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BIOL1008 > Nervous system > Flashcards

Nervous system Flashcards

1
Q

What is the central nervous system (CNS)

A

It consists of the brain and spinal cord, and is responsible for receiving, processing and responding to sensory information

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2
Q

What is the peripheral nervous system

A

It consists of the cranial nerves, the spinal nerves, and its function is to transmit sensory information from peripheral receptors to the CNS

It controls motor pathways

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3
Q

What is the automatic nervous system

A

It is a part of the PNS, and regulates involuntary physiological processes such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and respiratory rate. Operates automatically without conscious effort

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4
Q

What are the subsections of the PNS?

A

Motor pathways and sensory pathways

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5
Q

What are the subsections of motor pathyways?

A

The automatic nervous systsem and the somatic nervous system

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6
Q

What is the somatic nervous system

A

Your somatic nervous system is a subdivision of your peripheral nervous system, which is all of your nervous system except your brain and spinal cord.

Your somatic nervous system allows you to move and control muscles throughout your body. It also feeds information from four of your senses — smell, sound, taste and touch — into your brain.

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7
Q

What are the subsections of the ANS?

A

sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions

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8
Q

What is the sympathetic division

A

The sympathetic system controls “fight-or-flight” responses. In other words, this system prepares the body for strenuous physical activity. The events that we would expect to occur within the body to allow this to happen do, in fact, occur.

This can include control of your heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, urination and sweating, among other functions.

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9
Q

What is the parasympathetic division

A

The parasympathetic system regulates “rest and digest” functions.

Digestion, urination, salivation, excretion etc.

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10
Q

What is the sensory pathway

A

This transmits the various senses received by receptors into the PNS

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11
Q

What are the two components essential to the function of the CNS

A

Afferent and efferent pathways

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12
Q

What is the afferent pathway

A

It is the sensory division of the PNS

Afferent neurons carry information from sensory receptors of the skin and other organs to the central nervous system (i.e., brain and spinal cord)

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13
Q

What is the efferent pathway

A

It is the motor division of the PNS

efferent neurons carry motor information away from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands of the body.

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14
Q

What is the forebrain? WHat does it include?

A

The largest region of the brain. It contains the cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, pineal gland and limbic system with it

The forebrain is responsible for voluntary actions, thinking, and processing. The forebrain interprets sensory input and makes decisions.

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15
Q

What is the hindbrain? WHat does it include?

A

The hindbrain contains several structures that regulate autonomic functions, which are essential to survival and not under our conscious control.

Includes the brainstem and cerebellum.

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16
Q

What does the brainstem include?

A

Midbrain, pons and medulla

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17
Q

What does the midbrain do

A

Connects rest of the brainstem to cerebral cortex

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18
Q

What does the pons do

A

It is the “bridge” between midbrain and medulla

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19
Q

What does the medulla do

A

It is where the brain transitions into the spinal cord

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20
Q

What does the spinal cord do

A

The three primary roles of the spinal cord are to send motor commands from the brain to the body, send sensory information from the body to the brain, and coordinate reflexes.

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21
Q

What is the cerebral cortex and explain its structure

A

The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of your brain’s surface, located on top of the cerebrum. The cerebral cortex carries out essential functions of your brain, like memory, thinking, learning, reasoning, problem-solving, emotions, consciousness, and sensory functions.

It is divided into right and left cerebral hemispheres. It is connected by the corpus callosum (the bridge). Each hemisphere is divided into lobes; frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital

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22
Q

What are the four lobes of the cortex

A

The frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe and occipital lobe

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23
Q

What is the function of the frontal lobe

A

It is where higher executive functions including emotional regulation, planning, reasoning and problem solving occur

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24
Q

What is the function of the parietal lobe

A

It integrates sensory information, including touch, temperature, pressure and pain

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25
Q

What is the function of the temporal lobe

A

It processes sensory information, important for hearing, recognising language and forming memories

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26
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe

A

Major visual processing center in the brain

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27
Q

What is the function of the thalamus

A

It processes sensory information

Your thalamus is your body’s information relay station. All information from your body’s senses (except smell) must be processed through your thalamus before being sent to your brain’s cerebral cortex for interpretation.

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28
Q

What is the function of the hypothalamus

A

Major control center for the automatic motor system. Involved in some hormonal activity and connects hormonal and nervous system. Helps regulate homeostasis

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29
Q

What is the function of the pineal gland?

