Nerve, Muscle, and Synapse Flashcards
Stretch Reflex
the simplest stimulus - response paradigm that the human nervous system can generate
Muscle contraction in response to stretching within the muscle
Patellar-tendon stretch reflex
- tap the patellar tendon which attaches to the quads
- quad muscle stretches, making quads longer
- activation of nerve impulses in special receptors located in the quads
- nerve impulses are sent back to the spinal cord along the sensory neuron and activated another nerve cell which feeds back out onto the quads muscle, activating muscle and causing it to contract
- a jerk or swing of the foot outwards
Withdrawal Reflex
spinal reflex to protect the body from damaging stimuli
Components of Central Nervous System
Brain
Spinal Cord
Composed of the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum, the brain stem, and the spinal cord
Components of Peripheral Nervous System
Peripheral nerves
Receptors
2 Types of Cells in the Nervous System
Neurons
Glia
Afferent Neurons
Take information from the periphery to the CNS via the dorsal roots
Efferent Neurons
Take information from the CNS back out to the periphery via the ventral roots
Interneurons
Carry information between neurons
Glia
The glue of the nervous system
Oligodendrocytes
Makes myelin - important in action potential conduction in the CNS
Schwann Cells
Makes myelin for the PNS
Astrocytes
Physically and metabolically support neurons by buffering extracellular K+, removing the transmitter
Helps maintain the blood-brain barrier
Role in signalling and information processing
Microglia
serve an immune function in CNS
Reflex Loop
Circular in nature
Activation of receptor activates an afferent fibre which enters the dorsal root of the spinal cord -> activates an efferent fibre which leaves through the ventral root of the cod -> the efferent fibre will activate a muscle
Myelin
Coats the axons of neurons and allows them to transmit the nerve impulses more quickly
White Matter
Neurons with myelinated axons
Gray Matter
Neurons without myelinated axons
Interneurons
Dendrites
Receive information from the periphery or from other cells
Cell Body
Also called a soma - contains a nucleus
Axon Hillock
The very initial segment of the axon - processes information coming into the dendrites and generates a nerve impulse if there is enough input
Axon
Propagates nerve impulses from initial segment to axon terminals
Axon Terminals
Contains neurotransmitters in synaptic vesicles
Synapse
The junction between two neurons
Presynaptic Neuron
The neuron before a synapse
Postsynaptic Neuron
The neuron after a synapse
How does Information Flow in Neurons?
One direction only
dendrites + cell bodies down the axon towards axon terminals
Membrane Structure
Protein pumps and channels
- control movement of ions through the membrane
- pumps = active transport
- ion channels = passive or active transport
Resting Membrane Potential
The electrical potential difference between intracellular environment and extracellular environment
- -70 mV
- involves K+, Na+, Cl-
How is Net Negative Charge in the Membrane Set?
Na+/K+ pump is electrogenic, moving charge across the membrane
3 Na+ molecules move out of cell, 2 K+ molecules move into the cell
-net negative charge
How does Sodium Potassium Pump Create Gradients
Chemical Gradients -K+ wants to diffuse out of the cell -Na+ wants to diffuse into the cell Electrical Gradients -intracellular environment wants to become more positive