lecture 2 - intro

Question 1

As well as homeostasis and subconscious body functions what else is the nervous system responsible for

Answer 1

• thoughts, feelings, memories, emotions
• creating sensation and perceptions from sensory info; taste, hear, sight
• pain
• movements and behaviour (innate and voluntary)
• reproductive functions

Question 2

CNS consists of

Answer 2

brain and spinal cord composed of 2 general cell classes; neurons and glia

Question 3

glia

Answer 3

supporting cells

Question 4

PNS including ENS consists of

Answer 4

peripheral nerves and ganglia composed of glia and neurons

Question 5

4 zone of neuron

Answer 5

input zone, summation zone, conduction zone, output zone

Question 6

input zone

Answer 6

made up of cell bodies and dendrites and receives chemical signals from other neurons

Question 7

summation zone

Answer 7

structure is axon hillock and is the main place where action potentials are generated (summation of inputs)

Question 8

conduction zone

Answer 8

axon may be long, carries electrical signals between brain areas to and from spinal cord, or from peripheral sensory receptors and to effector cells

Question 9

output zone

Answer 9

axon terminals, contact with input zone of other neurons or effectors, release of neurotransmitter = chemical signal

Question 10

4 morphological types of neurons

Answer 10

multipolar, bipolar, unipolar and anaxonic

Question 11

multipolar neuron

Answer 11

multiple processes emanate from cell body

Question 12

bipolar neuron

Answer 12

2 processes emanate from cell body

Question 13

unipolar neuron

Answer 13

1 process emanates from cell body and then branches into dendrite and axon

Question 14

anaxonic

Answer 14

is axonless, has no distinct axon, all processes look alike

Question 15

CNS is made up of

Answer 15

oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, microglia and ependymal cells

Question 16

what do oligodendrocytes form

Answer 16

myelin sheath

Question 17

what do astrocytes do

Answer 17

provide nutrients, maintain extracellular environment and provide structural support

Question 18

what do microglia do

Answer 18

mount the immune response

Question 19

what do ependymal cells do

Answer 19

circulate and produce cerebrospinal fluid

Question 20

PNS is made up of

Answer 20

schwann cells and satellite cells

Question 21

schwann cells form

Answer 21

myelin sheath

Question 22

what do satellite cells do

Answer 22

provide nutrients and structural support to neurons

Question 23

presynaptic

Answer 23

receiving synapse

Question 24

postsynaptic

Answer 24

has synapse

Question 25

saltatory conduction

Answer 25

increases speed of action potential propogation

Question 26

what are the 2 main types of synapses

Answer 26

chemical and electrical

Question 27

electrical synapse

Answer 27

gap junctions, very fast, ions flow from cell to cell

Question 28

chemical synapse

Answer 28

slower, relies on chemical crossing the gap, complex series of events, neurotransmitter packaged in vesicles, synapse strength can be modified

Question 29

information

Answer 29

is encoded in changes in membrane potential, can be subthreshold (excitatory or inhibitory potentials) or suprathreshold (APs), info is transmitted electrically within nerve cells (EPSP, IPSP) and chemically between nerve cells (synaptic transmission)