A

Produces hormone melatonin, which regulates sleep-wake cycles

30
Q

What is the function of the limbic system

A

It regulates behavioural and emotional responses. Most important parts are the hippocampus and amygdala

31
Q

What is the function of the basal ganglia

A

It is used to control voluntary motor movements, habit learning, eye movement, cognition and emotion

32
Q

What is the function of the cerebellum

A

Coordinates gait and maintains posture. It also controls muscle tone and voluntary muscle activating, but is unable to initiate muscle contraction

It receives information about:

Voluntary muscle movements from cerebral cortex and from muscles, tendons and joints. And also balance

33
Q

What is the function of the brainstem

A

Connect forebrain to spinal cord and cerebellum.

Responsible for vital functions of life; breathing, consciousness, blood pressure, heart rate and sleep

34
Q

CNS pathway

A
35
Q

Function of the spinal cord? Explain the segments of the spinal cord

A

Carries motor and sensory signals between brain and periphery and coordinates reflexes

Organised into segments, with each segment having a pair of spinal nerves (efferent and afferent information)

There are 4 components to the spinal cord

Also, the gray matter is inside the spinal cord, whereas the white matter is on the outside of the spinal cord

36
Q

What are the 4 components of the spinal cord

A

Cervical spine(8), thoracic spine(12), lumbar spine (5), sacral spine (5)

The sacral region (sacrum) is at the bottom of the spine and lies between the fifth segment of the lumbar spine (L5) and the coccyx (tailbone). The sacrum is a triangular-shaped bone and consists of five segments (S1-S5) that are fused together.

37
Q

What does decussation mean

A

The crossing of the right and left corticospinal tract

38
Q

Explain decussation in the spinal cord

A

Sensory pathways decussate (cross over) from one side of the CNS to the other. As such, each cerebral hemisphere receives sensory information from opposite side of the body

Motor pathways decussate from one side of CNS to the other

39
Q

WHat are the peripheral nerves

A

Peripheral nerves reside outside your brain and spinal cord. They relay information between your brain and the rest of your body.

40
Q

What are cranial nerves

A

The cranial nerves are a set of 12 paired nerves in the back of your brain. Cranial nerves send electrical signals between your brain, face, neck and torso. Your cranial nerves help you taste, smell, hear and feel sensations. They also help you make facial expressions, blink your eyes and move your tongue.

they are more complicated

41
Q

What are dermatomes

A

Dermatomes are areas of skin that connect to a specific nerve root on your spine.

42
Q

What does the ANS control?

A

Cardiac muscle
Smooth muscle
Exercise glands
Endocrine glands

43
Q

What is the neurone/neuron

A

It is the basic structural unit of nervous system (it is a nerve cell)

Each neurone is an individual cell which communicates at synapses

It is a single body with dendrites and axons

44
Q

What are synapses

A

The places where neurons connect and communicate with each other are called synapses.

45
Q

What are the main components of neurons?

A

Dendrites, nucleus, node of Ranvier, myelin sheaths, shwann cell, axon, axon terminals

46
Q

What do dendrites do?

A

The main function of dendrites is to receive information from other neurons, called pre-synaptic neurons, or from the environment

47
Q

What does the node of Ranvier do?

A

Nodes of Ranvier are gaps in the myelin sheath coating on the neural axon. The myelin allows the electrical impulse to move quickly down the axon. The nodes of Ranvier allow for ions to diffuse in and out of the neuron, propagating the electrical signal down the axon.

Allows for the jumps

48
Q

What does the myelin sheath do

A

Myelin is an insulating layer, or sheath that forms around nerves, including those in the brain and spinal cord. It is made up of protein and fatty substances. This myelin sheath allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells.

49
Q

WHat does the axon do

A

From the broadest perspective, the function of axons is to carry electrical impulses that are the means of communication within the brain and between the brain and the rest of the body.

50
Q

What does the axon terminal do

A

An axon terminal contains many vesicles filled with neurotransmitters which allows the neuron to conduct electrical impulse down to another neuron or another type of cell by the release of signals into the synapse.

51
Q

What is depolarisation

A

Less negative charge inside cell compared to outside

52
Q

What is repolarisation

A

More negative charge inside cell compared to outside, which occurs right after depolarisation

53
Q

Explain the resting potential of the neuron?

A

It has a resting potential of -70mV. This is because of the Na and K ions.

This is because K+ concentration is higher inside the cell than outside, and Na+ is higher outside the cell than inside. Ultimately, there is a lower charge inside the neuron compared to outside of the neuron leading to a negative resting potential.

