Nervous System Flashcards
What are the three main functions of a nervous system?
- Receive sensory input
- Integrate the input
- Respond to stimuli
What structures comprise the Central Nervous System (CNS)?
Brain & Spinal Cord
Sensory and motor neurons are collectively called the ______
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
The structural and functional unit of the nervous system is the _____
Neuron
What are the five main parts of a neuron?
- Cell body
- Dendrites
- Axon
- Axon terminals
- Myelin sheith
The site of contact between a synaptic terminal of a neuron and a target, such as another neuron, a muscle cell, or a gland, is called a _____
Synapse
What is the minimum number of neurons that can make up a “reflex arc,” and what would these neurons be?
2; there must be at least ONE sensory and ONE motor neuron
What are “interneurons”?
connections within the CNS
Supporting cells are called _____
Neuroglia (Glial cell)
What cells form the insulating sheaths around axons and where are they found?
Schwann cells; PNS
In a neuron, an action potential can only be generated ______
in ONE direction
The “motor division” of the peripheral nervous system is divided into two functional divisions, called the ______ and ______ nervous systems
Somatic
Autonomic
The somatic nervous system carries signals to ____
Muscles
The autonomic nervous system carries signals to ____
Organs
What are the spinal meninges?
Membranes that surround and protect brain and spinal cord
What are the 3 meningeal layers?
From touching the brain out,
- Dura Mater
- Arachmoid
- Pia Mater
What are reflexes?
Rapid, predictable, and involuntary responses to stimuli
List the three major parts of the brain
- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Brain Stem
Differentiate between gyri and sulci
Gyri = meaty ridges Sulci = grooves
Identify the lobes of the cerebrum
- Frontal
- Parietal
- Temporal
- Occipital
What functions are associated with the cerebrum?
“control center” - voluntary activities
Why is white matter white?
Mylinated axons; has myelin
What are some characteristics of people who are left v. right brain dominant?
Left:
Analytical, mathematical, thinks in parts
Right:
Creative, artistic, thinks in whole
What are the purposes of the ventricles in the brain?
cerebralspinal fluid production
