Nervous System Flashcards
Nervous System
senses and responds to changes in the environment
Three classes of neurons:
afferent neurons, interneurons, efferent neurons
afferent neurons
Sensory neurons. detect stimulus and relay info about it to central nervous system
Stimulus-
form of energy that specific receptors detect
interneurons
In the spinal cord and brain, interneurons receive and process the sensory information and integrate a response
efferent neurons
Motor neurons (efferent neurons) delivers information away from the brain and spinal cord to the body’s effectors, which carry out the specified response
effectors
muscles, glands
Dendrites-
slender extensions of cell body that are input zones for info
Cell body neuron
contains nucleus, cytoplasm, most of the organelles
Axon-
slender and long extension that is neuron’s conducting zone (where it sends the message)
Terminal branches-
ending axon branches
Synaptic terminals-
ends of terminal branches which release neurotransmitters-
neurotransmitters
chemicals that transmit signal from one neuron to another
Synapse-
junction between a synaptic terminal of one neuron and the dendrites of another (between two neurons or between a neuron and an affector)
Myelin sheath-
insulating covering on axons of vertebrate nerve cells made of special cells called Schwann cells
Nodes of Ranvier + signals
gaps in sheath between successive Schwann cells. signals are electrical (ions) and to bridge
the gaps between synapses there are chemical signals
Nerve-
hundreds or thousands of neurons wrapped together
Resting neuron
polarized
polarized
cytoplasmic fluid is negatively charged
Resting membrane potential-
-70 millivolts
electrical response to stimulation in neurons
action potential–In neurons, this electric gradient will briefly reverse itself in response to stimulation–goes from - to +, travels from a neuron’s trigger zone (dendrites) to output zone (axon)
neurons at rest
hen a neuron is at rest, there are about 15 sodium ions in the fluid inside the cell for every 150 outside. There are 150 potassium ions inside for every 5 outside. The ions can only enter and leave the cell through transport proteins
Passive ion channels
permit the passage of specific ions; Potassium channels are the most common- potassium ions leak out of the cell, down their conc gradient. This increases the positive charge in the extra cellular fluid outside the cell.
Gated ion channels
closed when the neuron is at rest and only open at certain voltages
Sodium potassium pump
actively transports sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell. For every three sodium ions pumped out of the cell, two potassium pumped in. Therefore- more positive ions are pumped out than in, helping maintain negative resting potential and a higher concentration of K+ inside the cell and a higher concentration of Na+ outside the cell.
what happens when a stimulus occurs?
special voltage-activated Na+ ion gates open, and Na+ flows inside the neuron, making the neuron positively charged. The membrane becomes depolarized- membrane potential becomes less negative (closer to zero.)
graded response
A slight stimulus causes a graded response- does not spread far from point of stimulation
generating action potential
if the stimulus is intense enough to cause the voltage to reach –55 mV, this is called the threshold level, and an action potential, or an impulse, is generated. Depends on positive feedback mechanism- as Na+ flows into the cell, cytosol becomes more positively charged, which opens even more voltage gated sodium channels. self-propagating mechanism causes to continue. The membrane reaches zero potential and then spikes to +35 mV. At this point, the sodium gates close, membrane is once again impermeable to sodium.
action potential is self-propagating-
when one section of the membrane becomes positively charged, this stimulates the next area of the membrane to open the sodium gates and the next area will become positively charged.
Repolarization-
after spike to +35 and closing of sodium gates, membrane potential returns to resting potential. Voltage gated potassium ion channels slowly open, allowing potassium to leak out of neuron. Neuron becomes negative once again.