nervous system Flashcards
the nervous system
2 systems for mainitaing internal coordinations:
- endocrine system (chemical)
- nervous system (electrical AND chemical)
central nervous sytem (CNS)
brain and spinal cord
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
nerves and ganglia
classes of nerouns
- sensory (afferent): detect stimuli
- interneurons (association neurons): receieve signals from other neruosn and process, store, retrieve, and make descisions about the signal (integration)
- motor (efferent): respond to stimuli
neuronal variety
named for the numbers of axons and dendrites at the soma
- multipolar: many dendrites, one axon
- bipolar: one dendrites, one axon
- unipolar: no dendrites, one axon
- anaxonic: many dendrites, but NO axon
universital properties of a neruon
- excitability (irritability): can respond to stimuli
- conductivity: can send signals to distant locations quickly
- secretion: can release chemical messengers (neurotransmitters)
parts of a neuron
- neurosoma (soma or cell body): control center
- nissl bodies: compartmentalized rough endoplasmic reticulum
- dendrites: recieve signals
- axon: sends signals
- terminal arborization: complex branches at axon’s distal end
- synaptic knob (terminal button): ending of axon branch that communicates with another cell
nissl bodies of a neuron
compartmentalized RER
myelin of a neuron
A layer of fatty tissue encasing the fibers of many neurons
conductivity of a neuron
can send signals to distant locations quickly
neurotransmitters
can send signals to distant locations quickly
types of neuroglia (glial cells)
CNS glia:
- oligodendrocytes myelinate to assist conduction
- ependymal cells secrete and circulate CSF
- microglia help in defense and disposal
- astrocytes provide support and noursishment
PNS glia:
- schwan cells myelinate to assist conduction
- satellite cells provide support and nourisment
Myelin
- like insulation on a wire
- oligodendrocytes make fatty white matter of CNS
internodes
fiber segments covered by myelin
nodes of ranvier
fiber segments with gaps in myelin
myelination
the neurilemma is the outmost coiled layer of a schwann cell
unmyelinated nerve fibers
even unmyelinated PNS axons are surrounded by schwann cells but the schwann cells do not coil densely around these axons
signal conductuction
speed depnds on:
- diameter of fiber: largere are faster
- presence of myelin: myelinated are faster
fastest fibers for signal conduction
large in diamter and have myelin
nerve regeneration
- if cell body remains intact, cut nerve fibers can regenerate
- schwann cells secrete nerve growth fibers
- schwann cells and endoneurium produce regeneration tube to direcr regrowth of axon
- CNS neurons CANNOT regenerate
synapse
- meeting point of neuron and other cell
- presynaptic neuron to post synaptic neuron
structure:
- synaptic knob of presynaptic cell: contains synaptic vesicles (packets of neurotransmitters)
- synaptic cleft
- neurotransmitter receptors on postsynaptic cell
types of synapses
- axodendritic synapse: axon to dendrite
- axosomatic synapse: axon to soma
- axoaxonic synapse: axon to axon
chemical synapse
- presynaptic neuron releases neurotransmistters to postsynaptic cell
- neurotransmitters: messenger molecules (some excite, some inhibit)
electrical synapse
- adjacent cells joined by gap junctions
- ions diffuse from cell to cell
- quick transmission
- no integration or decision making
spinal cord functions
conduction:
- sensory information ascends
- motor commands descend
neural integration:
- processing of info from diverse sources
locomotion:
- central pattern generators coordinate simple repetitive movements
reflexes:
- involuntary sterotyped responses to stimuli
meninges
3 layers of membranes protect the brain and spinal cord:
- dura matter
- arachnoid matter
- pia matter
dura matter
- tough, outer later
- dural sheath: an extension of the dura mater that surrounds the spinal nerves of the spinal cord
within cranium, the dura has 2 layers:
- periosteal layer
- meningeal layer
in some places, the payers separate to form dural sinuses:
- superior sagittal siuns
- transverse sinus
in some places, dural sheets occupy spaces spearating major parts of the brain
- flax cerebri: between hemispheres
- tentorium cerebelli: between cerebrum and cerebellum
pia matter
- delicate, inner layer
- terminal filum
- coccugenal ligament
- denticulate ligaments
arachnoid matter
