nerves MW%% (+ Flashcards
What are the subdivisions of the
nervous system?
- The brain
- The spinal cord
- The peripheral nerves
Describe the four cerebrum components?
–Frontal lobe
–Temporal lobe
–Parietal lobe
–Occipital lobe
What are the components of Diencaphlon?
–Thalamus
–Hypothalamus
What are the components of the Brainstem?
–Midbrain
–Pons
–Medulla oblongata
What are the components of the spinal cord?
- 31 pairs of spinal (plus 12 pairs of cranial) nerves
- 8 cervical (7 vertebrae)
- 12 thoracic
- 5 lumbar
- 5 sacral
- 1 coccygeal
What is a vertebra made up of? (pic)
What is a neurons made up of?
- Cell body (soma)
- Dendrites –receive information
- Initial segment (axon hillock ) –triggers action potential
- Axon–sends action potential
- Axon (presynaptic) terminals –release transmitter
What are the types of neurones?
- Afferent (sensory) neurones (PNS⇒ CNS)
- Interneurones (CNS)
- Efferent (motor) neurones (CNS⇒PNS)
What are the different types of Glia?
•Astrocytes
–maintain the external environment for the neurones
–surround blood vessels & produce the blood brain barrier
•Oligodendrocytes
–form myelin sheaths in the CNS
•Microglia
–phagocytic hoovers mopping up infection
Name the different types of membrane potentials?
- Action potentials –transmit signals over long distances
- Graded potentials –decide when an action potential should be fired
- Resting membrane potential –keeps cell ready to respond
Describe ionic bases of the resting membrane potenial?
- In the cell membrane, there are Na/K pumps.2 K+ in 3 Na+ out.
- Leaky K+ channels in the membranes
- Allow K+ to flow out down the conc. gradient.
- Creates an electrical gradient pulling the potassium back in.
- Eventually, an equilibrium poteintial is reached where the electrical gradient is equal and opposite to the conc. gradient pushing the ions out of the cell (membrane potential).
The blood brain barrier
–Capillaries of the brain are especially “tight”
–Due to astrocytes & tight junctions between endothelial cells
–This protects the brain from changes in plasma [K+]
–The heart is not so lucky
Why is the normal RMP closer to -70mV?
- Other “leaky” channels, especially Na+ & Cl-
- Electrogenic nature of the Na/K pump
- Large intracellular -ve charged molecules
Give Examples of graded potentials?
- Generator potentials–at sensory receptors
- Postsynaptic potentials–at synapses
- Endplate potentials–at neuromuscular junction
- Pacemaker potentials -in pace maker tissues
What are the properties of graded potentials?
- Decremental ⇒ only useful over short distances
- Graded ⇒ can signal stimulus intensity in their amplitude
- Can be depolarising or hyperpolarising
- Summate ⇒ important in synaptic integration