54
Q

What is the role of the voltage gated ion channels in the neuron

A

They are there to respond to a depolarisation of the cell membrane, which would cause it to open up and allow Na+ to come into the cell, further causing depolarisation in the cell. However, once it reaches a certain

55
Q

Explain the process of the action potential

A

The resting membrane potential of the neuron is at -70mV. When the dendrites receive a signal from the synaptic cleft, and the cell body decides that it is a significant enough signal (meeting the threshold potential), it leads to the staggered depolarisation of the neuron. This depolarisation is caused by the open voltage gated ion channels which allow for the influx of Na+ ions into the neuron. However, once it reaches a certain point, the voltage gated ion channels close. However, the change in membrane potential also opens the potassium voltage gated channels, causing potassium to leave the cell via diffusion. As such, this causes repolarisation. This repolarisation typically overshoots causing a hyperpolarisation, where the cell membrane potential drops below the resting potential, and eventually comes back up to equilibrium via the Na-K pump

This repolarisation process is important as it allows for the signal to be transmitted down the axon without the signal being transmitted back up as it is still undergoing repolarisation and needs a higher than normal stimulus to bring it back

56
Q

What is the threshold potential

A

Minimum resting membrane potential for a signal to be transmitted. Anything below won’t work (~-55mV)

57
Q

What is the function of myelin

A

The myelin increases speed of nerve conduction. It is present around nerves in the CNS and PNS and insulates axons. It is made up of about 80% lipid

Here, action potentials can’t be generated while myelin is wrapped around it –> prevents creation of an action potential

58
Q

What are the node of ranviers?

A

These are points on the axon which has no myelination present

59
Q

What is saltatory conduction

A

Describes how an electrical impulse skips from node to node down the length of an axon. In myelinated axons, action potentials generated at the nodes –> saltatory conduction. This increases speed of action potential propagation compared to continuous conduction across unmyelinated axons, as they cause the action potentials to move more rapidly by ‘jumping’ –> speeds up transmission on axon

60
Q

What is the synapse

A

Place where neurons connect and communicate to each other

61
Q

What happens at an axon terminal?

A

when an action potential reaches the axon terminal, Ca2+ moves in, allowing neurotransmitter release. Neurotransmitters diffuse across synaptic cleft to bind with receptors on the post synaptic neuron.

62
Q

What happens to neurotransmitters

A

They are broken down by enzymes or undergo reputake into the presynaptic neurone

63
Q

What is the synpatic cleft

A

The synaptic cleft—also called synaptic gap—is a gap between the pre- and postsynaptic cells that is about 20 nm (0.02 μ) wide. The small volume of the cleft allows neurotransmitter concentration to be raised and lowered rapidly.

63
Q

What is the role of receptors in synaptic function

A

They are on the postsynaptic neuron and allow for the neurotransmitters to bind onto them which allows for further propagation of the action potential

64
Q

What is a excitatory post synaptic potential?

A

An excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) occurs when sodium channels open in response to a stimulus. The electrochemical gradient drives sodium to rush into the cell. When sodium brings its positive charge into the cell, the cell’s membrane potential becomes more positive, or depolarizes.

65
Q

What is a inhibitory post synaptic potential?

A

An inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) is a kind of synaptic potential that makes a postsynaptic neuron less likely to generate an action potential.

66
Q

What is a common neurotransmitter which promotes excitatory post synaptic potential?

A

glutamate

67
Q

What is a common neurotransmitter which promotes inhibitory post synaptic potential?

A

GABA

68
Q

How does glutamate promote excitatory post synaptic potential?

A

Glutamate acts as a major excitatory neurotransmitter. It opens Na+ channels in post synaptic membranes, causing excitatory post synaptic potentials, and a depolarisation. Ultimately it increases the chances of a neuron undergoing the action potential.

69
Q

How does GABA promote inhibitory post synaptic potential

A

It acts as a major inhibitory neurotransmitter. It works like this through opening Cl- channels in post synaptic membrane. This causes further hyperpolarisation, reducing the chances of the neuron being stimulated to the threshold potential, thus inhibiting the signals.

Basically by opening Cl- channels, Cl- is greater in extracellular fluid compared to intracellular, and Cl- will enter the cells –> more -ve –> decreased chances of action potential occurring

70
Q

What is temporal summation

A

Big stimulus from a single presynaptic terminal into a single axon –> lots of action potential –> release of glutamate into cleft –> multiple EPSPs which increase resting potential

71
Q

What is spatial summation

A

Multiple synaptic inputs into multiple dendrites. Each dendrite wont have enough EPSPs on its own to trigger action potential, but together it can increase resting membrane potential to threshold potential

BIOL1008 (17 decks)

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