General Organization of Nervous System Flashcards
How is the nervous system organized?
Central
Peripheral:
- Somatic -> sensory input + Motor output
- autonomic -> Sympathic (fight and flight)/Parasympathic (resting)
What does the CNS consist of?
Brain, Spinal Cord and Retina
The _____ nervous system is a division of the ______ nervous system dedicated to sensory functions and the voluntary control of the movement.
Somatic, peripheral
The ________
system controls the involuntary functions of the body, and is subdivided into the following components:
- The ______
system, a semi-independent system that includes part of the specialized innervation of the gastrointestinal system.
-Overall, the _____
system is activated to actively mobilise the body in the short term, often at the expense of common vegetative functions such as digestion.
- The ____
system innervates the same organs as the sympathetic system and antagonizes the effect of the latter.
Autonomic, enteric, sympathic, parasympathic
What is the function of oligodendrytes and Schwann cells
Wrap around the axon to fasten the electrical condution. Oligodendrytes are in the central nervous system, while Schwann cells are in the peripheral nervous system
What is the function of Astrocytes?
They wrap closely around synapses and have functions:
- Supply the neurons with glucose from the blood cappilaries, when detecting activity from the specific neuron
- rapid extinction of signals as they are very close to the synapse and can detect the concentration of ions and neurotransmitters
What is the function of microglial cells?
- They are the immune system for CNS, can act as phagocytes and surveillance for the CNS
- They control synaptic development
What are the 8 main neurotransmitters in humans?
Glutamate, Acethylcholine, glycine, Noradrenalin, adreanaline, dopamine, seratonine, GABA
Explain the functions of Glutamate?
It’s the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS - almost all excitatory neurons in the brain are glutamergic
Explain the function of Acetylcholine?
Excitatory neurotransmitter
Located in the neural-musculare joint
Supplied by food intake
Used also in the pre-ganglionic neurons in sympathetic and parasympathetic, and post-ganglionic neurons in parasympathetic (neuromuscle)
Explain the function of GABA and Glycine?
GABA: Main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Used by 50% of spinal cord neurons
Glycine: Used by most inhibitory synapses in the central nervous system that are not GABAergic. Used by the other 50% of spinal cord neurons
Explain the function of Catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine)
Used by small number of neurons in nervous system
- Can be both excitatory or inhibitory depending on receptors
Dopamine: Brain stem, control movement, mood, motivation
norepinephrine: excitatory, brain + spinal cord
adrenaline: small number of brain neurons. Hormone regulating the autonomic nervous system
Explain the function of Seretonin
Can be either excitatory or inhibitory
- Most seretonergic neurons are in the Raph nucleus in the brain
- most of the brain recieves this
