Quiz 2 - Neurophysiology Flashcards
Study to ACE quiz 2!
What is a microglia responsible for?
Immune system function.
What kinds of macroglia are there?
Astrocytes (do a little bit of everything)
- Schwann Cells
- Radial Glia
- Oligodendrcytes
What are glia responsible for?
- Act as glue
- Exchange signals with neurons
- Help establish synapses
- Remove neurotransmitters after release
- Release “gliotransmitters” to regulate activity of neurons.
- make proteins and pass it on to the neurons.
What is ataxia?
Gene mutations of glia result in this neurological disorder.
How can neurons be classified?
By structure or function
- Unipolar
- Bipolar
- Multipolar
What are some examples of different types of neurons?
Sensory neurons: bring information to the central nervous system.
Inter-nuerons: associate sensory and motor activity in the cns.
Motor neurons: Send signals from the brain and spinal cord to muscles.
Describe the pathway of a neuron.
- Dendrites
- Cell body
- Axon hillock
- Axon
- Presynaptic Terminal
What do reflexes do?
pass information to brain.
- Used to study behavior
- Automatic
- Include inhibition and excitation
What are convergence and divergence reflex pathways?
- Convergence (many signals come to one) and divergence (one signal splits to many) pathways.
What is feed forward inhibition?
When a excited pathway inhibits a second pathway.
What is feedback inhibition?
Excited pathway leads to inhibition of that pathway.
What occurs at the axon hillock?
Integration of information.
- Rich in voltage-sensitive channels
- EPSPs and IPSPs integrated
- Action potentials initiated here
- Depolarize membrane at axon hillock to threshold.
What is the usual membrane potential?
-70mV
Does output of signal depend on input?
Yes, more input from initial signal = more output (more transmitter release)
- Frequency of firing tells intensity of signal
What is a labeled-line?
Each neuron is prewired to carry information from a certain point to the appropriate part of the brain.
Describe ion-channels.
Membrane-spanning proteins.
- regulate ion passage based on size and chemical identity.
- Gated: voltage, chemically, physically.
- Studied using patch clamps
What are the factors for ion movement?
Concentration gradient and Electrical charge.
How do channels open and close?
By changing conformation due to ligands, signals, etc.
What do channels consist of?
Built of protein subunits and are distinct from each other.
- Subunits affect the channel kinetics.
Do K+ and Cl- pass readily?
Yes.
What are leak channels?
Ion channels that are always open and NOT gated.
- EG. K+ leak channel or Na+ leak channel
What is Nernst (equilibrium) potential?
E(x) = 57mv/z log [Xout]/[Xin]
What do graded potentials do?
Disrupt RMP
- small voltage fluctuation in cell membrane
- decay over time and space
- depolarizing (EPSP) or hyperpolarizing (IPSP)
- Combined through spatial or temporal summation.
What are the differences between Graded and action potentials?
AP: all or none, slower, passive AND active
Graded: decremental, fast, passive
Factors that input depends on.
- Location and size of synapse (greatest at hillock)
- Proximity to other synapses
- Relative strength of other synapses
How do PSPs affect membrane voltage?
By 0.2 - 0.4 mV
Describe spatial summation.
The larger the slower the curve falls off.
- Membrane length constant
Describe temporal summation.
Larger = drops off slowly
- membrane time constant
How is the speed of an action potential affected?
Speed affected by myelination and diameter of axon.
- Thicker diameter = faster
Describe the steps of an action potential.
- Depolarization to threshold.
- Activation of sodium channels and rapid depolarization (influx of Na+)
- Inactivation of sodium channels and activation of potassium channels (efflux of K+) repolarization
- Return to normal permeability after hyperpolarization