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BSCI 1511 > Nervous System > Flashcards

Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

What is a nerve net?

A

This means that neurons are all over the place and they communicate without a central processing unit.

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2
Q

What is cephalization?

A

The concentration of neurons and nerves into the formation of a brain.

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3
Q

What are the two divisions of the nervous system, and what does each do?

A
  1. Central nervous system (CNS): integration
  2. Peripheral nervous system (PNS): sensing, motor output, etc.
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4
Q

In vertebrate animals, what structures make up the CNS?

A

The brain and spinal cord.

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5
Q

In vertebrate animals, what structures make up the PNS?

A

Nerves and ganglia.

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6
Q

What three types of tissue is the brain divided into?

A
  1. Gray matter
  2. White matter
  3. Cerebrospinal fluid
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7
Q

What is gray matter composed of?

A

Neuron cell bodies.

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8
Q

What is white matter composed of?

A

Bundled axons. Because the axons are myelinated, and myelin is composed primarily of lipids, this gives the white matter its color.

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9
Q

In the brain, where is gray matter found?

A

On the outside.

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10
Q

In the brain, where is white matter found?

A

On the inside.

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11
Q

In the brain, where is the cerebrospinal fluid found?

A

In the ventricles and periphery.

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12
Q

In the spinal cord, where is gray matter found?

A

On the inside.

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13
Q

In the spinal cord, where is white matter found?

A

On the outside.

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14
Q

In the spinal cord, where is the cerebrospinal fluid found?

A

In the central canal and periphery.

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15
Q

What is the function of cerebrospinal fluid?

A

Protection and homeostasis.

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16
Q

What are the two efferent components of the PNS?

A
  1. Motor system
  2. Autonomic nervous system
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17
Q

What does the motor system do?

A

It signals skeletal muscles for both voluntary and involuntary movements using neurons that synapse directly with the muscle and releasing acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter.

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18
Q

What does the autonomic nervous system do?

A

It manages involuntary processes by targeting smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, or glands.

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19
Q

What are the three divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

A
  1. Sympathetic division
  2. Parasympathetic division
  3. Enteric division
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20
Q

Describe the path of a neuronal signal from the autonomic nervous system.

A

This pathway uses two neurons. The first exits the brain and will synapse with another neuron at a ganglion (for both parasympathetic and sympathetic) and release acetylcholine. The second neuron that synapses with the cell that will perform the desired activity will release a different neurotransmitter based on if it is sympathetic or parasympathetic.

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21
Q

If a neuron is sympathetic, what neurotransmitter will it release?

A

Norepinephrine.

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22
Q

If a neuron is parasympathetic, what neurotransmitter will it release?

A

Acetylcholine.

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23
Q

Where is the enteric division active?

A

In the digestive tract, pancreas, and gallbladder.

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24
Q

If a neuron is from the enteric division, what neurotransmitter will it release?

A

Mostly acetylcholine.

