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BIOM 3200 > Neurophysiology > Flashcards

Neurophysiology Flashcards

1
Q

What is the difference between the structure and function of the nervous system

A

Structure = Anatomy
–> CNS and PNS
Function = Physiology
–> Neurons and processes

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2
Q

What are the two general functions of neurons?

A
  1. Conduct action potentials (conduct electrical signals)
  2. Releaser and send neurotransmitters (conduct chemical signals)
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3
Q

What are the three general functions of the nervous system?

A
  1. Control of movement = motor control
  2. Detection of external stimuli = sensory control
  3. Intergration of neuronal activity = association
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4
Q

How are the functions of neurons classified?

A

Classified based on the direction of their impulses (action potentials + neurotransimitters)

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5
Q

What are the 3 functional classifications of neurons?

A
  1. Sensory/afferent
  2. Association/interneurons
  3. Motor/efferent
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6
Q

How does the sensory function of neurons work?

A

Directs impulses from detected by the sensory receptors into the central nervous system

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7
Q

How does the association and interneuronal activity work?

A

Activity is based solely in the central nervous system, and helps integrate the CNS functions (directing neuron-neuron activity)

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8
Q

How does the motor/efferent function work?

A

Directs impulses from the sensory receptors out of the CNS to the target effector organ (ex; muscles)

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9
Q

How is the motor/efferent function split/organized?

A

Split into 2 groups, somatic and autonomic.

Somatic relates to voluntary and reflexive movement (scratching ear)

Autonomic relates to involuntary movement (ex; heart beat and digestion)

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10
Q

How is the autonomic NS organized?

A

Split into sympathetic and parasympathetic NS

Sympathetic relates to the bodily functions and organs involved in the fight/flight response

Parasympathetic relates to the bodily functions and organs involved in the rest/digest response

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11
Q

How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system relate to each other? (think general)

A

They both have opposing actions/mediate opposing responses in effector organs

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12
Q

What does the somatic nervous system do/involve?

A

Involves only 1 neuron and conducts impulses along 1 axon

Conducts activity from cell bodies in neurons from the CNS and sends them across the axons to the skeletal muscles

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13
Q

What does the autonomic nervous system do/involve?

A

Involves 2 neurons in an efferent pathway

1st neuron = preganglionic neuron

2nd neuron = postganglioninc neuron

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14
Q

What does the preganglionic neuron from the autonomic NS do? (general)

Where is it found?

A

Most commonly found in cell bodies of neurons in the CNS - grey matter (brain/spinal cord)

Does not directly innervate the effector organ but synapses with the 2nd neuron

Synapsing w/ 2nd neuron is exclusive to only preganglionic neurons

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15
Q

What does the postganglionic neuron do? (genral)

A

Synapses with the target effector organ, and regulates activity by sending neurotransmitters

  • Its axon extends from the autonomic ganglia (nerve cells outside of CNS) to the effector organ
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16
Q

What neurotransmitter(s) are released by the preganglionic neuron?

What does it do?

A

All preganglionic neurons release acetylcholine and therefore are cholinergic neurons as well.

Acetylcholine is involved in the rest and digest processes

17
Q

What neurotransmitter(s) are released by the postganglioninc neuron?

What does it do?

A

Can release both acetylcholine and norepinephrine, there is both a cholinergic and adrenergic neuron.

Norepinephrine is involved in the fight/flight processes

18
Q

Which nerve fibers mostly release acetylcholine in the NS

A

Acetylcholine is mostly released by the parasympathetic postganglionic fibers

19
Q

Which nerve fibers mostly release epinephrine in the NS

A

Norepinephrine is released by most sympathetic nerve fibers

20
Q

What are two main diseases that are caused by dysfunction in the autonomic NS

A

Lyme disease

POTS

21
Q

What are the 4 structural classifications of neurons?

What do they do/function?

A
  1. Pseudopolor/unipolar - sensory neurons, 1 process that splits
  2. Bipolar - 2 processes (ex; retinal and cochlear)
  3. Multipolar - most common, motor + association neurons, contains many dendrites but only 1 axon
  4. Anaxonic - no obvious axon, includes some CNS neurons
22
Q

What are the supporting nerve cells involved in the peripheral nervous system?

