Nervous System Flashcards
the hole in the base of the skull through which the spinal cord passes; largest foramen in the skull
foramen magnum
the ___ ___ connects and carries messages to and from the brain via the foramen magnum
spinal cord
the ___ ___ ___ consists of the brain and spinal cord
central nervous system
the ___ ___ ___ is made up of all the nerves that branch out from the spinal cord; cranial & spinal nerves outside of the central nervous system
peripheral nervous system
___ ___ emerge from the base of the brain and travel through holes in the skull; always written as I, II, III, VI, IV…
cranial nerves
___ ___ emerge from the spinal cord out of the vertebra via the intervertebral foramen; always written as C1, C2, T1, T2, L1, L2…
spinal nerves
a bundle containing many axons which follows a defined pathway of transmission and serves a specific area of the body
nerve
___ ___ send information from the body to the brain
sensory nerves
afferent nerve
___ ___ send information from the brain to the body
motor nerves
efferent nerves
___ ___ can be:
* motor
* sensory
* both/mixed
cranial nerves
___ ___ are always:
* motor
* sensory
spinal nerves
___ ___ are organelles in neurons that are responsible for protein synthesis and cellular activity
nissl bodies
the ___ ___ controls the initiation of an electrical impulse
axon hillock
___ is the cytoplasm found in the axon of a nerve cell
axoplasm
___ ___ send signals to other cells via use of neurotransmitters at synapses
axon terminals
___ ___ ___ are a part of the axon terminal that directly interacts with the receiving neurons at the synapse
synaptic end bulbs
released when an action potential arrives;
located within the axon terminal & synaptic end bulb
synaptic vesicles
links impulses from sensory to motor neurons located in the central nervous system;
the most neurons of the brain are the ___
interneurons
___ are the primary reason you can move a body part away from a painful stimulus before you consciously feel the pain
interneurons
cells in the nervous system that support neurons
neuroglia cells
glial cells
- neuroglia cells are a key part of the brain’s response to ___ ___ ___
- neuroglia cells react to this by changing their shape, multiplying, and producing a neuroglia scar
- this scar can help protect the brain in the short term, but can also lead to permanent damage
traumatic brain injury
(TBI)
receive sensory information, process it, and then trigger a motor response
integration center
types of ___ cells:
* microglial
* astrocyte
* ependymal
* schwann cell
* oligodendrocyte
neuroglia
glial cells
type of neuroglia (glial) cell that engulfs foreign material
microglial
the neuroglial cell involved in the blood brain barrier, and protecting the brain, is the ___
astrocyte
type of neuroglia (glial) cell that lines the ventricles and are found at or produce cerebrospinal fluid
CSF is a fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord
ependymal
type of neuroglia (glial) cell that forms myelin sheaths around a single axon
found in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)
schwann cell
type of neuroglia (glial) cell that forms myelin around multiple axons
found in the central nervous system (CNS)
oligodendrocyte
schwann cells and oligodendrocytes are glial cells that produce ___;
___ insulates and increases conduction of the nerve impulse
myelin
___ are in the peripheral nervous system (PNS);
a group of nerve cell bodies that have the same job
ganglia
peripheral nervous system
___ are in the central nervous system (CNS);
a group of nerve cell bodies that have the same job;
form gray matter in the brain
nuclei
central nervous system
a network of neurons/nerves which usually overlap an area or region and coordinate together; a collection of interconnected ganglia;
are in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)
plexus
brachial plexus
cervical plexus
in the central nervous system ___ ___ is myelinated
white matter
in the central nervous system ___ ___ is unmyelinated
gray matter
___ are gray matter in the spinal cord which forms an H
horns
___ are white matter tracts outside the horns of the spinal cord; tracts carry impulses up/down & in/out
columns
the peripheral nervous system is divided into:
1. ___
2. ___
3. ___
somatic
autonomic
enteric
the ___ nervous system is voluntary
ex: moving your limbs or facial expressions
somatic
the ___ nervous system is involuntary & is further divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic
ex: cardiac muscles or gland secretion
autonomic
the ___ nervous system is involuntary & controls bodily functions like digestion in the gastrointestinal tract
enteric
neuron:
___ = influx of Na+ (sodium)
* repolarization = efflux of K+ (potassium)
* hyperpolarization = large K+ efflux through membrane
depolarization
neuron:
* depolarization = influx of Na+ (sodium)
___ = efflux of K+ (potassium)
* hyperpolarization = large K+ efflux through membrane
repolarization
a ligand-gated channel is considered a type of ___ ___
neurotransmitter receptor
the space after the axon terminal of a neuron between the next target cell
synaptic cleft
an autoimmune disease that results in the destruction of myelin sheaths of neurons in the central nervous system is called?
