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BIOS TEST 3 > Nervous Systems > Flashcards

Nervous Systems Flashcards

1
Q

Nervous System

A
  • organism’s control center
  • network of neurons which send communications between and across different parts of the body
  • collects and processes sensory information from outside and inside the body
  • controls all body
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2
Q

Neurons

A

specialized cells that can receive and transmit chemical or electrical signals

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3
Q

Glia Cells

A

cells that provide support functions for neurons by playing an information processing role complementary to neurons

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4
Q

Nerves

A

bundles of nervous tissues, often containing hundreds to thousands of axons from different neurons, wrapped in connective tissue

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5
Q

Invertebrates VS Vertebrates

A
  • vertebrates have more complex and specialized nervous systems
  • the nerve cord in invertebrates are located in the belly while spinal cords are located in the back of vertebrates
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6
Q

General Vertebrate Nervous System

A
  • Central Nervous System: Brain + Spinal Cord
  • Peripheral Nervous System: Peripheral Sensory + Motor Nerves
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7
Q

Brain: General

A

structure that processes information, composed of inter-connected neurons and glial cells

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8
Q

Spinal Cord: General

A

structure that transmits information consisting of a thick bundle of nerve tissues that carries information about the body to the brain + from the brain to the body

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9
Q

Interneurons

A

found ONLY IN THE CNS; receives information from one set of neurons (afferent) and transmit information to another set of neurons (efferent)

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10
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

collects information and sends commands, containing nerves that extend to and from the spinal cord
- Afferent Nerves
- Efferent Nerves

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11
Q

Afferent Nerves

A

AKA SENSORY NERVES; composed of afferent (sensory) neurons that collect sensory information from the body and transmit it to the CNS

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12
Q

Efferent Nerves

A

AKA MOTOR NERVES; composed of efferent (motor) neurons that carry commands from the CNS to the body

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13
Q

Matter Classification

A

Nervous system material can also be classified based on whether it contains
- white matter (myelinated axons)
- gray matter (unmyelinated axons and cell bodies)

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14
Q

CNS Part One: The Brain

A

contained in the skull and floats in CEREBROSPINAL FLUID

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15
Q

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

A
  • acts as a cushion/shock absorption
  • makes the brain neutrally buoyant
  • specialized glial cells help circulate this to distribute and exchange chemical substances throughout the brain and into the spinal cord
  • glial cells line the ventricle, which also contains CSF
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16
Q

Brain Matter

A

organized with white matter towards the inside and grey matter on the outside of the brain
- gray matter represents the INFORMATION PROCESSING centers of the brain
- white matter represents the NETWORKING between the processing centers

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17
Q

Gray Matter Processing Centers

A
  • Cerebrum + Cerebral Cortex
  • Diencephalon
  • Cerebellum
  • Brainstem
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18
Q

Cerebrum + Cerebral Cortex

A

make up the majority of the human brain; outermost part of the cerebrum is the cerebral cortex, which is folded into “hills” and “valleys”
- two hemispheres (right and left) and four lobes (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital)
- Corpus Callosum

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19
Q

Corpus Callosum

A

thick fiber bundle that connects the two hemispheres in the cerebrum and allows information to be passed from one side to the other

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20
Q

Diencephalon

A

controls homeostasis and acts as a relay station, transmitting sensory information from sensory neurons to the cerebrum
- two structures: THALAMUS + HYPOTHALAMUS

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21
Q

Thalamus

A

acts as a gateway to and from the cortex; receives sensory and motor inputs from the body and feedback from the cortex

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22
Q

Hypothalamus

A

located below the thalamus; controls the endocrine systems by sending signals to the pituitary gland, the “master regulator”
- regulates important behaviors controlled by these hormones
- effectively the body’s “thermostat” (think negative feedback loop)
- makes sure key functions like food and water intake, energy use, and body temp are appropriate

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23
Q

Cerebellum

A

sits at the base of the brain on top of the brainstem; controls balance and aids in coordinating complex movements and learning new motor tasks

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24
Q

Brainstem

A

connects the rest of the brain with the spinal cord; motor and sensory neurons extend throughout this, allowing for the rely of signals between the brain and spinal cord
- controls alertness, arousal, breathing, blood pressures, digestion, heart rate, swallowing, walking, and motor and sensory information integration