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25
What type of responses does the sympathetic division control?
The sympathetic division corresponds to arousal and energy generation, including fight or flight.
26
Where do sympathetic nerves exit the CNS?
Most nerves exit the CNS midway along the spinal cord (thoracic and lumbar regions) and form synapses just outside the spinal cord.
27
What type of responses does the parasympathetic division control?
This division promotes calming and a return to self-maintenance.
28
Where do parasympathetic nerves exit the CNS?
Most nerves exit at the base of the brain (top of the cervical region) and form synapses near or within an internal organ.
29
Describe the structure of the cerebrum.
It is the largest part of the brain and is divided into left and right hemispheres.
30
What does the cerebrum control?
It controls skeletal muscle contraction and is the center for learning, emotion, memory, and perception.
31
What does the cerebellum control?
It coordinates movement and balance and learns motor skills.
32
Which three structures make up the diencephalon?
1. Thalamus 2. Hypothalamus 3. Pineal gland
33
What does the thalamus do?
It receives sensory input going to the cerebrum.
34
What does the hypothalamus do?
It is a neuroendocrine gland with suprachiasmatic nuclei that control the circadian clock.
35
What does the pineal gland do?
It is the source of melatonin.
36
What three structures compose the brainstem?
1. Midbrain 2. Medulla oblongata 3. Pons
37
What does the midbrain do?
It receives and integrates sensory information and sends it to the forebrain; coordinates visual reflexes.
38
What do the medulla oblongata and the pons do?
They transfer information from the PNS to the midbrain and forebrain; control homeostatic functions (e.g. breathing and circulation) and large-scale body movements (e.g. running).
39
What structures compose the limbic system?
1. Amygdala 2. Hippocampus 3. Parts of the thalamus
40
What structures compose the limbic system?
1. Amygdala 2. Hippocampus 3. Parts of the thalamus
41
What does the limbic system do?
It controls emotion.
42
What is the most important structure involved in emotional memory?
The amygdala.
43
What does the hippocampus do?
It stores short-term memories.
44
What do the cerebrum and cerebral cortex control?
Voluntary movements and cognitive functions. They are essential for language, cognition, memory, consciousness, and awareness of our surroundings.
45
Where do cognitive functions reside?
The cortex--the outer layer of the cerebrum.
46
How does information move through the brain?
1. Sensory information arrives at primary sensory areas of the cortex via the thalamus. 2. Once processed, information moves to the prefrontal cortex for decision making 3. Then, for example, motor commands are generated via the motor cortex
47
How are neurons arranged in the motor cortex and the somatosensory cortex?
They are arranged by the region of the body that they serve. The size of the region is proportional to the amount of activity needed.
48
Which lobe is the motor cortex found in?
The frontal lobe.
49
Which lobe is the somatosensory cortex found in?
The parietal lobe.
50
When repeating a spoken word, how does information move in the brain?
1. Auditory cortex of the temporal lobe 2. Wernicke's area of the temporal lobe 3. Broca's area of the frontal lobe 4. Motor cortex of the frontal lobe
51
When repeating a written word, how does information move in the brain?
1. Visual cortex of the occipital lobe 2. Wernicke's area of the temporal lobe 3. Broca's area of the frontal lobe 4. Motor cortex of the frontal lobe
52
When information either enters or exits the brain, what structure does it pass through?
The thalamus.
53
What is lateralization?
The specialization of the left and right sides of the cerebrum.
54
For cognition, what is the left hemisphere of the brain more adept at?
Language, math, and logical operations.
55
For cognition, what is the right hemisphere of the brain more adept at?
Facial and pattern recognition, spatial relations, and non-verbal thinking.
56
For motor and sensory functions, what does the left hemisphere of the brain control?
The right side of the body.
57
For motor and sensory functions, what does the right hemisphere of the brain control?
The left side of the body.
58
What is the role of the corpus callosum?
It enables the right and left sides of the brain to communicate.
59
What are the basal nuclei?
Centers for planning and learning movement sequences.
60
How does synapse elimination work?
A developing neuron forms numerous synapses, and the activity of the neuron stabilizes some synapses and destabilizes others. By the end of embryonic development, more than half the synapses have been eliminated.
61
During embryogenesis, what happens to neurons that do not reach an appropriate location?
They die via apoptosis. Half of the neurons formed in the embryo are eliminated.
62
What is neuronal plasticity?
The modification of connections between neurons at a synapse.
63
What are the two ways of modifying connections between neurons at a synapse?
1. Connection strength 2. Response strength
64
Where are long-term memories stored?
Within the cerebral cortex, where new data is associated with already stored memory.
65
When does memory consolidation occur?
During sleep, and it is thought to be the basis of some of our dreams.
66
What is long-term potentiation (LTP)?
A process thought to be involved in memory formation. It is a lasting increase in the strength of synaptic transmission.
67
What does a synapse look like before LTP? (according to the lecture example)
In a synapse prior to LTP, the NMDA glutamate receptor (in the plasma membrane) opens in response to glutamate but is blocked by Mg2+, so nothing happens. There is a stored AMPA receptor in the cytosol.
68
What happens at a synapse after LTP? (according to the lecture example)
Activity at nearby synapses depolarizes the membrane of the post-synaptic cell; the NMDA receptor is unblocked and responds to glutamate, causing Ca2+ and Na+ to flow into the cell. This influx of ions induces AMPA glutamate receptors to insert themselves into the membrane.
69
After AMPA glutamate receptors are inserted in the membrane, what can happen? (according to the lecture example)
Glutamate can activate AMPA receptors, initiating depolarization and unblocking the NMDA receptors. Together, the AMPA and NMDA receptors trigger postsynaptic potentials that start action potential without input from other synapses.
70
If there is an identical twin that develops schizophrenia, what is the chance that the other twin will also develop schizophrenia?
50%.
71
If there is a fraternal twin that develops schizophrenia, what is the chance that the other twin will also develop schizophrenia?
25%.
72
How are schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease similar?
They both result from improper signaling by the neurotransmitter dopamine.
73
What causes schizophrenia, and how is it treated?
It is caused by an overactive dopamine system in the brain. Symptoms are alleviated by drugs that block dopamine receptors.
74
What causes Parkinson's disease?
This disease involves the death of neurons that normally release dopamine at synapses.
75
How are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease alleviated?
L-dopa, a drug that crosses the blood-brain barrier and is converted into dopamine by the enzyme dopa decarboxylase.
76
What effect does nicotine have?
It stimulates dopamine-releasing VTA neuron.
77
What effect do opioids have?
They decrease activity of inhibitory neurons on dopamine production.
78
What effect do cocaine and amphetamines have?
They block removal of dopamine from the synaptic cleft.

BSCI 1511 (32 decks)

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