Med Term Chapter 10 Flashcards
Nervous System
What is at the center of the nervous system?
the brain
What is the responsibility of the nervous system?
to control and coordinate all bodily activities
What are the two primary parts of the nervous system?
the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system
What does the central nervous system consist of?
the brain and spinal cord
How many pairs of peripheral nerves are there in the peripheral nervous system?
31
What is the function of the peripheral nervous system?
to transmit nerve signals to and from the central nervous system
What is one or more bundles of neurons that connect the brain and spinal cord with the rest of the body?
a nerve
What is a bundle or group of nerve fibers located within the brain or spinal cord?
a tract
What type of nerves carry nerve impulses toward the brain?
ascending nerve tracts
What type of nerves carry nerve impulses away from the brain?
descending nerve tracts
What is the nerve center made up of a cluster of nerve?
a ganglion
What is a network of intersecting spinal nerves?
a plexus
What is a stimulus?
anything that excites a nerve and causes an impulse
What is a wave of excitation transmitted through nerve fibers and neurons?
an impulse
What are the automatic, involuntary responses to some change, either inside or outside the body?
reflexes
What are the basic cells of the nervous system called?
neurons
Approximately how many neurons does the body have?
billions
What are afferent neurons also known as?
sensory neurons
What are connecting neurons also known as?
associative neurons
How do neurons carry nerve impulses throughout the body?
via electrochemical processes
What is the process of creating patterns of neuron electrical activity known as?
brain waves
What are efferent neurons also known as?
motor neurons
What are the root-like processes that receive impulses and conduct them to the cell body?
dendrites
What is the structure that extends out from the cell body?
a process
What is the process that conducts impulses away from the nerve cell?
an axon
What are the branching fibers at the end of the axon that leads the nerve impulse from the axon to the synapse?
terminal end fibers
What is a synapse?
the space between two neurons or between a neuron and a receptor organ
Where is acetylcholine released?
at some synapses in the spinal cord and at the neuromuscular junctions
Around how many known neurotransmitters are there?
200 to 300
What is a neurotransmitter?
chemical substances that make it possible for messages to cross from the synapse of a neuron to the target receptor
What gland produces Norepinephrine?
the adrenal glands
What does serotonin play roles in?
sleep, hunger, and pleasure recognition
What is the myelin sheaths made of?
glial cells
The portion of nerve fibers that are unmyelinated are known as?
gray matter
How many layers of connective tissue are found in the meninges?
three
What is the name for the thick, tough, outermost membrane of the meninges?
dura mater
What does the arachnoid membrane resemble?
a spider web
Where is the subarachnoid space located?
below the arachnoid membrane and above the pia mater
What is the name for the third layer of the meninges?
the pia mater
What is cerebrospinal fluid also known as?
spinal fluid
How many lobes does the cerebrum consist of?
four
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
control vital bodily functions
What is the function of the cerebellum?
coordinate muscular activity and balance for smooth and steady movements
What does the brain stem consist of?
the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata
What is the largest portion of the brain?
the cerebrum