Nervous System Flashcards

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1
Q

Which systems allow us to respond to internal and external stimuli

A

Nervous + endocrine

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2
Q

What is the difference between the endocrine and nervous system

A

Endo = produces hormones that are transported in blood system, hormones are generally slow acting
Nervous = responds to external stimuli and involves co-ordination of muscles and some glands, results in quick short lived respones

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3
Q

What do hormones play a role in

A

Reproduction, controlling growth and homeostasis

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4
Q

What can nervous systems be divided into

A

Pns and cns

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5
Q

Hat is the difference between pns and cns

A

Cns - brain and spinal cord
Pns - nerves that conduct impulses to and from brain

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6
Q

How can the pns be further subdivided

A

Pns can be either sensory neurons or motor neurons
Motor neurons can be either somatic (= skeletal muscle) or autonomic =(cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, glands)
Autonomic nervous system consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves

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7
Q

How is the central nervous system protected

A

Brain= skull
Spinal cord = vertebrae
Brain surrounded by three membranes aka meninges
Cerebrospinal fluid found in between meninges

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8
Q

What are the functions of cerebrospinal fluid

A

Act as shock absorber
Supply cns with nutrients and oxygen
Remove waste
Prevents dehydration

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9
Q

What is the difference between grey and white matter

A

Grey = contains cell bodies of neurons
White = contains elongated axons of neurons

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10
Q

Where is white and grey matter found in the brain and spinal cord

A

Brain - grey matter on the outside, surrounds white matter
Spinal cord - white matter on outside surrounding grey matter

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11
Q

What are the three main parts of the brain

A

Cerebrum
Cerebellum
Medulla oblangata

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12
Q

What are other important parts of brain besides the 3 main parts

A

Hypothalamus
Corpus callosum
Hypophysis/pituitary

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13
Q

What is the corpus callosum important for

A

Brain divided into left and right hemisphere
Left side controls right side body and right side controls left side body
Neurons cross from one side to the other in corpus callosum

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14
Q

What is the cerebrum responsible for

A

Higher mental functions e.g reasoning, judgement, thought, intelligence
Origin for all voluntary actions
Receiving and interpreting senses

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15
Q

What is the cerebellum responsible for

A

Balance
Co-ordinating and controlling voluntary actions
Muscle tone and posture

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16
Q

How is the medulla oblangata different from the rest of the brain

A

Has grey matter on the inside

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17
Q

What is the medulla oblangata responsible for

A

Transmits electric impulses between spinal cord and brain
Controls autonomic function e.g heartbeat, rate and depth of breathing, peristalsis, constrict and dilation of blood vessels

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18
Q

What is the structure of the spinal cord

A

Grey matte forms h shape on inside
Spinal nerves arise from both sides
Each nerve has dorsal and ventral root
Dorsal has sensory neurons, ventral has motor neurons
Nerves enter spinal cord between vertebrae

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19
Q

What is the spinal cord responsible for

A

Pathway for nerve impulses to and from brain
Reflex action

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20
Q

What is the hypothalamus responsible

A

Plays role in maintaining homeostasis : regulates bp, heartbeat, bdy temp, water levels
Controls emotions
Controls release of emotions from hypophysis (pituitary gland)

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21
Q

What does PNS consist of

A

Motor and sensory neurons

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22
Q

How can motor nerves be subdivided

A

Somatic nerves - conduct impulses from CNS to voluntary muscle
Autonomic nerves - conduct impulses from CNS to involuntary muscles (smooth muscle and cardiac muscle)

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23
Q

How many cranial and spinal nerves are there

A

Cranial - 12 pairs that connect to the brain
Spinal - 31 pairs

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24
Q

What is the function of the PNS

A

To conduct impulses from the receptor the CNS and to conduct impulses from the CNS to effectors (muscles and glands)

25
Q

How can autonomic motor neurons be further subdivided

A

Sympathetic - prepare body for emergency by increasing heart rate, depth and rate of breathing, and bp
Parasympathetic - antagonistic to sympathetic nerves, drop levels of nearest etc. back to normal

26
Q

What is the general structure of neurons

A

Cell body that consists of nucleus and nissl granules
Two outgrowths from cell body - dentrites and axons
Axons = impulse away from cell body; dentrites = impulse to cell body
Most axons and dendrites surrounded by myelin sheath
Myelin she at made up of Schwann cells
There are gaps between the Schwann cells = nodes of ranvier
Outermost membrane of myelin sheath = neurilemma

