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MCAT Psych/Soc (PR) > Nervous System > Flashcards

Nervous System Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the sensory function of the nervous system and where is this carried out?

A

Receiving information; the PNS

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2
Q

What is the integrative function of the nervous system and where is this carried out?

A

Processing the information; the CNS

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3
Q

What is the motor function of the nervous system and where is this carried out?

A

Acting on the information; the PNS

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4
Q

What is the function of motor neurons?

A

Carry information away from the nervous system towards effectors

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5
Q

What is an effector and what are the types of effectors?

A

Organs that can act upon the information transmitted by motor neurons; muscles and glands

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6
Q

What category of neurons carry information away from the CNS?

A

Efferent neurons (to the effectors)

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7
Q

What category of neurons carry information towards the CNS?

A

Afferent neurons

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8
Q

Give and example of an efferent and an afferent neuron.

A

Efferent: motor neurons
Afferent: sensory neurons

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9
Q

What is the simplest example of a nervous system activity?

A

Reflex

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10
Q

What is a reflex?

A

A direct motor response to sensory input that occurs without conscious thought

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11
Q

What type of reflex involves only two neurons and one synapse?

A

Monosynaptic reflex arc

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12
Q

Describe an example of a monosynaptic reflex arc.

A

Muscle stretch reflex: a sensory neuron detects stretching of a muscle and transmits an impulse to a motor neuron cell body in the spinal cord that synapses with the muscle causing it to contract

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13
Q

What two things happen when a physician taps a patellar tendon, and what is this an example of?

A

The quadriceps contract and the hamstrings relax; reciprocal inhibition

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14
Q

What about the sensory neuron involved in the patellar tendon tap allows the reciprocal inhibition to occur?

A

The sensory neuron that detects the stretching synapses with both the motor neuron for the quadriceps and with an inhibitory interneuron

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15
Q

What is an inhibitory interneuron?

A

Forms an inhibitory synapse with a motor neuron inner sting the hamstring muscle

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16
Q

What is the simplest example of the integrative role of the nervous system?

A

An interneuron

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17
Q

How are we aware of an action that occurs without the involvement of the brain, like a reflex?

A

The sensory neuron also branches to form a synapse leading to the brain and her sensory information is received after the action is taken

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18
Q

What are the two main divisions of the nervous system and their components?

A

CNS: brain and spinal cord
PNS: all nerves and sensory structures outside of the brain and spinal cord

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19
Q

What are the the two divisions of the PNS and what function do they serve?

A

Somatic: voluntary control of skeletal muscle
Autonomic: involuntary control of glands and smooth muscle

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20
Q

What are the two divisions and functions of the autonomic division of the PNS.

A

Sympathetic: “flight or fight”
Parasympathetic: “rest and digest”

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21
Q

Many sympathetic effects result from the release of what hormone into the bloodstream by what organ?

A

Epinephrine/adrenaline by the adrenal medulla (on top of the kidney)

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22
Q

What effects does the parasympathetic division have on the digestive system?

A

Stimulates digestion
Glands and motility: stimulation
Sphincters: relaxation

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23
Q

What effects does the sympathetic division have on the digestive system?

A

Inhibits digestion
Glands and motility: inhibition
Sphincters: contraction

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24
Q

What effects does the parasympathetic division have on the urinary system?

A

Stimulates urination
Bladder: construction
Urethral sphincter: relaxation

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25
Q

What effects does the sympathetic division have on the urinary system?

A

Inhibits urination
Bladder: relaxation
Urethral sphincter: contraction

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26
Q

What effects does the parasympathetic division have on the bronchial smooth muscle?

A

Closes airways

Bronchial smooth muscle: constriction

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27
Q

What effects does the sympathetic division have on the bronchial smooth muscle?

A

Opens airways

Bronchial smooth muscle: relaxation

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28
Q

What effects does the parasympathetic division have on the cardiovascular system?

A

Heart rate and contractility: decreased

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29
Q

What effects does the sympathetic division have on the cardiovascular system?

A

Heart rate and contractility: increased

Blood flow to skeletal muscle: increased

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30
Q

What effects does the sympathetic division have on the skin?

A 
Sweating and general vasoconstriction
Emotional vasodilation (blushing)
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31
Q

What effects does the parasympathetic division have on the eye?

