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Nervous system Flashcards

1
Q

What is the nervous system?

A

The communication network of the body, keeps the body in touch with the internal and external environment

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2
Q

What are the two anatomical categories of the nervous system?

A

Central nervous system (CNS)- brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)- other nerves

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3
Q

Functions of the nervous system

A

Coordinate the body’s activites- voluntary and involuntary movement
Allows the body to recognize and respond to changes in its external and internal environments

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4
Q

Function of the neuron

A

Receives input from the body’s internal and external environment and relays electrical impulses between the nervous system

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5
Q

Anatomy of the neuron

A

Cell body- the main part of the neuron
Dendrites- special fibers that extend from cytoplasm of cell body
Axon that divides into telodendria
End of axon has synaptic terminals

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6
Q

What is a telodendria?

A

Small branches found at the distal end of the axon

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7
Q

What is the axon?

A

A fiber that extends from a neuron cell that conducts impulses away from the cell, each nerve cell has one axon

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8
Q

The larger the diameter of an axon

A

the faster it can transmit info

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9
Q

What is the axon of the neuron covered by?

A

Myelin sheath, a fatty tissue that wraps the axon to protect it and speeds up impulses as they travel down the axon

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10
Q

What are dendrites?

A

Special fibers who extend from a neuron that conducts impulses towards the cell body

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11
Q

What is a synaptic terminal?

A

Connects one neuron to the other

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12
Q

What is a synapse?

A

The junction where the axon terminal of one neuron meets with another neuron, where the impulses between neurons are transmitted

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13
Q

What is the synaptic cleft?

A

A space where the impulses must jump because the axon terminal doesn’t directly touch the neuron

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14
Q

What is a neurotransmitter?

A

Special chemical in axon terminals that helps impulses jump the synapse cleft

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15
Q

Categorization of neurons

A

Afferent (sensory neurons), efferent (motor neurons), interneurons (central or connecting neurons)

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16
Q

What is an afferent neuron?

A

Conduct impulses to the brain and spinal chord
Afferent- direction toward a central organ
Ex: CNS
Stimulated by physical and chemical input from environment
Responsible for senses

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17
Q

What is an efferent neuron?

A

Carry impulses away from CNS to muscles, glands, and organs resulting in voluntary and involuntary movement

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18
Q

What is an interneuron?

A

Conduct impulses from sensory neurons to motor neurons, help facilitate reflexes

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19
Q

Function of the brain

A

Interprets, organizes, stores information, controls and directs bodily functions

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20
Q

What is the cerebrum?

A

The most superior part of the brain/largest portion, highly developed portion
Seperated into right and left hemispheres

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21
Q

What are hemispheres connected by?

A

Corpus callosum, allows them to communicate

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22
Q

Function of cerebrum

A

Controls thinking, sensory, speech, voluntary movement, reasoning

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23
Q

What is the cerebellum?

A

Posterior to the brain stem, responsible for coordinating voluntary muscle movement, posture, balance, muscle tone

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24
Q

What is the diencephalon?

A

Found just above brain stem, between cerebral hemispeheres
Divided into the thalamus and hypothalamus

