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Human Nervous System Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What protects the brain and spinal cord?

A

Meninges

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2
Q

What is the location and function of cerebrum?

A

Location: The upper part of the cranial cavity

Function:
• it receives & interprets all sensations eg: touch, hear, taste, sight, smell
• it conducts all higher thought processes eg. memory, reasoning, judgement
• it controls voluntary & involuntary actions

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3
Q

What is the location & function of the cerebellum?

A

Location: behind the pond Varolii & medulla oblongata

Function:
• controls voluntary movements eg. walking & running
• maintains muscle tone, equilibrium & balance

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4
Q

What is the location & function of corpus callosum?

A

Location: beneath the cerebral cortex

Function:
• connect the left hemisphere with the right hemisphere of the brain

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5
Q

What is the Location and function of the medulla oblongata?

A

Location: the brain stem

Function:
• responsible for the involuntary actions

  • conducts impulses from the spinal cord to higher parts of the brain and vice versa
  • impulses cross over from one side of the brain to the other so that as the pass through the medulla so that nerves from the left side of the brain control the right side of the body and vice versa
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6
Q

What is the location and function of the spinal cord?

A

Location: the vertebral canal

Function:
• it conducts impulses between the brain, receptors and effectors

• it serves as a reflex center for actions such as blinking, coughing, sneezing and knee jerk

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7
Q

What is the location and function of the brain?

A

Location: cranium

Function:
• controls our thoughts, memory and speech, movement of the arms and legs, and the function of many organs within our body

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8
Q

What is the location and function of the peripheral system?

A

Location: found outside the CNS

Function:
• carry impulses from the CNS to effectors and back to the CNS

• reflex actions

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9
Q

What does the peripheral system consist of?

A
  • 12 cranial

* 31 spinal nerves

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10
Q

What is the location and function of the autonomic nervous system?

A

Location: found outside the brain and spinal cord

Function:
• to control the sub-conscious activities of the body

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11
Q

What is the autonomic system made of?

A
  • Sympathetic nerves: prepares the body for an emergency

* parasympathetic nerves: brings the body back to normal

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12
Q

What are the functions of sensory, connector and motor neurons?

A
  • Sensory neurons: conducts impulses from receptors to the CNS
  • Connector neurons: conducts impulses from sensory neurons to motor neurons
  • Motor neurons: conducts impulses from CNS to effectors
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13
Q

What is the structure of parts of sensory & motor neurons?

A

Structure of:

• cell body:

  • a prominent nucleus
  • cytoplasm with nissl granules which produce substances for the transmission of nerves impulses
  • other cytoplasmic inclusions such as mitochondria, ribosomes and ER

• cytoplasm:
- contains nissl granules

• myelin sheath:
- fatty membrane covering the axon of neurons

• axon:
- a single long outgrowth with branched endings called terminal branches. It’s covered by 2 membrane (myelin sheath & neurilemma)

• dendrites:
- branching cytoplasmic threads

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14
Q

What is the function of parts of the sensory and motor neuron?

A

• cell body
- contains the normal cell organs

• myelin sheath:
- provides electrical insulation and helps to speed up transmission of impulse

• axon:
- Conducts impulses away from the cell body

• dendrites
- carry impulses towards the cell body

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15
Q

Define reflex arc

A

A rapid, automatic response to the stimulus received by an organ or other receptor

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16
Q

Define reflex arc

A

It’s the functional unit of the CNS. It’s the path taken by an impulse in bringing about a response to a stimulus during a reflex action

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17
Q

What is the structure of the parts of a reflex arc?

A

• Sensory, connector & motor neuron:

  • dendrites
  • cell body
  • axon

• effector
- muscles or gland

• Dorsal root of the spinal nerve
- emerges from the posterior part of the spinal cord

• spinal cord
- elongated cylinder-like structure

• ventral toot of the spinal nerve

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18
Q

What are the functions of each part of the reflex arc?

