Neuronal responses Flashcards
Function of the nervous system
Allows animals and humans to take in information from the environment which will influence the responses they make
What is the nervous system made up of
Nerve cells
What is a nerve cells purpose
To carry information in the form of electrical signals
How are stimuli detected
By receptor cells
What is sent from the receptor to the nervous system
Electrical signals
Gives examples of stimuli that may cause a receptor to send an electrical impulse
Light, heat, chemicals, damage, pain
Where can receptor cells detect and physical stimulus
Inside or outside the body
Where do receptor cells pass the electrical signal to
Sensory nerve cells
Where do sensory nerve cells take the electrical signal
Into the nervous system
What nerve cell will the signal eventually go to
Effector nerve cells
What do effector cells do
bring about the response of the nervous system like making muscles move or releasing chemicals
Sensory receptors work together in groups called ….
Sensory organs
Give an example of a sensory organ
The eye contains a range of different light receptors working together to carry out vision
What does the CNS compose of
Brain and spinal cord
What do all neurones have
- Dendron’s which branch into dendrites
- Cell body which contains nucleus and other organelles
- Axon
- Synapses
What is the function of dendrites
They receive signals
Function of cell body
Carries out normal functions of the cell like protein synthesis
Function of axon
Carries electrical signals away from the cell body to the synapses
Function of synapses
Lie at end of the axon and pass electrical signal onto next cell
Function of sensory neurones
Take information from a receptor and pass it on to the CNS
Where is the cell body in a sensory neurone
In the middle with Dendron’s extending out of one side and axon extending out the other
What is the function of relay neurones
Carry electrical signals between neurones from sensory neurone to motor neurone
What key features do relay neurones have
Highly branched dendrites and axons
Where can motor neurones receive signals from
Relay or sensory neurones
What is the function of motor neurones
They contact effectors, which are cells that carry out the nervous systems responses
What tissues can effector cells be in
Muscles or glands
What are sensory receptors
Specialised cells in the nervous system that detect physical stimuli
How do sensory receptors create the electrical signal
By turning energy in the environment into electrical energy
If sensory receptors turn energy from the environment into electrical signal what are they called
Energy transducers
Define energy transducers
Cells that convert one form of energy into another
Give an example of a sensory receptor being an energy transducer
Light receptors in the eye turn light energy (stimuli) into electrical signals
What is the electrical signal created by sensory receptors called
Generator potential
Define generator potential
The depolarisation of the membrane of a receptor cell
Receptor cell vs receptor
Receptor are proteins on cell surfaces that detect chemical signals outside the cell where as a receptor cells are whole cells in the nervous system that detect stimuli they do have receptors on them
Give an example of receptor cells and receptors with taste buds
Taste receptor cells in the mouth have receptors that detect the chemical that makes chillies hot
