Neurons, Neurotransmission And Communciation

Question 1

CNS & PNS

Answer 1

CNS - consists of Brian and the spinal cord

PNS - connects central nervous system to rest of body

Question 2

Cells of the nervous system

Answer 2

Billions of neurons underlie activity of the nervous system

• electrically excitable cells
• process and transmit information around nervous system

Question 3

Communication between neurons through dendrites via synapses

Answer 3

-Dendrites pick up and caddy messages to the cell body
Axon carries out going messages from the cell
Group of axons make up a nerve
Some axons covered with myelin sheath
^ made up of glial cells inc efficiently

Question 4

Neural impulse

Answer 4

At its resting potential higher concentration of negative ions exist inside the membrane surrounding the cell body outside
An ion electrically charged atom that has lost or gained an electorn
At rest a neruon is in a state of polarisation
-Inc message strong enough = electrical charge is changed
-action potential neuron is depolarised
-incoming messages cause grades potentials, when combined, may exceed the min threshold of excitation
-after firing refractory period , only occur if message is much stronger than usual

Question 5

Acetylcholine

Answer 5

a link between acetylcholine and Alzheimer’s disease

90% loss in the brain

Question 6

dopamine

Answer 6

Drugs to block dopamine used to reduce excess in the frontal lobes linked to schizo
Too little in the motor areas link to Parkinson’s disease

Question 7

Serotonin

Answer 7

Too little serotonin lead to depression , OCD , suicide

Prozac prevents neurons from vacuuming up excess seratonin

Question 8

Norepinephrine

Answer 8

Stress depletes adrenalin

Exercise increase it

Question 9

Endorphin

Answer 9

Structurally very similar to opioids , opium , morphine and heroin
- allows hibernation

Question 10

Glutamate -

Answer 10

most common neurotransmitter in central nervous system

MND results from excess glutamate production

Question 11

GABA

Answer 11

Too little suffer aniexty disorders
Drugs like Valium and alcohol enhance GABA
Deficiency can result in epilepsy

Question 12

Brian PT 1

Answer 12

90% of body’s neurons
Brian area hindbrain , midbrain and forebrain
Oldest part medulla
Controls breathing heart rate , salivation and vomiting

Question 13

Hindbrain

Answer 13

Pons located above the med connects the top of the brain to cerebellum
Chemicals pedicure in the pons help maintain our sleep walk cycle
Divided into two hemispheres & handles reflexes

Question 14

Midbrain

Answer 14

Receiving and sending msg
Inferior colliculi - auditory processing
Superior Visual processing
RAS controls arousal

Question 15

Forebrain

Answer 15

Thalmus, hypothalamus , Cerebral cortex
Thalamus relays & translates incoming msg from sense receptors
Hypothalamus governs motivation and emotion- coordinating responses of the nervous system

Question 16

Limbic System

Answer 16

Critical for
Forming memories
Experiencing pleasure
Motivational and emotional activities 
System includes hippocampus l & amygdala

Question 17

Cerebral cortex

Answer 17

Regulates most of the behaviour
Divided into four lobes
Occipital, temporal , parietal and frontal

Question 18

Occipital lobe

Answer 18

Back of head , receives and processes visual info

Question 19

Temporal

Answer 19

At temples , sense of smell , helps perform visual tasks

Question 20

Parietal

Answer 20

Top of temporal & occipital , receives sensory info

Question 21

Frontal

Answer 21

Part of cerebral cortex , responsible for voluntary movement , attention and & goal directed behaviour

Question 22

Spinal Cord

Answer 22

Complex cable
Of nerves that connect brain to rest of body, made up of long nerve fibres
Two functions
Permit some reflex movements
Carry msg to and from

Question 23

PNS Somatic Nervous System

Answer 23

Sensory neurons msg to CNS
Motor - from CNS
Interneurons carry msg from one to another

Question 24

PNS - Autonomic Nervous System

Answer 24

Sympathetic - acts to arouse body

Parasympathetic - acts to relax and restore the body