A

Receptor:
- converts stimulus to impulses

Sensory Neuron:
- conducts impulses from receptor
To CNS

Connector neuron:
- conducts impulses from sensory neuron to motor neuron

Motor neuron:
- conducts impulses from CNS to effector

Spinal cord

  • conducts impulses between brain, receptor and effector
  • it’s the center of reflex action such as blinking, coughing, sneezing and knee jerk

Effector
- brings about a response to stimuli received by the body

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19
Q

What is the significance of a reflex action?

A

To protect the body from harm

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20
Q

Define synaptic contact

A

Functional contact between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron without physical contact

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21
Q

Define synapse

A

The physiological connection between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites of another

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22
Q

What are neurotransmitters?

A

Chemicals which carry impulses across the synapse

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23
Q

What is the significance of a synapse?

A

Ensures impulses move in one direction

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24
Q

What are the causes and symptoms of the Alzheimer’s Disease?

A

Cause: when the nerve tissue within the brain appears to waste away

Symptoms: memory loss and confusion

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25
Q

What are the causes and symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

A

Cause: when the body’s own immune system attacks and destroys myelin sheath

Symptoms: physical and mental disabilities

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26
Q

What is the function of receptors, neurons and effectors in responding to the environment?

A
  • receptor- picks up changes in the environment
  • Sensory neuron- conducts impulses from receptor to CNS
  • Connector neuron- conducts impulses from sensory neuron to motor neuron
  • Motor neuron- conducts impulses from CNS to effectors
  • effector- responds to the changes in the environment
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27
Q

What are the 3 layers of the eyeball

A

Sclera, choroid and retina

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28
Q

What is the structure and function of the sclera?

A

Structure: a tough, non-elastic, opaque outer covering. In front, it becomes specialized by the cornea.

Function:
• protects the inner structures
• maintains the round shape of the eye

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29
Q

What is the structure and function of the cornea?

A

Structure: transparent disc

Function:
• permits light to enter the eye
• refracts light so as to focus on the retina

30
Q

What is the structure and function of the retina?

A

Structure:
• innermost layer of eye
• made up of 2 light receptor cells: rods and cones

Function:
• Light sensitive area of the eye on which images are formed
• rods —> responsible for vision in dim light
• cones —> responsible for bright light vision and color vision

31
Q

What is the structure and function of the choroid?

A

Structure:
• the middle layer, which contains blood vessels and brown pigment.
• continuous with the ciliary body and the iris

Function:
• The pigment within the choroid prevents reflection of light within the eye by absorbing light rays
• Suspensory ligaments arising from the ciliary body hold the lens in position
• The iris has radial and circular muscles, which control the size of the pupil
• The pupil is able to control the amount of light entering the eye.

32
Q

What is the structure of the ciliary body?

A

Contains ciliary muscles

33
Q

Which parts of the eye gives it its colour?

A

The iris. It may be coloured blue, green or brown

34
Q

What does the inside of the eye contain?

A

The lens, the aqueous humour and the vitreous humour

35
Q

Give the structure and function of the lens

A

Structure: an elastic, transparent, biconvex structure held in position by the suspensory ligaments

Function:
• The shape of the lens can be altered for near or distant vision
• The lens refracts light rays entering so as to focus them on the retina

36
Q

What is the structure and function of the aqueous humour?

A

Structure: The liquid that fills the space between the cornea and the lens

Function:
• maintains the shape of the cornea
• supplies the lens and cornea with food and oxygen
• plays a minor role in the refraction of light

37
Q

Explain the structure and function of the vitreous humour

A

Structure: the jelly like substances that fill the space behind the lens

Function:
• maintains the shape of the eyeball
• plays a minor role in the refraction of light

38
Q

Explain binocular vision and its importance

A

It’s vision in which both eyes are used together

Importance: it gives a wider field of view

39
Q

Explain accommodation for near vision

A
  • The ciliary muscles contract
  • The suspensory ligaments become slack
  • The tension on the lens decreases
  • The lens becomes more convex
  • The refractive power of the lens is increased
  • A clear image of the near object is now formed on the retina
40
Q

