Nervous system Flashcards
What are the two parts of the nervous system?
Central and peripheral nervous system
What is included in the CNS?
The brain and spinal cord
What is included in the PNS?
Cranial and spinal nerves
The PNS can be split into two different categories, what are these?
Sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent)
Both the sensory and motor neurons can be split into two sub-groups, what are these?
Somatic and Visceral
What is different between the somatic and visceral systems?
Visceral falls under the autonomic nervous system where as somatic does not
What type of processes would fall under the visceral system?
Secretion from glands, blood vessels, unconscious decisions
What is the ANS divided into?
The parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system
What is the enteric nervous system?
The system that deals with the gut. It can almost work alone but it is influenced by the ANS
What are neurons?
Excitable nerve cells which transfer action potentials and thus act as a on/off switch
What makes a neuron?
The cell body (soma) and the neurite(s)
What are the two types of neurites
Axon and dendrites
What is an axon?
A single cell covered in a myelin (Schwann) sheath
What are dendrites?
Multiple thin short extensions
What are axons bound with?
A fascia called endoneurium
What are neurons bound together with and what does this create?
Perineurium and a fasicle
What are lots of fasicles bound together by and what does it create?
Epineurium and a nerve
What are the layers in the CNS called?
Meninges
What are the three different maters in meninges?
Dura, arachnoid and pia
What are the spaces between the maters called?
Extra-dural, sub-dural and sub-arachnoid
What can be found in the extra-dural and sub-dural space?
Haematome
What can only be found in the sub-arachnoid space?
Cerebrospinal fluid
What does the somatic nervous system deal with?
Innervates skeletal muscles, skin, oral and nasal cavities
What does the autonomic nervous system control?
Functions of smooth muscles, glands, internal organs and blood vessels
Relays information to the CNS
What does the sympathetic system control?
Fight or flight
What does the parasympathetic system control?
Rest and digest
What is the apex of a neuron called?
Axon
What is the base of a neuron called?
Dendrites
What are the gaps between neurons called?
Synapses
What carries the neurotransmitters to the synapse?
Synaptic vesicles
What are the two ends of the synapse?
Pre and post synaptic membrane
What can the myelin sheath be split into?
Internide and node of ranvier
What does the node of ranvier allow?
Nerves to move faster along the axon
What are astrocytes?
The metabolic and mechanical support of neurons
What are the two types of astrocytes?
Fibrous and protplasmic
What are microglial cells?
The resident macrophages of the CNS