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25
Cerebrum Regions
- Frontal Lobe - Parietal Lobe - Occipital Lobe - Temporal Lobe
26
Frontal Lobe
located in the front of the brain, over the eyes - OLFACTORY BULB (smell processing) + MOTOR CORTEX (planning and implementing movement) - neurons also control cognitive functions like maintaining attention, speech, and decision-making - personality, socialization, assessing risk
27
Parietal Lobe
located at the top of the brain - Neurons are involved in speech, reading, processing somatosensorial (touch) + proprioception (body orientation)
28
Occipital Lobe
located in the back of the brain; primarily involved in vision (seeing, recognizing, identifying the visual world) - the OCCIPITAL NERVE transmits sensory information from the eyes to the lobe
29
Temporal Lobe
located at the base of the brain by the ears; primarily involved in processing and interpreting sounds - Hippocampus
30
Hippocampus
processes memory formation and is critical for learning - temporal lobe - essential for consolidating short-term memories into long-term memories - MEMORIES ARE NOT STORED HERE
31
Mammal Brains
compared to other vertebrates, mammals have very large brains for their body size - this increase in body:brain size ratio is pronounced in apes, whales, dolphins - relationship between the size of the cortex and intelligence/complex social behaviors (more "hills and valleys")
32
Learning
ability to acquire new knowledge
33
Memory
ability to recall information later
34
Neural Plasticity
formation of new neurons and loss of existing neurons
35
Memory + Learning: Brain Structures
- Prefrontal Cortex - Hippocampus
36
Memory + Learning: Chemical + Structural Synapse Changes
- Neurogenesis - Synaptogenesis - Synaptic Pruning - Synaptic Plasticity
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Prefrontal Cortex
short-term memory storage; part of the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex
38
Neurogenesis
growth of new neurons - in mammals, new neurons play an important role in learning - ~1000 new neurons are developed each day in the hippocampus - while most die, there is an increase in survival when more knowledge is learned in a day - exercise and antidepressant medications promote neurogenesis - stress has the opposite effect
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Synaptogenesis
growth of new synapses between two existing neurons
40
Synaptic Pruning
destruction of existing synapses between two neurons
41
Synaptic Plasticity
strengthening or weakening of existing synaptic connections; two forms of this that occur in the synapses of the hippocampus 1. Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) 2. Long-Term Depression (LTD)
42
Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)
long-term strengthening of a synaptic connection; "cells that fire together, wire together" - various underlying mechanisms, including an increase in neurotransmitters released by the pre-neuron and increase response to the same amount of neurotransmitters by the post-neuron - can cause sensitization
43
Sensitization
increased response to the same external stimulus - RESULT OF LTP
44
Long-Term Depression (LTD)
long-term weakening of a synaptic connection; allows unimportant connections to be lost and makes the synapses that have undergone LTP much stronger by comparison - can cause habituation
45
Habituation
decreased response to the same external stimulus - RESULT OF LTD
46
What is the most important brain part for learning and memory?
hippocampus
47
CNS Part II: Spinal Cord
thick bundle of nerve tissue that connects the brainstem and extends down the body through the spinal column; contained within the bones of the vertebrate column and can communicate signals throughout the body through its connection with spinal nerves - spinal nerves (PNS) and spinal column (CNS)
48
Spinal Cord Matter
- myelinated axons are the white matter - euron and glial cells are the gray matter - gray matter also is composed of interneurons, which connects two neurons located in different body aprts
49
Spinal Cord Signals
RELAY OF INFORMATION TO AND FROM THE SPINAL COLUMN IS DIRECTIONAL - axons and cell bodies in the back spinal cord convey mostly sensory information from the body to the spinal cord than brain - axons and cell bodies in the belly spinal cord convey mostly signals controlling movement from the brain out to the body
50
NERVE
nerves are bundles of neuronal axons (axons + myelination providing cells) and connective tissue
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Peripheral Nervous System Structures
- Afferent Division - Efferent Division
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PNS: Afferent Division
collects incoming sensory information; made up of cranial and spinal nerves that contain sensory neurons
53
Sensory Neurons
transmits sensory information from the skin, skeletal muscle, and sensory organs to the CNS
54
PNS: Efferent Division
carries outgoing commands; made up of cranial and spinal nerves that contain motor neurons - SOMATIC vs AUTOMATIC Nervous System
55
Efferent Neurons
transmit messages about desired movement from the CNS to muscles to make them contract; may be under conscious/unconscious control
56
Somatic Nervous System
conscious control, sends motor commands from the CNS to voluntarily-controlled muscles; made up of cranial + spinal nerves that contain motor neurons under conscious control - without this, animals could not respond to the environment with controlled movements - the motor neurons synapse with muscles under voluntary control (EX: limb muscles)
57
Automatic Nervous System
unconscious control, controls bodily functions without conscious control; it is made up of cranial + spinal nerves that control motor neurons under unconscious control - heart, smooth muscle, exocrine + endocrine glands - SYMPATHETIC vs PARASYMPATHEITC Nervous System
58
Sympathetic Nervous System
controls "fight or flight" reactions associated with the short-term stress response - prepares the body for physical strain - alters behavior of organs via synapsed neurons, including the adrenal glands which then release norepinephrine and epinephrine into the blood stream - EX: speeds up heart rate, increases blood pressure, and reduces digestion
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Parasympathetic Nervous System
controls the "rest and digest" activities involved in conserving and restoring energy - resets organ function after the sympathetic nervous system is activated - EX: slowing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and stimulating digestion
60
Reflex
quick, unconscious movement; involves local synaptic connections in the spinal cord rather than relaying information to the brain and waiting for a command - brain is involved in learning from the experience, not for the movement associated with the reflex

BIOS TEST 3 (8 decks)

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