Explain accommodation for distant vision

A
  • ciliary muscles relax
  • suspensory ligaments become taut
  • tension on the lens capsule increases
  • the lens becomes flattened (less convex)
  • The refractive power of the lens is decreased
  • A clear image of the distant object is now formed on the retina
41
Q

Explain pupillary mechanism in bright light

A
  • The circular muscles of the iris contract
  • The radial muscles relax
  • The pupil constricts
  • The amount of light entering the eye is reduced
42
Q

Explain pupillary mechanism in dim light

A
  • The radial muscles of the iris contract
  • The circular muscles relax
  • The pupil dilates
  • The amount of light entering the eye is increased
43
Q

Give the nature and treatment of longsightedness (hypermetropia)

A

Nature: light focused behind the retina

Treatment: corrected with convex lens

44
Q

Give the nature and treatment of short sightedness (myopia)

A

Nature: light focused in front of retina

Treatment:
• corrected with concave lens

45
Q

Give the nature and treatment of astigmatism

A

Nature: The front surface of the cornea is curved more in one direction than in the eye

Treatment: glasses, contact lens or refractive laser surgery

46
Q

Give the nature and treatment of cataracts

A

Nature: The clear, transparent lens of the eye sometimes becomes cloudy and opaque

Treatment: Removal of the lens by surgery and replacing it with a synthetic lens

47
Q

What receptors for light called?

A

Photoreceptors in the eye

48
Q

Explain the structure of the rods and cones

A
  • The nerve fibers from the rods and cones leave the eye as the optic nerve, which carries impulses to the brain.
  • The yellow spot, a small depression in the centre of the retina, has a very high concentration of cones without rods. It’s the center of the clearest vision
  • The blind spot, the area of the retina from which the optic nerve arises, contains no rods and cones and is therefore not sensitive to light
49
Q

What does the outer ear constitute of?

A

A cartilaginous pinna and an auditory canal

50
Q

Give the functions of the outer ear

A
  • the pinna directs sound waves directs sound waves through the auditory canal to the tympanic membrane
  • the auditory canal conducts sound waves to the the tympanic membrane. The cerumen (wax) and hairs found inside prevent small organisms from entering the ear. It also prevents the ear drum from drying out
51
Q

Explain the structure of the middle ear

A
  • air filled cavity within the skull
  • it is separated from the outer ear by the tympanic membrane; it’s separated from the inner ear by the round window;
  • 3 irregular bones: hammer, anvil, stirrup
  • the hammer is attached to the tympanic membrane
  • the stirrup is attached to the oval window
  • the anvil lies between the hammer and the stirrup
52
Q

How is the middle ear connected to the pharynx?

A

By means of the Eustachian Tube

53
Q

Give the functions of the middle ear

A
  • The tympanic membrane vibrates transmitting the sound waves to the ossicles
  • The ossicles transmit the vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear
  • The oval window transmits the vibrations of the ossicles into the inner ear
  • The Eustachian tube maintains equal pressure on either side of the ear drum
  • The round window absorbs the pressure set up inner ear
54
Q

Explain the structure of the bony labyrinth

A
  • a system of cavities and canals inside the skull
  • made up of the semi-circular canals, the vestibule (sacculus and utriculus) and the cochlea
  • filled with fluid called the perilymph
56
Q

Explain the structure of the inner ear

A

• a fluid filled cavity made up of a bony labyrinth and a membranous labyrinth

57
Q

Explain the structure of the membranous labyrinth

A
  • made up of membranous sacs and tunes that float in the perilymph of the bony labyrinth
  • made up of semi-circular canals, the sacculus and utriculus and the cochlea
  • filled with endolymph
59
Q

Give the functions of the inner ear

A
  • The semicircular cabals, sacculus and utriculus are concerned with balance and equilibrium of the body
  • The cochlea contains the organ of Corti which converts the stimulus of sound into ban impulse
  • The auditory nerve arising from the cochlea transmits the sound impulse to the brain
60
Q

