Lecture 2: Neurons and Glia

Question 1

Describe Neuron doctrine

Answer 1

Neurons are individual cells which are not continuous to other neurons

Question 2

Describe 3 characteristics of synapses as shown by Sherrington

Answer 2

Transmission of nerve impulses shows a delay
Flow of info in a neural chain is unidirectional
Transmission @ synapses was found to be excitatory and inhibitory

Question 3

Spines are the site of most _______ synapses

Answer 3

excitatory

Question 4

Axon is the site of the _________.

Answer 4

action potential

Question 5

Describe the job of astrocytes.

Answer 5

surround neurons and hold them in place
supply nutrients and trophic factors
modulate neurotransmission by regulating transmitter availibility

Question 6

Describe job of oligos

Answer 6

form myelin

Question 7

describe job of microglia

Answer 7

destroy pathogens and remove dead neurons (garbage men). Immune cells for the brain.

Question 8

What is another special characteristic that microglia have?

Answer 8

they can produce cytokines that influence glia and signal neurons

Question 9

What leads to chronic neuropathic pain?

Answer 9

Chronic activation of microglia

Question 10

T/F: Astrocytes, oligos and Schwann cells are Macroglia

Answer 10

Trueeee

Question 11

What glial cell helps in formation of BBB/anchoring neurons to blood supply, and remove excess ions (K+)

Answer 11

Astrocytes

they’re out of this world. Get it? Cause they have astro in the name I will let myself out.

Question 12

What glial cell is important for neurotransmitter synthesis and regulation of metabolism?

Answer 12

Astrocytes– they also recycle GABA and glutamate at synaptic cleft, and release glutamine to make more GABA and glutamate)

Question 13

We know that in the CNS oligos produce myelin, but what glia does it in the periphery?

Answer 13

Schwann cells

Question 14

What are some reasons that Neurons are distinct from other cells?

Answer 14

structures that specialize in info transfer, different patterns of connectivity to different behaviors, and they are plastic.

Question 15

Describe a unipolar cell

Answer 15

1 neurite, seen in primary sensory neurons

Question 16

Describe a bipolar cell

Answer 16

1 dendrite, 1 axon, found in PNS

Question 17

Describe a pseudo-unipolar cell

Answer 17

no dendrites, but an axon that splits into 2 braches. (PNS/spinal cord)

Question 18

Describe multipolar cells

Answer 18

most common in CNS, multiple dendrites and 1 axon

Question 19

Describe an Action potential

Answer 19

If the cell receives enough depolarizing synaptic inputs to reach a threshold, an action potential occurs (all or none)

Question 20

Identity of info in action potential is based on _______.

Answer 20

wiring

Question 21

Intensity of action potential is based on ______.

Answer 21

frequency

Question 22

Activation of ion channels leads to a flux of ions which leads to changes in _________ and eventually a new action potential.

Answer 22

membrane potential

Question 23

What condition decreases cortical thickness in discrete brain regions

Answer 23

Fibromyalgia