Physiology Flashcards
<p>What is the Nerst equation?</p>
<p>used to determine the electrical potential of a cell membrane in regards to one type of ionNernst potential = 61 Log C intra/C extra </p>
<p>What is the resting membrane potential in large myelinated peripheral nerves and skeletal muscle? </p>
<p>-90 mV</p>
<p>The resting membrane potential is determined largely by which ion?</p>
<p>K+ </p>
<p>What is the resting membrane potential in the soma of the neuron?</p>
<p>-65 mV</p>
<p>What is the resting memebrane potential in small nerve fibers and smooth muscle?</p>
<p>-55 mV</p>
<p>How is the resting membrane potential maintained?</p>
<p>leaky K+ channels (potassium is -94 mV and 100 times more permeable than sodium)</p>
<p>What is the mechanism of tetrodotoxin?</p>
<p>voltage gated Na+ channel blocker</p>
<p>What is the mechanism of Tetraethylammonium (TEA)?</p>
<p>voltage gated K+ channel blocker</p>
<p>What neurotransmitter and what ion are associated with presynaptic inhibition?</p>
<p>GABA and Cl-</p>
<p>In what synapses is ACh used as a neurotransmitter?</p>
<p>- motor cortex</p>
<p>- skeletal muscle</p>
<p>- preganglionic autonomic nerves</p>
<p>- postganglionic parasympathetic nerves</p>
<p>- postganglionic sympathetic nerves for sweat glands</p>
<p>In what synapses is Norepi used as a neurotransmitter?</p>
<p>- pontine locus ceruleus</p>
<p>- postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers</p>
<p>Is dopamine excitatory or inhibitory? In what synapses is Dopamine used as a neurotransmitter?</p>
<p>inhibitory</p>
<p>substantia nigra projectionsto the putamen and caudate</p>
<p>What is the rate limiting step in dopamine synthesis?</p>
<p>conversion of tyrosine to 3,4 DOPA by tyrosine hydroxylase</p>
<p>Is glycine excitatory or inhibitory? In what synapses is glycine used as a neurotransmitter?</p>
<p>inhibitory</p>
<p>spinal cord (Renshaw cells)</p>
<p>In what synapses is GABA used as a neurotransmitter?</p>
<p>- cortex</p>
<p>- basal ganglia</p>
<p>- cerebellum (Purkinje Cells)</p>
<p>- spinal cord</p>
<p>Is glutamate excitatory or inhibitory? In what synapses is glutamate used as a neurotransmitter?</p>
<p>Excitatory</p>
<p>- cortex</p>
<p>- dentate gyrus of hippocampus</p>
<p>- striatum</p>
<p>- cerebellum (granular cells)</p>
<p>Is serotonin excitatory or inhibitory? In what synapses is serotonin used as a neurotransmitter?</p>
<p>inhibitory</p>
<p>- Median raphe nucleithat projectto the hypothalamus and spinal cord (dorsal horns)</p>
<p>What neurotransmitter serves as the precursor to melatonin?</p>
<p>Serotonin</p>
<p>Where are nicotinic receptors located?</p>
<p>- NMJ</p>
<p>- preganglionic sympathetics and parasympathetics</p>
<p>What are the subunits of the autonomic nicotinic receptor?</p>
<p>2 alpha, one beta, one gamma, and one delta</p>
<p>Which subunit on the nicotinic autonomic receptor binds the ACh?</p>
<p>the alpha subunit</p>
<p>What blocks the ACh binding receptor on the nicotinic autonomic receptor?</p>
<p>hexamethonium (not reversed by acetacholinesterase)</p>
<p>What are the subunits of nicotinic receptors at the NMJ?</p>
<p>2 alpha subunits</p>
<p>Where are muscarinic receptors located?</p>
<p>-postganglionic parasympathetic</p>
<p>-postganglionic sympathetics for sweat glands</p>
<p>What intracellular messaging system is paired with muscarinic receptors?</p>
<p>G protein via second messahnger system</p>
<p>Muscarinic receptors are blocked by what toxin?</p>
<p>pertussis toxin</p>
<p>What messenger system is used by dopamine receptors?</p>
<p>cAMP second messenger</p>
<p>What is the competitive antagonist of glycine receptors?</p>
<p>Strychnine</p>
<p>Mutations in what receptor causes stiff person syndrome?</p>
<p>mutations in glycine receptor (loss of inhibition)</p>
<p>GABA A receptors increase \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ permeability; GABA B receptors increase \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ conductance.</p>
<p>Cl-</p>
<p></p>
<p>K+</p>
<p>What are the GABA A agonists? What is their function?</p>
<p>Barbituates (prolong duration of Cl - opening) and Benzodiazepines (increase frequency of Cl- opening)</p>
<p>What are GABA B agonists?</p>
<p>Baclofen</p>
<p>What toxin blocks GABA receptor activity? What is the clinical manifestation?</p>
<p>Picrotoxin</p>
<p></p>
<p>Causes seizure like activity</p>
<p>NMDA receptors use what type of neurotransmitter?</p>
<p>Glutamate (requires glycine for coactivation)</p>
<p>What blocks NMDA receptors?</p>
<p>Magnesium</p>
<p>Kinesin mediates \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and dynein mediates \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.</p>
<p>anterograde axonal transport</p>
<p></p>
<p>retrograde axonal transport</p>
<p>Excitatory action potentials lead to \_\_\_\_\_ channels opening while inhibitory action potentials lead to \_\_\_\_\_ channels opening.</p>
<p>NA+</p>
<p></p>
<p>K+ and Cl-</p>
<p>Action potentials start at the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ due to \_\_\_\_\_\_.</p>
<p>Neuronal axon hillock</p>
<p></p>
<p>Higher concentrations of Na+ channels</p>
What are phasic vs tonic sensory receptors? Which receptors fall into each category?