Explain the functioning of the ear: hearing

A
  1. The pinna traps the sound waves and directs it into the auditory canal
  2. The sound waves strike the tympanic membrane and cause it to vibrate
  3. The vibrating membrane causes the ossicles, including the stirrup, to vibrate
  4. The stirrup causes the membrane on the oval window to vibrate
  5. The vibrations set up pressure waves in the perilymph
  6. Organ of Corti in the endolymph is stimulated; stimulus is converted into an impulse
  7. The nerve impulse is carried by the auditory nerve to the cerebrum where the sound is interpreted
  8. The pressure in the cochlea is then eased out through the round window into the Eustachian tube
61
Q

Explain the functioning of the ear: balance

A
  • Sudden changes in speed and direction causes the endolymph within the semicircular canals to move
  • Since the 3 semi-canals are in 3 different planes, the fluid in at least one of the canals will move if your speed or direction changes
  • The movement of the fluid stimulates the receptors called the cristae within the ampullae situated at the base of each single semi-circular canal
  • When the direction of the head changes, gravitational pull stimulates different receptors called maculae, within the sacculus and utriculus
  • Within the cristae and maculae the stimuli are converted to nerve impulses
  • These impulses are transmitted by the vestibular branch of the auditory nerve to the cerebellum
  • The cerebellum sends impulses to the muscles to restore the balances
62
Q

What is the cause of middle ear infection?

A
  • Viruses and bacteria
  • foreign particles stuck in the outer ear
  • a rupture or torn eardrum
63
Q

What is the treatment of middle ear infections?

A

Medication

64
Q

Explain the functioning of the ear: hearing

A
  1. The pinna traps the sound waves and directs it into the auditory canal
  2. The sound waves strike the tympanic membrane and cause it to vibrate
  3. The vibrating membrane causes the ossicles, including the stirrup, to vibrate
  4. The stirrup causes the membrane on the oval window to vibrate
  5. The vibrations set up pressure waves in the perilymph
  6. Organ of Corti in the endolymph is stimulated; stimulus is converted into an impulse
  7. The nerve impulse is carried by the auditory nerve to the cerebrum where the sound is interpreted
  8. The pressure in the cochlea is then eased out through the round window into the Eustachian tube
65
Q

Explain the functioning of the ear: balance

A
  • Sudden changes in speed and direction causes the endolymph within the semicircular canals to move
  • Since the 3 semi-canals are in 3 different planes, the fluid in at least one of the canals will move if your speed or direction changes
  • The movement of the fluid stimulates the receptors called the cristae within the ampullae situated at the base of each single semi-circular canal
  • When the direction of the head changes, gravitational pull stimulates different receptors called maculae, within the sacculus and utriculus
  • Within the cristae and maculae the stimuli are converted to nerve impulses
  • These impulses are transmitted by the vestibular branch of the auditory nerve to the cerebellum
  • The cerebellum sends impulses to the muscles to restore the balances
66
Q

What is the cause of middle ear infection?

A
  • Viruses and bacteria
  • foreign particles stuck in the outer ear
  • a rupture or torn eardrum
67
Q

What is the treatment of middle ear infections?

A

Medication

68
Q

What is the use of grommets

A

To by-pass the Eustachian tube and to allow air to continuously enter the middle ear until the Eustachian tube recovers

69
Q

What is are the causes of deafness?

A
  • fluid in the middle ear
  • damaged ear drum
  • hardened wax in the ear
  • hardening of ear tissues
  • injury to parts of the ear, nerves and parts of the brain responsible for hearing
  • due to age ageing process
70
Q

Give the treatment for deafness

A
  • Medication
  • drainage of the middle ear
  • hearing-aids
71
Q

What is the use of a hearing aid?

A

Helps in making the sounds louder so that a person with hearing loss can listen, communication, and participate more fully in daily activities

72
Q

What is the use of cochlear implants?

A

Directly stimulates any functioning of the auditory nerves inside the cochlea with an electric field

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