Introduction and Nervous System / Neuron Structure Flashcards
What is the Central Nervous System ?
The central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain and spinal cord
What is the Peripheral Nervous System ?
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is made up of the nerves that branch from the brain and spinal cord and connect with muscles and other organs
What is the Peripheral Nervous System ?
- Somatic Nervous System ‘Voluntary’
- Autonomic Nervous System ‘Involuntary’
Explain the Somatic Nervous System ‘Voluntary’ ?
The somatic nervous system connects the CNS to skeletal muscles and receptors of external stimuli and is involved with voluntary muscular systems
Explain the Autonomic Nervous System ‘Involuntary’ ?
The autonomic nervous system, which consists of the nerves that regulate autonomic functions, such as blood pressure control, heartbeat, digestion, respiration etc., over which the animal has little or no voluntary control
What are the 7 main parts of the CNS ?
- Spinal Cord
- Brain Stem (Medulla Oblongata, 3. Pons, 5. Midbrain)
- Cerebellum
- Diencephalon
- Cerebrum
Explain the Diencephalon ?
Diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus): thalamus processes information from rest of CNS to cerebral cortex; hypothalamus regulates appetite
Explain the Spinal Cord ?
Spinal cord: receives sensory information from peripheral structures and controls movement
Explain the Cerebellum ?
Cerebellum: motor skills and motor learning
Explain the Cerebrum ?
Cerebrum: made up of superficial cerebral hemispheres (cerebral cortex; higher thought processes, speech, decision-making) and deeper basal ganglia (movement regulation), hippocampus (memory) and amygdala (emotional states).
Explain the Brain Stem ?
- Medulla oblongata: autonomic functions such as breathing, digestion
- Pons: conveys movement information to cerebellum
- Midbrain: eye movement, visual and auditory reflexes
What is one general approach for studying the nervous system ?
Top-down
- Start with a big picture view and try to deconstruct this
- Limitations of the tools available
What is another general approach for studying the nervous system ?
Bottom-up
- Start by understanding the building blocks and then put them together to understand the system
Electrophysiology
Imaging
Molecular tools Pharmaceutical tools
- Increased complexity at each stage
What did Golgi staining reveal for the first time ?
How neurons were individual elements
What is a dendrites ?
Postsynaptic structures receiving synaptic input from other neurons
