Neuroscience Basics

Question 1

What are the 3 major functions performed by the nervous system?

Answer 1

Sensation, perception, and action

Question 2

Describe Sensation

Answer 2

receive sensory input from external and internal sources

Question 3

What is perception?

Answer 3

internal maps of this information (integration/evaluation)

Question 4

What is the response?

Answer 4

respond in an adaptive manner to stimuli

Question 5

Why are our nervous systems so specialized and diverse?

Answer 5

to make life more meaningful=beneficial to the organism, species, and/or ecosystem

allows for selection of the most adaptive/meaningful behaviors

Question 6

what are the components of the CNS

Answer 6

cerebral hemispheres, diencephalon, cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord (analysis and integration of sensory and motor information)

Question 7

What are the components of the PNS?

Answer 7

sensory–>ganglia and nerves and receptors

motor components–>visceral and somatic

Question 8

What are the 5 distinguishing features of advanced nervous systems?

Answer 8

cellular specializations
areal specializations
functional cooperation
adaptability
high info storage capacity

Question 9

What is the major difference between the functions of neurons with arborization and bipolar cells?

Answer 9

large dendritic arbors tend to collect/integrate info and send to target

bipolar cells tend to be relay stations; have varying degrees of integration

Question 10

What are the major types of neurogliia cells?

Answer 10

astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia cells

Question 11

What is the importance of morphology in neurons and neuroglia?

Answer 11

both are highly functional adaptations

Question 12

What are astrocytes? What do they do? Embryonic origin?

Answer 12

have star like shape with long cytoplasmic processes bridging neurons and capillaries

provide mechanical and metabolic support for neruons, regulate their environment, maintain blood brain barrier and coordinate nerve pathway developmen; develop from ectoderm

Question 13

What are oligodendrocytes? Function? embryonic origin?

Answer 13

few dendritic processes; provide electrical insulation for a few adjacent neurons by forming a part of the myelin sheath for axons–>inc speed of transmission by saltatory conduction

develop from embryonic ectoderm

Question 14

What are microglia? Their function? Origin?

Answer 14

small cells derived from hemapoietic sources; protective function to nervous tissue and can become phagocytic

Question 15

What are areal specializations

Answer 15

collections of cells grouped together for a common purpose

Question 16

What is the purpose of fissures folds and folia?

Answer 16

form natural boundaries

Question 17

What is folia?

Answer 17

a

Question 18

What is meant by a lobe of the brain?

Answer 18

groups of adjacent areas

Question 19

What is Galvani’s method? Why is it important?

Answer 19

used frog legs
attach end of nerve to 2 rods of different metals, suspend the cut nerve by brass hook attached to ground, with foot touching grounded silver plate, kick repeatedly indefinitely

one of the first electrophysiological experiments

Question 20

What are the 3 major functional classes of neurons? Describe them

Answer 20

sensory/afferent neruons- long dendrite, short axon; carry info from sensory receptors to CNS

motor neurons- long axon and short dendrites and
transmit messages from CNS to muscles or glands

interneurons- only in CNS; interconnect neurons

Question 21

Describe the structural and functional difference between free nerve endings and mechanoreceptors

Answer 21

Free nerve ending have little to no myelin and they are most sensitive to pain and temperature

mechanoreceptors are more likely to be thicker and myelinated; they sense presure and vibration

Question 22

Name the mechanoreceptors and what they typically sense.

Answer 22

Pacinian and Meissener’s corpuscles-sense light touch and vibration

Ruffini corpuscles and Merkel disks- sustained pressure

Question 23

What is meant by functional cooperation of cells?

Answer 23

ensembles of neurons acting together to create functional responses and representations of the body superimposed on the cellular maps

Question 24

Describe the process of the knee jerk reponse.

Answer 24

1. Hammer tap stretches tendon, which stretches sensory receptors in leg extensor
2. a) sensory neuron neuron synapses with and excites motor neuron in the spinal cord
   b) sensory neuron also excites spinal interneuron
   c) interneuron synapse inhibits the flexor motor neuron
3. a) motor neuron conducts AP and contracts extensor while flexor is retracted because the activity of its motor neuron has been inhibited
4. leg extends

Question 25

What is the functional stretch reflex an example of?

Answer 25

rapid adaptation

Question 26

Why do we need to have high information storage capacity?

Answer 26

to avoid being ruled by our enviornments and to make more meaningful choices