- transparent, middle layer
- simple squamous
- subarachnoid space: contains cerebral spinal fluid and lumbar cistern
gray matter structure
- contains little myelin
- 2 posterior (dorsal) horns
- 2 anterior (ventral) horns
- 2 lateral horns with thoracic and lumbar regions
white matter structure
- contains myelin
- 3 pairs of columns (funiculi) containing tracts (fasciculi) : posterior (dorsal), lateral, and anterior (ventral) columns
- tracts: bundles of myelinated axons
spinal tracts
ascending tracts carry sensory info to brain, whereas descending tracts carry motor info from brain
many tracts cross the midline at a decussation:
- tract origin is contralateral to its destination
- thus a right brain stroke impairs left side of body’s function
some tracts do not cross the midline:
- the tract origin is on the same side of the body (ipsilateral) to its destination
ascending spinal tracts
sensory pathways contain first-, second-, and third-order nerve fibers
2 tracts ascend within each posterior funiculus to end in the medulla:
- gracile functions: from lower body
- cuneate fasciculus: from upper body
both of these posterior funiculus tracts contain first order neurons sensing body position, discriminative touch, and pressure on the same side of body
the spinothalamic tract ascends in the anterior and lateral funiculi to end in the thalamus
- this tract contains second order neurons sensing pain and temperature from contralateral sensory neurons
ascending tracts of the CNS example
- the posterior column: medial lemniscus pathway decussates in the medulla
- the spinothalamic pathway: decussates in the spinal cord
descending tracts
- motor pathways contain upper and lower motor neurons
- corticospinal tracts carry signals for precise limb movemnts from motot cortex (upper motot neurons): lateral and anterior corticospinal tract
upper motor neurons
lower motor neurons
corticospinal tracts
- lateral corticospinal tract: large pathway in lateral column
- anterior corticospinal tract: small pathway in anterior column
2 descending tracts of the CNS
- lateral corticospinal fibers: decussate in the medulla
- anterior corticospinal fibers: decussate in the spinal cord
anatomy of a nerve
nerve- several axons wrapped by connective tissue:
- endoneurium: wraps one axon
- perineurium: wraps a fascile of axons
- epineurium: wraps entire nerve
afferent fibers
carry sensory signals from receptors to the CNS
efferent fibers
carry motot signals from CNS to effectors
somatic fibers
supply skin, skeletal muscle, bones, and joins
visceral fibers
supply blood vessles, glands, and viscera
general fibers
supply widespread organs such as muscles, skin, glands, viscera, and blood vessels
special fibers
supply more localized organs in the head like eyes, ears, olfactor and taste receptors, and muscles of chewing, swalling, and facial expression
ganglion
a cluster of cell bodies outside the CNS
spinal nerves
proximal branches:
- dorsal root and dorsal root ganglion
- ventral root
distal branches:
- posterior ramus
- anterior ramus: in thorax it becomes intercostal nerve; in other regions it helps make a plexus
- meningeal branch
nerve plexuses
plexuses recieve nerve fibers from anterior rami and give rise to peripheral nerves:
- cervical plexus: in neck
- brachial plexus: in shoulder
- lumbar plexus: in lower back
- sacral plexus: below lumbar
- coccygeal plexus: lower scarum and coccyx
somatic reflexes
- skeletal muscles
- controlled by somatic nervous system
properties of somatic reflexes:
- requires stimulation
- quick
- involunatry
- sterotyped
visceral refex
- glands, cardiac muscle, smooth muscle
- controlled by ANS
components of reflex arc
- somatic receptors
- afferent nerve fibers
- integrating center
- efferent nerve fibers
- skeletal muscles
ipsilateral reflex
general reflex category
CNS output and input on same side
contralateral reflex
general reflex category
sensory output from opposite side as motor output
intersegmental reflex
general reflex category
sensory signal in one level; motor noutput at a higer or lower level
cerebrum
- 2 cerebral hemispheres
- gyri: folds
- sulci: grooves
- longitudinal cerebral fissure: big sulcus between hemispheres
cerebellum
- gyri: folds
brainstem
- crucial for survival
gray matter locations
- superficial on brain
- outer part (cortex) of cerebrum and of cerebellum, as well as deep nuclei
- neurosomas (cell bodies), dendrites, and synapses