Phasic (Rapidly adapting)- Pacinian and Hair receptors
Tonic (Slowly adapting)- everything else
Annulospiral endings of muscle spindles have what sensory nerve fiber?
Type Ia (alpha type A)
What sensory fiber is found in Golgi tendons?
type Ib (alpha type A)
Type II sensory nerves are found where?
cutaneous tactile receptors and flower spray endings of muscle spindles
What are the function of type III sensory fibers?
temperature, crude touch, and pricking pain
What are the functions of type IV sensory nerve fibers?
unmyelinated fibers relaying pain, itch, temperature, and crude touch
What are the three types of motor fibers? Where are they found? Myelinated vs unmyelinated?
- Skeletal muscle - alpha type A (myelinated, fastest)
- Muscle Spindle - gamma type A (myelinated)
- Sympathetic - type C (unmyelinated)
Rank the sensory fibers from fastest to slowest.
- Ia (a-type A)2. Ib (a-type A)3. II (B and g-type A)4. III (d-type A)5. IV (type C)
What is the function of Free Nerve Endings in somatic sensation?
respond to pain, touch, and pressure
What are Meissner Corpuscles? What type of nerve fibers do they use?
rapidly adapting receptors that respond to touch (end of finger tips)
large myelinated beta type A fibers
What are Merkel Disks? What type of nerve fibers do they use?
slowly adapting receptors for touch and pressure (hairy and non hairy skin)myelinated beta type A fiber
What are Pacinian corpuscles?
rapidly adapting receptors that respond to vibration
What are Ruffini end organs? Where are they generally located?
slowly adapting receptors that respond to heavy touch and pressure (located in deep layers of the body)
What are Hair End Organs?
rapidly adapting receptors that respond to touch; located at the base of hair follicles
What type of nerve fibers transmit touch?
mostly beta-type A fibers
What nerve fibers relay vibration?
beta-type A fibers
What somatic nerve fibers relay pain?
free nerve endings
What spinal cord laminae does crude touch originate from?
1, 4, 5, and 6
The anterior and posterior spinothalamic tracts terminate at which thalamic nuclei? What functions?
VPL (body)
VPM (face)
Posterior Thalamic Nuclei- touch and temperature sensations
The spinoreticular tract terminates at what thalamic nuclei? What function(s) does it contain?
Intralaminar thalamic nucleus- pain
The nucleus gracilis is located ________ and responsible for _______.
medial medulla
lower limb fine touch, vibration, proprioception
The nucleus cuneatus is located ________ and responsible for _______.
lateral medulla
upper limb fine touch, vibration, proprioception
The axons from the nucleus gracilis and cuneatus cross through arcuate fibers to form _______. What other fibers do they join?
medial lemniscus
main sensory nucleus of Trigeminal nerve and Upper Spinal Nucleus of V
Where does the medial lemniscus terminate?
VPL (body)VPM (face)
What is the somatotopic organization at the spinal cord, thalamus, and cortex?
lower limbs are medially in the spinal cord, laterally in the thalamus, and medially in the cortex
What is the pathway for lower limb proprioception?
Clark’s column neurons through the dorsal spinocerebellar tract to the cerebellum
What is the pathway for upper limb proprioception?
fasciculus cuneatus fibers synapse on accessary cuneate nucleus in the caudal medulla and then enter the cuneocerebellar tract before entering the cerebellum
Cortex Layers 5 and 6 have projection fibers which project to the _____ and ______, respectively.
brainstem/spinal cord
thalamus
Fast pain is relayed by what fibers?
delta-type A fibers
Slow pain is relayed by what fibers?
type C fibers
What is Lissauer’s tract?
tract in the spinal cord by which pain fibers ascend or descend prior to entering the dorsal horns
Fast pain is transmitted within the ______ tract while slow pain is through the ______ tract.
neospinothalamic
paleospinothalamic
Fast pain is transmitted through what spinal cord lamina?
Lamina 1 (lamina marginalis)
Slow pain is transmitted through what spinal cord lamina?
