Nervous System Flashcards
What are nerves
They detect changes in our environment (stimuli) through cells called receptors
What are receptors
Things sensitive to things such as light, pressure and chemicals in the air
Examples of receptors
Chemoreceptors
Thermoreceptors
Mechanoreceptors
Photoreceptors
What do chemoreceptors detect
Chemicals
What do thermoreceptors detect
Heat
What do mechanoreceptors detect
Pressure
What do photoreceptors detect
Detective light
What is a pancinian corpuscles
Type of mechanoreceptor
Respond to changes in pressure
Found deep in skin in feet, fingers. External genitalia and in our joints
What is a neurone
A cell which carry’s Information to and from the central nervous system in the form of electrical impulses called action potentials
What are the 3 types of neurones and the order they are in
Sensory
Relay
Motor
Where are the neurones used in the stimulus - response system
Stimulus
Receptor
— SENSORY NEURONE
Coordinator — RELAY NEURONE
— MOTOR NEURONE
Effectors
Response
What is the Axon of a neurone
Long process carries impulses (action potential) away from cell body, often over a long distance
What is the cell surface membrane of a neurone
Gated ion channels controlling movement of Na+ K+ ions
What is the cell body of a neurone
Contains the nucleus, many mitochondria and ribosomes
What is the dendrites in the neurones
Small processes connecting to other neurones carrying nerve impulses towards the cell body
What is the Schwann cells in the neurone
Wrap around the axon of 30% of sensory and motor neurones, these cells form a fatty insulating layer of myelin
What is the myelin sheath in the neurone
Insulates so prevents ion movement resulting in increase speed of conduction as impulse ‘jumps’
What are the nodes of Ranvier in the neurone
Short gaps ( about 2-3mm long ) between the Schwann cells occur every 1-3 mm, non myelinated
What is action potential
When a stimulus is detected by a sensory receptor, the energy of the stimulus temporarily reverses the charges on the axon membrane .
What does the resting potential of the axon membrane look like
+++++++++. Positive charge
___________
————— Negative charge
___________
+++++++++ positive charge
What are the Oder of the process in action potential
Depolarisation
Repolarisation
Hyperpolarisation
Explain depolarisation in action potential
Sodium voltage gated channels open and Na+ rush in causing more sodium gates to open changing the charge from negative to positive reaching +40mV . This is known as generator potential.
Explain Repolarisation in action potential
Sodium voltage gated channels have shut and Voltage gated potassium ion channels open and k+ diffuse out
Explain Hyperpolarisation in action potential
There’s an overshoot in membrane potential as to much K+ leave.
Sodium-Potassium pump open to allow membrane to return to its resting potential. (Sodium leave and potassium move in)
What is a synapse
A connection between adjacent neurones
What are the 2 types of synapses ( you only need to know one )
Chemical
Electrical ( don’t need to know )
What is the cholinergic synapse
A neurotransmitter
ACh ( acetylcholine )
What is the enzyme that hydrolysis ACh and is found in the cleft in a synapse called
Acetylcholinesterase