A

Pupil: constriction

Muscles controlling lens: near vision accommodation

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32
Q

What effects does the parasympathetic division have on the eye?

A

Pupil: dilation

Muscles controlling lens: accommodation for far vision

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33
Q

What effect does the sympathetic division have on the adrenal medulla?

A

Release of epinephrine

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34
Q

What effect does the parasympathetic division have on the genitals?

A

Erection/lubrication

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35
Q

What effect does the sympathetic division have on the genitals?

A

Ejaculation/orgasm

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36
Q

In which division of the nervous system can one find the most neuronal cell bodies?

A

CNS

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37
Q

What are bunches of neurons called within the CNS and the PNS?

A

CNS: nuclei
PNS: ganglia

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38
Q

What is the brown section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Cerebral cortex

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39
Q

What is the pink section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Corpus callosum

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40
Q

What is the green section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Thalamus

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41
Q

What is the light blue section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Hypothalamus

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42
Q

What is the yellow section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Midbrain

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43
Q

What is the dark blue section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Cerebellum

44
Q

What is the orange section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Pons

45
Q

What is the small red section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Pituary gland

46
Q

What is the purple section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Medulla

47
Q

What is the larger red section of the CNS?

[insert figure 9 on page 50]

A

Spinal cord

48
Q

What are the three divisions of the brain?

A

Hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain

49
Q

What is the clear liquid that the CNS floats in and what functions does it serve?

A

Cerebrospinal fluid (CNS); shock absorption and exchange of nutrients and waste with the CNS

50
Q

What protects the spinal cord?

A

CSF and the vertebral column

51
Q

What are the three parts of the hindbrain?

A

Medulla, pons, cerebellum

52
Q

Where is the medulla located?

A

Below the pons and connecting to the spinal cord

53
Q

What is the general function of the medulla?

A

Involuntary functions

54
Q

Where is the pons located?

A

Below the midbrain and above the medulla

55
Q

What is the general function of the pons?

A

Relay station and balance

56
Q

Where is the cerebellum located?

A

Behind the pons and below the cerebral hemispheres

57
Q

What is the general function of the cerebellum?

A

Movement coordination

58
Q

What is the result of damage to the cerebellum?

A

Poor hand-eye coordination and balence

59
Q

What is the general function of the midbrain?

A

Eye movement

60
Q

What parts or the brain constitute the brain stem?

A

Medulla, pons, and midbrain

61
Q

What is the function of the brain stem?

A

Contains important processing centers and relays information to or from the cerebellum and cerebrum

62
Q

What are the two parts of the forebrain?

A

The diencephalon and the telencephalon

63
Q

What are the two parts of the diencephalon?

A

Thalamus and hypothalamus

64
Q

What is the location and general function of the thalamus?

A

Near the middle of the brain below the cerebral hemispheres and above the midbrain; integrating center and relay station

65
Q

What is the general function of the hypothalamus?

A

Homeostasis and behavior

66
Q

All parts of the CNS up to and including the diencephalon form what shape?

A

A single symmetrical stalk

67
Q

What does the telencephalon consist of?

A

Two separate cerebral hemispheres

68
Q

What differences are there between the functions of the right and left hemispheres?

A

The left hemisphere controls the motor functions of the right side and vice versa; the left side is dominant in most people and is generally responsible for speech, while the right side is more concerned with visual-spatial reasoning and music

69
Q

What connects the two cerebral hemispheres?

A

A thick bundle of axons called the corpus callosum

70
Q

What are the two components of the cerebrum?

A

Cerebral cortex- outer layer of grey matter composed of trillions of somas
Inner core of white matter composed of myelinated axons

71
Q

What are the general functions of the cerebral cortex?

A

Perception, skeletal muscle movement, memory, thought, language, and consciousness

72
Q

What are the four pairs of lobes of the cerebral cortex?

A

Frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes

73
Q

Label the four pairs of lobes of the cerebral cortex

[insert figure 10 on page 52]

A

[insert figure 10 on page 52]

74
Q

What is the specialized subfunction of the frontal lobes?

A

Voluntary movement and problem solving

75
Q

What is the specialized subfunction of the parietal lobes?

