neuro a+p

Question 1

nervous system

Answer 1

highly specialized system responsible for control and integration of the body’s activities
CNS: brain and spinal
PNS: cranial/spinal nerves and autonomic NS

Question 2

CNS

Answer 2

Ascending tracts carry sensory information from the periphery, muscles, and organs to the higher levels of the CNS
Descending tracts carry impulses from the brain and result in voluntary muscle movement

Question 3

cell types

Answer 3

neurons: primary functional unit of NS, dont divide or replace (in general - some may generate from stem cells after brain injury
neuroglia: more numerous, supportive to neuron, can replicate, replace tissue of destroyed neurons

Question 4

neuron anatomy

Answer 4

cell body: metabolic center
dendrites: short extensions from body, receive and conduct nerve impulses
axons: extend varying distances from cell body and carry nerve impulses, myelinated or unmyelinated
myelin sheath: white lipid substance that insulates and helps conduct impulses

Question 5

neuroglia

Answer 5

support, nourishment, protection
almost half of brain and spinal cord, 5-10x more numerous
different types have different functions

Question 6

oligodendrocytes

Answer 6

produce myelin sheath for nerve fibers in CNS and help make up white matter of brain

Question 7

schwann cells

Answer 7

myelinate nerve fibers in periphery

Question 8

astrocytes

Answer 8

provide structural support to neurons and form BBB
found in grey matter

Question 9

nerve impulses

Answer 9

initiation involves generations of AP
after AP initiated, series of AP travel along axon
when it reaches end of nerve fiber, it is transmitted across the junction (gap) btw nerve cells by NT
synapse = point at which the nerve impulse jumps from one neuron to another
NT = chm agent involved in transmission of impulse across junction
ex: acetylcholine, epi, norepi, serotonin, dopamine