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Nervous System > Nervous System General > Flashcards

Nervous System General Flashcards

1
Q

Name the 3 functions of the nervous system

A

Sensory - detection and input - what gives you info

Integrative - processing, storing, analyzing of sensory info

              - decision making
              - what to do once you get the information

Motor - output portion

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2
Q

Name the Types of nervous tissue

A

Neurons

Neurolglia

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3
Q

What are neuralgia and what is their function?

A

Non neuronal cells that:
Nourish, support and protect neurons in CNS and PNS
Maintain homeostasis
Form myelin

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4
Q

What are the parts to a nerve cell?

A

Dendrite

Cell body

Axon

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5
Q

What is the structure and function of dendrite?

A

Structure: single or multiple tree like extensions off of cell body

contain lots of receptor sites to receive chemical information from other cells

Function: input potion of neuron

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6
Q

What is the structure and function of an axon?

A

Structure:
One single thin cylindrical extension off cell body
Axon terminals:end of axon that divides into many fine processes
Synaptic end bulb: swollen end of some axon terminals
Some axon are myelinated

Function: output portion of the neuron

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7
Q

What is myelin?

A

A multilayered protein and fat covering that speeds up AP conduction.
Actions coated in myelin are called ‘myelinated’ axons

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8
Q

What is a stimulus?

A

Any change in the environment (internal or external) that is strong enough to stimulate an action potential (AP)

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9
Q

What is an Action Potential?

A

An electrical signal that travels along the cell membrane of a neuron.
APs can travel at various speeds

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10
Q

How do neurons respond to a stimulus?

A

They convert it to an action potential (AP)

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11
Q

Nervous system can be organised into what? And what do they consist of?

A

Central nervous system : brain and spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system: all nervous tissue outside of CNS

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12
Q

What is the structure and function of cell body?

A

aka soma

contain nucleus and organelles,
Function: Where cell processes take place ie. Protein synthesis

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13
Q

What is the size and shape of neurons?

A

Neurons vary in size and shape

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14
Q

What are the three structural classifications of neurons? And how are they distinguished?

A

Unipolar: one process off cell body

bipolar: 2 processes off cell body
multipolar: multiple processes off cell body

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15
Q

What is the structure of a multipolar neuron?

Where is it found?

A

One axon, multiple dendrites

Most in the brain and spinal cord, all motor neurons

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16
Q

What is the structure of a bipolar neuron?

Where is it found?

A

One main dendrite, one main axon (not many)

For special senses, ie sight, hearing

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17
Q

What is the structure of a unipolar neuron?

Where is it found?

A

Single axon. Cell body divides the axon into two parts: periphery process and central process
Peripheral axon has sensory receptors
Central axon has axon terminals

So… Peripheral process conducts AP from dendrites towards cell body, where it is passed to central process and then move away from cell body and enter CNS

All sensory neurons in the PNS

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18
Q

What is the most common type of sensory neuron?

A

Pain, touch, temperature, taste, proprioception, visceral organ activity

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19
Q

What are the three functional classifications of neurons?

And what is this classification referring to?

A

Sensory
Integrative
Motor

Referring to which direction the AP is conducted with respect to the CNS

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20
Q

What are sensory neurons also known as? How would you structurally classify sensory neurons?

A

Afferent neurons.

Unipolar

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21
Q

Describe sensory neurons structure and their role

A

Contain either sensory receptors at the dendritic ends OR are located just after sensory receptors on other cells

Once activated by stimulus, AP forms and propagates (continues, keeps going) along the axon and is conveyed into CNS via sensory neurons

Sensory neurons travel together in spinal and cranial nerves on a sensory pathway

22
Q

What are motor neurons also know as?

What are they structurally classified as?

A

Efferent neurons

Multipolar

23
Q

Describe motor neurons role

A

Action potential propagates away from CNS to effectors via motor neurons (efferent)

24
Q

What are the effectors?