A

Involved in general sensations and gustation

76
Q

What is the specialized subfunction of the temporal lobes?

A

Auditory processing, short-term memory, and emotion

77
Q

What is the specialized subfunction of the occipital lobes?

A

Visual processing

78
Q

What two areas of the cerebral cortex are shown in the red section of the brain?

[insert figure 10 on page 52]

A

Motor homunculus and the frontal eye field

79
Q

What area of the cerebral cortex is shown in the blue section of the brain?

[insert figure 10 on page 52]

A

The sensory homunculus

80
Q

What area of the cerebral cortex is shown in the orange section of the brain?

[insert figure 10 on page 52]

A

Wernicke’s area (language comprehension)

81
Q

What area of the cerebral cortex is shown in the dark blue section of the brain?

[insert figure 10 on page 52]

A

Broca’s area (speech production)

82
Q

What are basal nuclei composed of and where are they located?

A

Grey matter; deep within the cerebral hemispheres

83
Q

What is the general function of the basal nuclei?

A

Movement

84
Q

How do the basal nuclei and the cerebellum work together to process and coordinate movement initiated by the primary motor cortex?

A

The basal nuclei is inhibitory and the cerebellum is excitatory

85
Q

Emotion, memory, and learning

A

What is the general function of the limbic system?

86
Q

Where is the limbic system located and what substructures does it include?

A

Between the cerebrum and the diencephalon; the amygdala, the cingulate gyrus, and the hippocampus

87
Q

What is the function of the cranial nerves and how many are there?

A

Convey sensory and motor information to and from the brainstem; 12 pairs

88
Q

What is the function of he spinal nerves and how many are there?

A

Convey sensory information to and from the spinal cord; 31 pairs

89
Q

What type of nerve is the vagus nerve?

A

Cranial nerve

90
Q

What division of the autonomic nervous system is the vagus nerve?

A

The parasympathetic division

91
Q

What is true of all somatic motor neurons?

A

They innervate skeletal muscle cells, use ACh as their neurotransmitter, and their cell bodies are in the brain stem or ventral portion of the spinal cord

[insert part of figure 12 on page 55]

92
Q

What is true of all somatic sensory neurons?

A

They have long dendrite extending from a sensory receptor toward the soma, which is located just outside of the CNS in a dorsal root ganglion; the first synapse is in the CNS

[insert part of figure 12 on page 55]

93
Q

What is a dorsal root ganglion?

A

A bunch of somatic and autonomic sensory neuron cell bodies located just dorsal to the spinal cord

94
Q

How many dorsal root ganglia are there?

A

A pair for every segment of the spinal cord

95
Q

Which part of the nervous system, CNS or PNS, are the dorsal root ganglia located and why?

A

The CNS; while protected within the vertebral column, the dorsal root ganglia are outside of the meninges

96
Q

What two types of efferent neurons does the autonomic nervous system consist of?

A

A preganglionic and postganglionic neuron

97
Q

Where is the cell body of a preganglionic neuron?

A

The brainstem or the spinal cord
Sympathetic: thoracolumbar (thoracic and lumbar spinal cord)
Parasympathetic: craniosacral (brainstem and sacral spinal cord)

98
Q

Where is the axon of the preganglionic neuron in the autonomic system sent and what does it synapse with?

A

To an autonomic ganglion, located outside of the spinal column, and it synapses with a postganglionic neuron

99
Q

What neurotransmitter is released by all autonomic preganglionic neurons?

A

Acetylcholine (ACh)

100
Q

What do all parasympathetic postganglionic neurons release?

A

Acetylcholine

101
Q

What do nearly all sympathetic postganglionic neurons release?

A

Norepinephrine

102
Q

What are the effectors of the somatic system and the autonomic system?

A

Somatic: Skeletal muscles
Autonomic: all visceral organs, like heart bladder, stomach, blood vessels, ect..

103
Q

Describe the anatomical organization of PNS effects

A

Insert picture (page 55)

104
Q

What are the relative lengths of the preganglionic axon in the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Sympathetic: short
Parasympathetic: long
(Para long pre)

105
Q

What are the relative lengths of the postganglionic axon in the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Sympathetic: long
Parasympathetic: short

MCAT Psych/Soc (PR) (10 decks)

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