27
Q

Why is the myelin sheath important

A

Acts as an insulator so prevents nerve impulses from jumping sideways from neuron to another

28
Q

How can neurons be classified according to function

A

Sensory - receptor to CNS
Motor - CNS to effector
Interneurons - connect motor neuron to sensory neuron

29
Q

How can neurons be classified according to structure

A

Unipolar - one outgrowth : sensory neurons
Bipolar - two outgrowths : interneurons
Multipolar - many outgrowths : motor and interneurons

30
Q

What is a synapse

A

A microscopic gap between two consecutive neurons where impulses travel

31
Q

How is a nerve impulse transmitted from one neuron to the next

A

Impulse has jump across synapse to reach next neuron
Axon releases chemical = neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitter diffuses across synaptic cleft to next neuron
Neurotransmitter only produced one side of neuron = one direction flow of impulse

32
Q

How can an impulse be strengthened

A

Impulse from many neurons combined in one synapse

33
Q

What happens to insignificant stimuli

A

Filtered ou to prevent overloading the brain

34
Q

What is a reflex action

A

Fast, automatic response of an effector to a stimulus received by a receptor

35
Q

Where are reflex actions controlled

A

Mainly spinal cord
Reflexes such as coughing, sneezing controlled by medulla oblangata

36
Q

What is a reflex arc

A

The pathway along which nerve impulses are carried from a receptor to an effector to bring about a reflex action. Ut is the functional unit or the nervous system

37
Q

What is alzheimer’s disease

A

Irreversible disease that gradually becomes worse causing memory loss and decreased intellectual abilities
Caused by plaque building up between neurons, affected parts of brain shrink

38
Q

What are symptoms of alzheimer’s

A

Simple forgetfulness progressing to not being able to recognize friends and family
Can lose ability to speak
Loss of bodily functions leading to death

39
Q

How can alzheimer’s be treated

A

No treatment to slow the disease
Treatment to help maintain mental functions and control behavioural symptoms like aggression and sleeplessness

40
Q

What is multiple sclerosis

A

Auto-immune disease where your own immune system starts to attack the neurons of the brain and spinal cord
Slowly destroys myelin sheath
Results in gradual loss of muscle control

41
Q

What are the causes of multiple sclerosis

A

Viral infections can be trigger
Genetic factors

42
Q

What are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis

A

Loss of vision, inability to walk, loss of speech

43
Q

Treatment for multiple sclerosis

A

No treatment
Physiotherapy can help to cope with loss of muscle control

44
Q

What is the difference between traumatic brain injury and acquired brain injury

A

Traumatic - caused by blow to the head
Acquired - caused by internal dmage as a result of stroke, hypoxia, cancer, infections etc.

45
Q

What are the effects of brain injury

A

Loss of consciousness
Concussion
Headaches
Poor judgement

46
Q

What can cause spine damage

A

Car accidents, sports injuries, diseases like polio

47
Q

What are symptoms of spine damage

A

Range from loss of sensation to paraplegia and quadraplegia

48
Q

How can brain and spine damage be prevented

A

Don’t play violent sports
Wear seatbelts
Don’t drink and drive

49
Q

What is a drug

A

A substance that changes normal body functions

50
Q

What do drugs do to neurotransmitters

A

Stimulate or inhibit

51
Q

What are the three categories of drugs and what are examples of drugs in each category

A

Stimulant - accelerate impulses : caffeine, nicotine, dagga
Depressant - slow doen impulses : alcohol, dagga, heroine
Hallucinogens - distort perceptions : dagga, ecstacy, LSD

52
Q

What can dagga cause after intake

A

Drowsiness, decreased co-ordination, euphoria uncontrollable talking

53
Q

What can high dosage of dagga lead to

A

Paranoia and hallucination

54
Q

How does heroin work

A

Extracted from poppy plants
White/brown powder usually injected
Mimics endorphins

55
Q

What is ecstacy

A

Stimulant commonly used at dance parties for extra energy

56
Q

How does ecstacy work

A

Increases heart rate, bp and body temp
Has negative effect on emotions, memory and ability to learn

57
Q

What is tik used for

A

To stay awake for long periods of time

58
Q

How does tik work

A

Causes excessive release of dopamine which over-stimulates the neurons of brain
Createsfeeling of euphoria but damages neurons

59
Q

What can long term use of til lead to

A

Insomnia, anxiety, paranoia