

The collection of spinal nerves at the inferior end of the vertebral canal

53
Q

At what level does the spinal cord taper off?

A

~L1-L2

54
Q

Describe the structure/function of the ascending and descending pathways between brain and spinal cord (use lateral corticospinal tract as an example)

A
  • Ascending: sensory, taking information to the brain
  • Descending: motor pathways, taking information to spinal cord/body
  • Lateral corticospinal tract: descending (motor), synapse in the anterior horn of SC
55
Q

What are the 12 pair of cranial nerves?

A
  • C1: olfactory
  • C2: optic
  • C3: oculomotor
  • C4: trochlear
  • C5: trigeminal
  • C6: abducens
  • C7: facial
  • C8: vestibulocochlear
  • C9: glossopharyngeal
  • C10: vagus
  • C11: accessory
  • C12: hypoglossal
56
Q

Describe the structure of a spinal nerve

A
  • Ventral and dorsal root to spinal nerve
  • Ventral root: motor component
  • Dorsal root: sensory component
57
Q

Describe the role of the ANS and contrast the two arms

A
  • Role: involuntary movements
  • Two arms: parasympathetic and sympathetic
  • Parasympathetic: rest and digest
  • Sympathetic: fight or flight
58
Q

What are the ANS effectors (3 of them)?

A

smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, glands

59
Q

Describe dual innervation by the ANS

A
  • to be both parasympathetic and sympathetic
  • most organs are dually innervated
60
Q

T / F : all spinal nerves are mixed nerves

A

T

61
Q

Together with the brain stem, the __________ oversees all subconscious, autonomic functions.

A

diencephalon

62
Q

The cell bodies of sensory neurons whose fibers enter the spinal cord are found in the __________.

A

dorsal root ganglion

63
Q

The __________ area, which allows us to consciously move our skeletal muscles, is anterior to the central sulcus in the __________ lobe.

A

primary motor, frontal

64
Q

__________ is considered the major relay station for ascending sensory information

A

The thalamus

65
Q

The deep groove that separates the two hemispheres of the cerebrum is called the __________.

A

longitudinal fissure

66
Q

The __________ division of the autonomic nervous system generates the fight-or-flight response in extreme circumstances.

A

sympathetic

67
Q

Damage to which cranial nerves may impair the sense of taste?

A
  • C7: facial
  • C9: glossopharyngeal
68
Q

The cerebellum aids in maintenance of __________.

A

posture and balance

69
Q

The three connective tissue membranes covering and protecting CNS structures are collectively known as the __________. The __________ is the outermost, leathery layer.

A

meninges; dura mater

70
Q

Select the substances that the blood-brain barrier prevents from entering brain tissue.

  • Proteins
  • Urea
  • Glucose
  • Alcohol
A

urea, proteins

71
Q

The corpus callosum connects the __________.

A

right and left cerebral hemispheres

72
Q

The __________ produce cerebrospinal fluid.

A

choroid plexuses

73
Q

The autonomic nervous system controls…

A

smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands

74
Q

The somatic nervous system controls…

A

skeletal muscle

75
Q

The central nervous system includes…

A

the brain and spinal cord

76
Q

The peripheral nervous system includes…

A

spinal nerves and cranial nerves

77
Q

Describe the role and circulation of the CSF

A
  • CSF is made in the choroid plexuses dangling from the ventricles
  • CSF flows from lateral ventricle, into third, through the cerebral aqueduct and into the fourth and then into the subarachnoid space
  • Is able to circulate due to cilia of ependymal cells
  • Role: protects the brain by providing cushioning
78
Q

Describe the flow of information in terms of the dorsal and ventral roots

A

Information goes outward from ventral root and comes inward via the dorsal root

79
Q

Damage to _______ typically results in a coma because the cortex cannot be aroused

A

RAS

80
Q

Why are the Nodes of Ranvier important?

A

They are where the nerve impulses will jump (in a myelinated axon), which helps to increase the speed of an electrical impulse

81
Q

Where are nerve impulses generated?

A

Axon hillock

82
Q

________ communicate with the next cell (muscle cell, gland cell, another neuron, etc.)

A

Axon terminals

83
Q

Clusters of cell bodies in the CNS are known as _______, while clusters of cell bodies in the PNS are known as ________

A

nuclei, ganglia

84
Q

Bundles of nerve fibers/neuron processes are known as _______ in the CNS and ______ in the PNS

A

tracts, nerves

85
Q

What are the functional classifications of neurons?

A

Sensory, motor and interneurons

86
Q

What are the structural classifications of neurons?

A

Multipolar, bipolar, unipolar

87
Q

Where are bipolar neurons typically found?

A

Eye, nose, etc.

88
Q

Where are unipolar neurons typically found?

A

Some sensory organs in PNS

89
Q

Are neurons or muscle cells more irritable?

A

Neurons!

90
Q

Describe a neuron at rest

A
  • Unstimulated
  • RMP (-70 mV, slightly negative inside, slightly positive outside)
  • Membrane is polarized
91
Q

At rest, _______ (more or less) K+ diffuses outward than Na+ diffuses inward

A

more

92
Q

In what ways does neurotransmitter action end?

A
  • Diffuses away
  • Broken down via enzymatic activity
  • Taken back up by transmitting neuron

Human Biology (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions