nerves and neurons

Question 1

Biological psychology/ behavioral neuroscience

Answer 1

psychological processes on behavior and learning based on biology

Question 2

Neuroscience

Answer 2

Branch of life science that deals with structure and function of neurons, nerves, and nervous tissue

Question 3

first doctor who theorized neuroscience, what the theory was, and how they studied it

Answer 3

• Santiago Ramón y Cajal
• nervous system was made up of individual cells
• studied slides of brain tissue

Question 4

cells

Answer 4

• is the nervous system’s building block

- Each cell has a special purpose, function, and therefore, structure

Question 5

nucleus

Answer 5

the “brain” of the cell that contains its genetic material (DNA)

Question 6

Cell body

Answer 6

also known as the soma, the part of the cell that contains the nucleus

Question 7

Cell membrane

Answer 7

the semipermeable membrane enclosing the cell

Question 8

neurons

Answer 8

basic cell that makes up, receives, and sends messages within the nervous system

Question 9

Characteristics of the neuron:

Answer 9

1. Messengers of the body
2. Make up 10% of the brain
3. Have special structures apart from other cells

Question 10

dendrite

Answer 10

• Branch-like structures that receive messages from other neurons
• Attached to cell body/soma

Question 11

Soma

Answer 11

• cell body of the neuron containing the nucleus and responsible for maintaining life of the cell
• Generally clump together near the spinal cord

Question 12

axon

Answer 12

• tubelike structure that carries the neural message to other cells
• Allows neural messages to travel throughout the body

Question 13

2 types of cells in the brain

Answer 13

1. glial cells

2. radial glial cells

Question 14

glial cells

Answer 14

• cells that provide support for neurons to grow on and around
• deliver nutrients to neurons, produce myelin to coat axons, clean up waste products and dead neurons, influence information processing, and, during prenatal development, influence the generation of new neurons
• Structures on which neurons develop and work, and that hold the neurons in place

Question 15

myelin

Answer 15

a layer of fatty substance that coat axons of neurons to insulate, protect, and speed up the neural impulse

Question 16

Radial glial cells

Answer 16

• guide migrating neurons to form outer layers of brain

- Extend from inner to outer areas like spokes of a wheel

Question 17

2 types of glial cells that produce myelin

Answer 17

1. Oligodendrocytes

2. Schwann cells

Question 18

Oligodendrocytes

Answer 18

glial cells that produce myelin for the central nervous system

Question 19

Schwann cells

Answer 19

glial cells that produce myelin for neurons of the peripheral nervous system

Question 20

nerves

Answer 20

bundles of axons that are coated in myelin which travel together throughout the body

Question 21

why do myelin-coated axons bundle together?

Answer 21

The axons form a cable that is much stronger and less vulnerable to breakage than a single wire alone

Question 22

how does the myelin sheath speed up the neural message?

Answer 22

I. When the electrical impulse (neural message) travels down the axon, it “jumps” between nodes where axon is accessible

II. Nodes of Ranvier: small spaces on the axon not covered in myelin

III. This “jumping” allows the neural message to travel faster

Question 23

What happens when the myelin sheath is damaged?

Answer 23

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Question 24

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Answer 24

a disease where the myelin sheath is destroyed (possibly due to immune system), leading to diminished or complete loss of neuron functioning

Question 25

early symptoms of MS

Answer 25

fatigue, changes in vision, balance problems, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness in limbs