What do they do?

A
  1. Schwann cells - Form myelin sheaths around axons (successive wrapping around 1 axon); provides insulation (increase firing speed)
  2. Satellite cells - Provide support to cell bodies within the ganglia
23
Q

What are the supporting nerve cells involved in the central nervous system?

What do they do?

A
  1. Oligodendrocytes - Same function as Schwann cells –> 1 oligodendrocyte forms myelin sheaths around many axons
  2. Microglia/macrophages - migrate through CNS and consume debris
  3. Astrocytes - Help regulate the external environment of neurons
  4. Ependymal cells - line ventricles or cavaties of the brain and spinal cord
24
Q

Why is the astrocyte shaped the way it is?

A

The many foot processes is has attaches to various structures (like neurons and capillaries). This also allows for the cells to influence interactions between neurons and blood

25
Q

Which support cell is most abundant in the glial cells

A

Astrocytes

26
Q

What are 7 functions of the astrocytes (foot processes)?

A
  1. Mantains proper ionic environments for neurons (ex; Take up potassium ions from the extra cellular fluid and return it back to the neurons after firing)
  2. Takes up glutamate from synaptic cleft and transforms it to glutamine
  3. “End feet” surrounding the blood capillaries take up glucose and converts it to lactate (acts as energy source for neurons)
  4. Help form synapses and aid in the transmission of neurotransmitters in the CNS
  5. Regulates neurogenesis in the adult brain (brain plasticity)
  6. Helps to form the BBB
  7. Releases neurotransmitters that can stimulate or inhibit neuron activity
27
Q

How are action potentials classified? (hint: all or none principle) (diff. from local potential)

A

Self-propagating

28
Q

What is the relation b/w the Blood Brain Barrier and astrocytes

A

Astrocytes influence the structure and function of the BBB

29
Q

How is the BBB formed?

A

Brain capillaries are joined by tight junctions (instead of pores) between adjacent endothelial cells

30
Q

How does the BBB allow passage of molecules and substances? What types of molecules can pass through?

A

The phospholipid components in the plasma membrane allows molecules that are non-polar, small, and/or lipid soluble to pass through

31
Q

What substances, drugs, and viruses can pass through the BBB?

What are the effects they can cause?

A
  1. Non polar oxygen and carbon dioxide, as well as some organic molecules
  2. Nicotine: Can bind to acetylcholine receptions activated by acetylcholine (Increases dopamine by inhibiting reuptake)
  3. Tobacco smoke: Decreases MAO activity (an enzyme that degrades neurotransmitters for reuptake)
  4. Alcohol: is a CNS depressant (slows down activity) and directly affects brain cells by inhibiting behaviours
  5. Tylenol: Inhibits nitric oxide by using neurotransmitters (example; N-methly-D-aspartate + substance P)
  6. Rabies: Viral infection that can enter BBB (no treatment when symptoms show b/c no immune cells or antibodies can enter BBB)
32
Q

What current research is being done do change the passage of the BBB?

A

Use of MRI and ultrasound tech to disrupt BBB and insert medication/treatments

33
Q

Cells bodies located in the CNS and send axons to skeletal muscles belong to which NS system division?

A

Somatic NS

34
Q

What are the organs without dual innervation in the autonomic NS?

A
  1. ADRENAL MEDULLA
  2. Arrector pili muscles in skin
  3. Sweat glands in the skin
  4. Sweat glands in the skin
  5. Most blood vessels
35
Q

How do organs without dual innervation regulate activity?

A

Regulation is achieved by the increase or decrease in the firing tone/firing rate of the sympathetic fibers

36
Q

What are the ways molecules can get across the cell membrane? (Ex; channels)

A
  1. Simple diffusion/passive transport - lipid solvable, water- filled pores, ion channels (ex; leaky and voltage-gated)
  2. Endocytosis, exocytosis, phagocytosis
  3. Active transport (uses ATP) —> Na* and K*
37
Q

What is the resting potential inside a neuron?

A

-70mV

38
Q

Where are the Na* and K* ions when the channels are closed at start of action potential? Think salty banana

A

Na* on the outside
K* on the inside

39
Q

Where do action potentials starts?

A

At the Axon Hillock

BIOM 3200 (1 decks)

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