Nervous System Flashcards
Functions of the Nervous System
*Recieving Sensory Input
• Integrating information
• Controlling muscles and glands
• Maintaining Homeostasis
• Establishing and maintaining mental activity
The trillions of cells in the human
body do not function independently of each other but must work together to maintain homeostasis.
Maintaining Homeostasis
Sensory receptors monitor numerous
external and internal stimuli. We are aware of sensations from some stimuli, such as sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, pain, body
position, and temperature.
Receiving sensory input
The brain and spinal cord are the major
organs for processing sensory input and initiating responses. The input may produce an immediate response, be stored as memory, or be ignored.
Integrating information
Skeletal muscles normally
contract only when stimulated by the nervous system; thus, the nervous system controls the major movements of the body by controlling skeletal muscle.
Controlling muscles and glands
The brain is the center of mental activities, including consciousness, thinking, memory, and emotions.
Establishing and maintaining mental activity
Central Nervous System
Brain and Spinal Cord
all the nervous
tissue outside the CNS (Nerves and ganglia
Peripheral Nervous System
Two divisions of Peripheral Nervous System
Sensory and Motor Division
CNS to effector organs (MOTOR
NEURONS)
Motor Division (efferent division)
Subdivisions of Motor Neurons
*Somatic Nervous system
*Autonomic Nervous System
has BOTH sensory and motor neurons –
DIGESTIVE TRACT
Enteric Nervous System
CNS to skeletal muscle
Somatic Nervous System
CNS to cardiac, smooth muscle and glands; further divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic
Autonomic Nervous System
Contains Nucleus
Cell Body
Receiving stimuli, CONDUCT ACTION POTENTIALS and transmit signals to other neurons or effector organs
Neurons (Nerve Cells)
receive information from OTHER
NEURONS and transmit the info toward the
neuron cell body
Dendrites
EXTEND from the neuron cell body. SURROUNDED by myelin sheath
Axon
action potentials TOWARDS THE CNS
Axon of the sensory
where the axon LEAVE the neuron cell body
Axon Hillock
Action potential AWAY FROM THE CNS
Axon of the motor
Types of Neurons
- Multipolar Neurons
- Bipolar Neurons
- Pseudounipolar neurons
MANY DENDRITES and a SINGLE AXON: within CNS
Multipolar Neurons
has TWO PROCESSES: one dendrite and one axon ; retina of the eye, nasal cavity (Sensory organs)
Bipolar Neurons
single process EXTENDING from the cell body which
DIVIDES into 2 PROCESS (one extends to the periphery , the other to the CNS
Pseudounipolar neurons
PRIMARY SUPPORTING cells of the CNS and PNS (do
not conduct action potentials
Glial Cells (Neuroglia)
SUPPORTING cells of the CNS; blood
blain barrier
Astrocytes
Types of Glial Cells
*Astrocytes
*Ependymal
*Microglia
*Oligodendrocytes
*Schwann Cells
LINE THE FLUID cavities within the
CNS, produce CSF
Ependymal
Act as IMMUNE cells of the CNS
Microglia
provide and INSULATING
material (CNS)
Oligodendrocytes
provide an insulating material
(PNS)
Schwann Cells
SPECIALIZED LAYER that WRAP AROUND the axons
of some neurons (schwann cells or
oligodendrocytes)
Myelin Sheaths
Where ION MOVEMENT
occur
Nodes of Ranvier
Organization of Nervous Tissue
*Gray Matter
*White Matter
groups of neuron cell
bodies and their dendrites
Gray Matter
Surface of the brain
Cortex
deeper in the brain
nuclei
bundles of PARALLEL AXONS with their myelin sheaths
White Matter
Nerve tracts (conduction
pathways)
CNS
Nerves
PNS
40% of the brain
* Contains most of the brain’s neuronal cell bodies
*Serves to process information
(Fully develops at 20s)
Gray Matter
60% of the brain
* Made up of bundles which connect various gray matter areas
* Allows communication to and from grey matter areas, and between the grey matter and the other parts of the body
(Develop throughout 20s and peaks in Middle age)
White Matter
Mostly heavily myelinated axons
* Connects brain regions to help with learning, attention, and motor control
Peaks in middle age
White Matter
Mostly Neuronal cell bodies
*Processes and transmits information; controls movement, memory, and emotion
Gray matter
inside cell membrane (negative); outside (positive)
Polarized cell membrane
Depolarization - Repolarization = ?
Action Potential
At the end of repolarization, the charge on
the cell membrane briefly becomes MORE NEGATIVE than R.M.P (Short
time)
Hyperpolarization
SLOW ACTION potentials; continuous
conduction
Unmyelinated action
LOCAL CURRENT flow through the nodes of ranvier;
action potential jump from one node to another; SALTATORY CONDUCTION
Myelinated axon
the JUNCTION where the axon of one neuron
INTERACTS with another neuron or with cells of an
effector organ
Synapse
forms at the END of the axon
Presynaptic Terminal
membrane of the dendrite/effector cell
Post Synaptic Membrane
SEPARATES the two terminal
Synaptic cleft
STORED in synaptic vesicles in
the presynaptic terminal; rapidly broken down by
enzymes w/in synaptic cleft or transported back to
postsynaptic terminal.
Neurotransmitters
CNS synapse, ANS synapses, and neuromuscular junctions
*Excitatory or inhibitory
Acetylcholine (ACh)
SELECTED CNS synapses and some ANS synapses
*Excitatory
Norepinephrine (NE)
CNS synapses
- Generally inhibitory
Serotonin
Selected CNS synapses and some ANS synapses
*Excitatory or Inhibitory
Dopamine
CNS synapses
*Inhibitory
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
CNS synapses
*Inhibitory
Glycine
Descending pain pathways
*Inhibitory
Endorphins
INVOLUNTARY REACTIONS in response to a stimulus applied to the periphery and transmitted to the CNS
Reflexes
is the BASIC FUNCTIONAL UNIT of nervous system because it is the smallest, simplest pathway capable of receiving a stimulus and yielding a response.
Reflex arc
5 basic components of Reflexes
- sensory receptor
- sensory neuron
- interneurons
- motor neuron
- effector organ
EXTENDS FROM THE FORAMEN
magnum to the 2nd lumbar
vertebra
Spinal Cord
INFERIOR END of
the cord and nerves
Cauda equina
sensory neurons
Dorsal root ganglia
cell bodies of
motor neurons (muscle and glands)
Anterior and lateral horns of the gray matter
somatic motor neuron
Anterior Horn
autonomic neurons
Lateral Horn
contains motor axons
Dorsal Root
muscles CONTRACTS in response to a STRETCHING FORCE applied to them
Stretch Reflex
determines if the HIGHER CNS CENTER
that normally influence this reflex are
functionaL
Knee - Jerk Reflex (patellar reflex)
REMOVE A LIMB or another body part
from a PAINFUL STIMULUS
Withdrawal Reflex (flexor reflex)