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25
Thalamus function
Directs much of sensory impulses to the proper locations in the cerebral cortex
26
Hypothalamus function
Controls bodily functions that help maintain homeostasis, plays roles in emotion, controls release of hormones of the pituitary gland
27
What is the cerebral cortex?
Gray matter, outside layer of cerebrum, performs most sensory processing, divided into two hemispheres Memory, analyzation, behavior, personality
28
What is the frontal lobe
Largest lobe and located in front of cerebral hemipshere --> thinking, planning, personality, voluntary movement Called executive
29
What is the temporal lobe? (2)
Posterior to frontal lobe, inferior to parietal lobe Functions include hearing (auditory), smell (olfactory), language, emotion, memory, gustatory Wernicke (understanding)
30
What is the parietal lobe? (2)
Posterior to the frontal lobe and superior to temporal Language, learning, spacial recognization Somatosensory (Pressure), gustatory (taste)
31
What is the occiptial lobe?
Smallest lobe of cerebral cortex Interpreting and processing, sends interpreted visual info to other parts of the brain Visual cortex
32
What is the brain stem?
Where the spinal cord and brain connect Midbrian, pons, medulla oblangota
33
Function of the brain stem
Responsible for routing impulses to and from spinal cord Controls vital involuntary functions such as breathing, digesting, circiulation
34
What is the main communication system between the brain and body
Spinal cord
35
Where is the spinal cord located
Starts at brainstem base to the first area of the lumbar in the lower back Encased in the vertebral column Controls many actions and acts as pathway between brain and PNS
36
What helps the CNS from being damaged
Bones, membranes, fluids Skull- protects brain Vertebrae- protects spinal cord Meninges- dura mater, arachnoid, pia mater
37
What is cerebrospinal fluid?
Fluid that moves throughout the brains four ventricles and around the spinal cord
38
Function of cerebrospinal fluid
Acts as shock absorber that protects brain and cord Carries nutrients to some parts of CNS Helps remove metabolic products and waste
39
Peripheral system main function
Relay impulses back and forth between CNS and rest of the body
40
What is the PNS divided into?
Somatic (voluntary), autonomic (involuntary) nervous systems
41
What is the function of the somatic nervous system?
Transmits sensory info and controls bodies voluntary actions
42
What is the function of the autonomic nervous system?
Controls bodies involuntary activities such as breathing
43
What are cranial nerves?
Directly connect to the brain and relay impulses mainly from the head and neck Located in the PNS (except optic nerve) 12 different pairs
44
What are spinal nerves?
Transmit impulses between spinal cord and rest of the body, including internal organs, muscles, skin 31 pairs
45
What is the optic pair and what is it responsible for?
Second pair of cranial nerves, made up of nerve cells Responsible for transferring visual impulses from retina to the brain's vision centers Located back of the eye, connects eye to brain
46
Is the optic nerve part of the PNS?
No
47
What is the ANS?
The automatic nerve system Controls involuntary activities such as digestion and circulation Made of divisons that work together to acheive homeostasis
48
What are the divisions of the ANS?
Enteric, sympathetic, parasympathetic
49
What does the enteric nervous system control?
Digestive system, also known as second brain or gut because it cannot function without being stimulated by the CNS
50
Sympathetic nervous system
Activated in conditions of stress and produces fight or flight response
51
Parasympathetic nervous system
Reverses fight or flight symptoms of the sympathetic system, returns body to a relaxed or normal state
52
What is a cerebrovascular accident?
Stroke Occurs when there is a reduction in blood flow to the brain Risk factors: Smoking, heart disease, diabetes
53
What can cause a stroke? Symptoms? Treatment?
Burst blood vessel, blood clot, or blocked vessel Paralysis, difficulty swallowing, visual or speech impairment, mental confusion Clot breaking drugs (thrombolytics) used in the first three hours of a stroke, anticoagulants prevent strokes, therapy
54
What is myasthenia gravis?
Neuromuscular disorder where proper nerve pulses are not sent to muscles
55
What causes myasthenia gravis? Symptoms? Treatment?
Abnormal reaction of the immune system that leads it to attack receptors in muscles, leads to breakdown of communication of nerves and muscles Muscle weakness No cure, focusing on management of symptoms
56
What is MS?
Multiple sclerosis, potentially disabling disorder of the CNS
57
MS causes? Symptoms? Treatments?
Exact cause is unkwon, considered to be an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath Double vision, tingling, numbness, difficulty walking, weakness, paralysis No cure
58
What is autism spectrum disorder?
Broad range of characteristics to do with social skills, repetitive behavior, and communication
59
Cause of autism? Symptoms? Treatment?
Cause is unknown, appears to be related to genetics or environment Delay in language or social development, repetitive behavior No cure, symptoms can be relieved by therapies
60
What is alzheimers disease?
A progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes impairment in memory and cognitive functioning
61
What is the motor speech area?
Brocus
62
Motor homonculus
Representation of your body in the frontal area, shows percentages or frontal lobe devoted to motor activities
63
Broca's aphasia
Limited language, you can understand everything, frontal lobe
64
Wernicke aphasia
Jumbled words/ can't understand, side of brain

Practical Nursing (8 decks)

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