2 and 3 followed by 5-8
What areas release enkephalins?
periaquaductal gray and periventricular hypothalamus
How does amitryptyline decrease pain?
increase 5-HT which activates pain inhibitory complex in the spinal cord
How do NSAIDs decrease pain?
decrease prostaglandin production which increase pain receptor sensitivity
DBS of what areas have been used to treat chronic pain?
periaqueductal gray and preventricular hypothalamus
What is hyperalgesia?
increased sensitivity (i.e. decreased threshold) to pain
What is hyperpathia?
increased reaction to pain (painful stimuli causing greater than expected pain response)
What is allodynia?
Non-painful stimuli causing pain
What is Dejerine-Roussy syndrome? What is it caused by?
usually caused by posteroventral thalamic strokes
beginning symptoms are ataxia and contralateral hemianesthesia, with eventual return of crude sensation but also increased pain and discomfort on that contralateral side
What nerve is responsible for referred pain from supratentorial cranial structures? How does it manifest?
Trigeminal nerve; frontal headache
What nerves are responsible for the referred pain from infratentorial cranial structures? How does it manifest?
C2, CN IX, CN X
occipital and retroauricular headache
What causes post lumbar puncture headaches?
decreased CSF allows weight of the brain to stretch blood vessels bridging from the brain to the skull
What autonomic nerves innervate the cilliary muscle?
parasympathetics
What is the vascular layer of the eye?
Choroid
What is the blood supply to the retina?
inner layers: central retinal artery
outer layers: diffusion across the choroid
The rod pathway goes from rods to ______ then _______ and finally ________.
bipolar cells; amacrine cells; ganglion cells
The cone pathway goes from cones to _______ and then ________ .
bipolar cells; ganglion cells
What is the neurotransmitter for rods and cones?
glutamate
Amacrine cells neurotransmitters are _______ (excitatory/inhibitory).
inhibitory
Describe the parasympathetic innervation pathway of the eye.
begins at Edinger-Westphal nucleus, transmits via the third nerve to the ciliary ganglion -> short ciliary nerve to then the ciliary muscle (accomodation) and iris sphincter (miosis)
What are the parasympathetic functions of the eye?
accomodation and miosis
Describe the sympathetic innervation pathway of the eye.
T1 level to the sympathetic chain - > super cervical ganglion, continue to head up along the carotid artery, as long and short ciliary nerves to the iris radial fibers (mydriasis), Muller muscle of the eyelid, and weakly ciliary muscle
What are the sympathetic functions of the eye?
mydriasis and lid retraction
What are the characteristics of an Argyll-Robertson pupil?
intact accomodation reflex but no pupillary light reflex
What is the pathway of the light reflex?
impulses in retina > optic tract > pretectal nucleus > Edinger Westphal nucleus > third nerve > ciliary ganglion > short ciliary nerve > iris sphincter
What causes Horner syndrome?
impaired sympathetic output to the eye
What are the symptoms of Horner syndrome?
miosis, ptosis, anhidrosis, enophthalmos, dilated facial vessels
Which portion of the hypothalamus deals with circadian rhythms?
suprachiasmatic nucleus
What is the primary function of the superior colliculous?
control of conjugate eye movements in response to head movements
What part of the thalamus serves as a visual relay center?
lateral geniculate body
How many layers are there in the LGB?
6
Which layers of the LGB receive contralateral vs ipsilateral input?
Contra: 1, 4, 6Ipsi: 2, 3, 5
Which layers of the LGB receive black/white vs color vision?
Black/White: 1, 2 (Y cell input)Color: 3-6 (X cell input)
What innervates the tensor tympani?
branch of V3
What nerve innervates the stapedius?
CN VII
What is the acoustic reflex? What brain structure is associated with that reflex?
attenuation of loud sounds to protect the cochleasuperior olivary nucleus
Loud noises cause what type of hearing loss?
high frequency hearing loss
Elderly people develop what type of hearing loss?
high frequency discrimination
Ototoxic medications induce what type of hearing loss?
hearing loss at all frequencies
Describe the auditory pathway.
Spiral Ganglioin (1st order) > Dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei (2) > contralateral (some ipsilateral) superior olivary nucleus (3) > lateral lemniscus (4) > inferior colliculus (5) > medial geniculate body (6) > auditory cortex (7)
What Brodmann’s area is the primary auditory cortex?
41
Localization of sound is mediated by what brain structure?
superior olivary nucleus
What is the innervation of taste on the tongue?
Anterior: Chorda tympani (CN VII)Posterior: CN IXBase: CN X
What is the innervation of sensation on the tongue:
Anterior: CN V3Posterior: CN IXBase: CN X
Describe the taste pathway.
CN VII, IX, X to the nucleus solitarius > VPM > cortex
Describe the olfactory pathway.
Axons from olfactory cells (1st order) > glomeruli in olfactory bulb (2) which travels along the CN I > divide into the medial and lateral olfractory striae which go to the medial and lateral olfactory areas
What composes the medial olfactory area?
septal nuclei
What composes the lateral olfactory area?
prepyriform and pyriform cortex, cortex over the amygdala nucelus