multiple sclerosis
when a neurotransmitter is released from the pre-synaptic neuron site, it cross the synaptic cleft to find a ___ ___
post-synaptic receptor
the brain or spinal cord area that is reported as white matter has ___ ___
myelinated neurons
the difference in the positive and negative charge between the outside and the inside of a neuron at rest is called ___ ___ ___
resting membrane potential
a stimulus strong enough to generate a nerve impulse is called ___ ___
threshold stimulus
the period of time during which the neuron cannot generate another action potential is called ___
refractory period
another term for nerve impulse or nerve flow is ___ ___
action potential
cholinergic neurons (fibers) release acetylcholine;
catecholamine neurons release other neurotransmitters such as ___ and ___
epinephrine and norepinephrine
with the myelinated nerve, the interspace without myelin is the ___ ___ ___
Node of Ranvier
located along the axon of neurons
the ___ ___ is a protein in the cell membrane of neurons that moves SODIUM OUT of the cell and POTASSIUM INTO the cell. This process is called active transport and requires energy from ATP
sodium-potassium pump
the dorsal column of the spine carries ___ ___, such as fine touch, vibration, and proprioception
sensory impulses
carries sensory impulses, such as fine touch, vibration, and proprioception
dorsal column
a spinal nerve is made up of axons that carry electrical impulses called ___ ___
action potentials
an action potential is traveling along a neuron, when it reaches the pre-synaptic bulb there will be a release of the neurotransmitter by the influx of ___ ___
calcium ions
an action potential is traveling along a neuron, when it reaches the ___-___ ___ there will be a release of the neurotransmitter by the influx of calcium ions
pre-synaptic bulb
catecholamine means all neurotransmitters EXCEPT ___
a catecholamine refers to a group of neurotransmitters including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine
acetylcholine
a ventral (anterior) nerve root would imply that the nerve fibers carry ___ ___, meaning they transmit signals away from the central nervous system
motor impulses
the ___ ___ is responsible for motor information
ventral root
the ___ ___ is responsible for sensory information
dorsal root
exist at all levels of the spinal cord
* they carry postganglionic nerve fibers from the paravertebral ganglia in the sympathetic chain to their target organ
postganglionic nerves = nerve fibers that carry signals from ganglia to target organs in the body
gray ramus
only exit the spinal cord between the levels of T1-L2
* they carry preganglionic nerve fibers from the spinal cord to the paravertebral ganglia in the sympathetic chain
preganglionic nerve = nerve fiber that originates in the brainstem or spinal cord and connects to a ganglion
white ramus
the blood-brain barrier is PRIMARILY composed of ___ ___ which line the capillaries in the brain
endothelial cells
(not a neuroglia cell)
myelination of nerve fibers in the peripheral nervous system is completed by this cell type
Schwann cells
___ ___ is the rapid method by which nerve impulses move down a myelinated axon with excitation occurring only at nodes of Ranvier
saltatory conduction
the fastest conducting fibers are ___
part of the somatic nervous system & act as sensory and motor fibers
a-fibers
three layers of membranes known as ___ protect the brain and spinal cord
meninges
(muh·nin·jeez)
innermost, delicate layer
pia mater
web-like middle layer
arachnoid
(ur·ak·noyd)
outermost, thickest layer
dura mater
cerebrospinal fluid is produced in the ___ ___
then it flows from the brain ventricles, through the subarachnoid space, and into the bloodstream
choroid plexus
- initiate and modulate voluntary movements
- control muscle tone and posture
- coordinate complex motor tasks, such as walking, running, and grasping
upper motor neurons
- transmit signals from the upper motor neurons to skeletal muscles
- control muscle contraction, tone, and reflexes
- the final common pathway for voluntary movement
lower motor neurons
the spinothalamic tract is an example of a ___ ___
ascending tract
the corticospinal tract is an example of a ___ ___
descending tract