A

The cells and organs being effected (ie muscle fibres, glands)

25
Q

What are interneurons also known as?
Where are they located?
What are they structurally classified as?

A

Association neurons
Located Primarily in CNS between sensory and motor neurons
Most are multipolar

26
Q

Describe interneurons role

A

Process/ integrate information from sensory neurons. If a motor response is necessary they decide on the specific response,many relevant motor neurons are activated

27
Q

What is a synapse?

A

The site of communication between two neurons or a neuron and another type of cell

28
Q

What are the types of synapses?

A

Electrical

Chemical

29
Q

What is an electrical synapse?

A

APs conduct directly between plasma membrane of two adjacent cells, through gap junctions

30
Q

What is faster: Electrical synapse or chemical synapse?

A

Electrical synapse

31
Q

In a chemical synapse what is the pre-synaptic and post-synaptic neuron?

A

The neuron that is sending the signal

The neuron that is receiving the signal

32
Q

What is the synaptic cleft?

A

The space between the communicating neurons

33
Q

What is a neurotransmitter (NT)?

A

A chemical released by the pre-synaptic neuron to affect (excite or inhibit) the post-synaptic neurons or effector

NT receptors are specific to the NT released (lock and key)

34
Q

What is the relationship between electrical signals and chemical synapse?

A

Electrical —> Chemical —> Electrical

At a chemical synapse, a pre-synaptic neuron converts an electrical signal (nerve impulse) into a chemical signal (NT), the post-synaptic neuron converts the chemical signal back to an electrical signal (post-synaptic potential)

35
Q

What are 4 common Neurotransmitters?

A

Dopamine

Serotonin

Acetylcholine

Gamma- amino uterus acid

36
Q

What happens to neuralgia with injury or disease?

A

Neuralgia will multiply to fill the spaces formerly occupied by neurons

37
Q

What are the 4 types of Neuroglia in the CNS?

A

Astrocytes
Oligodendrocytes
Microglia
Ependymal cells

38
Q

What are the two main functions of astrocytes

A

Provide nutrients to neurons

Help for the blood brain barrier

39
Q

What is the blood brain barrier? Name 3 components.

A

A specialised barrier between the brain and blood vessels that prevents the passage of materials

1) astrocytes and astrocytes end feet that encircle capillary
2) capillary basement membrane
3) tight junctions that join the overlapping capillary epithelial cells

40
Q

What is the function of oligodendrocytes?

A

Form/ maintain myelin sheath of CNS neurons

41
Q

What is the function of Microglia?

What type of cells are they?

A

Remove debris.

They are phagocytic cells (eating cells) - similar to tissue microbes

42
Q

Where are ependymal cells found?

A

They line the cavities of brain and spinal cord

43
Q

What is the function of ependymal cells?

A

Produce and help distribute cerebral spinal fluid

44
Q

What is cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)?

What is its function?

A

Clear, colourless fluid that circulates brain and spinal cord.
Will: provide nutrients, help protect brain and spinal cord from injury

45
Q

What are ventricles?

A

Cavities within the brain that are filled with CSF

46
Q

Name the neurolglia of the PNS, and their function.

A 
Schwann cells.  
Function: 
Circle around axons in PNS
Form myelin sheath of PNS axons
Involved in regeneration of PNS axons
47
Q

What is a nucleus? Where is it found?

A

A cluster of neuronal cell bodies in the CNS

They travel together on similar pathways

48
Q

What is Ganglion? Where are they found?

A

Cluster of neuronal cell bodies found in the PNS

49
Q

What is a tract? Where is it found?

A

Bundle of axons in the CNS.
Aka the ‘info highway’ for sensory or motor neurons.
tracts interconnect neurons in spinal cord and brain

50
Q

What is a nerve? Where is it found? Name two types.

A

Bundle of axons in the PNS
Peripheral nerves - connect spinal cord to periphery
Cranial nerves - connect brain to periphery

Nervous System (8 decks)

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