Structural Flashcards
1
Q
What are the 2 main vertebrate nervous systems?
A
- Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
- Central Nervous System (CNS)
2
Q
What is the PNS further divided into?
A
- Somatic NS (SNS)
- Autonomic NS (ANS)
3
Q
What can the Autonomic NS be further divided into?
A
- Sympathetic NS
- Parasympathetic NS
4
Q
What is the Central Nervous System (CNS) split into?
A
- Brain
- Spinal Cord
5
Q
What does the Somatic Nervous System do?
A
- interacts with the external environment
- afferent nerves -> sensory signals from skin to CNS
- efferent nerves -> motor signals from CNS to skeletal muscles
6
Q
What does the Autonomic Nervous System do?
A
- regulate internal environment
- afferent nerves -> sensory signals from internal organs to CNS
- efferent nerves -> motor signals from CNS to internal organs
7
Q
What do Sympathetic Nerves do?
A
mobilize energy in threatening situations (ie. adrenal glands)
8
Q
What do Parasympathetic Nerves do?
A
conserve energy or “rest & digest”
9
Q
Describe the composition of a Spinal Cord
A
- inner H-shaped core (gray matter): cell bodies & unmyelinated axons
- surrounding white matter: myelinated axons
10
Q
Where is the ANTERIOR of BODY?
A
Front
11
Q
Where is the POSTERIOR of BODY?
A
Back of head
12
Q
Where is DORSAL of BRAIN?
A
Top of head
13
Q
Where is DORSAL of SPINE?
A
Towards your back
14
Q
Where is VENTRAL of BRAIN?
A
Down toward chin
15
Q
Where is VENTRAL of SPINE?
A
Toward the front of the body (chest)
16
Q
Where is ROSTRAL of BRAIN?
A
Forehead
17
Q
Where is ROSTRAL of SPINE?
A
Up towards the brain
18
Q
Where is CAUDAL of BRAIN?
A
Towards the back of your head
19
Q
Where is CAUDAL of SPINE?
A
Down towards tailbone
20
Q
Where is the MEDIAL of BRAIN?
A
Towards centre of body
21
Q
Where is LATERAL of BRAIN?
A
Moving outward from centre
22
Q
What are the 5 major divisions of the human brain?
A
- Telencephalon
- Diencephalon
- Mesencephalon
- Metencephalon
- Myelencephalon
23
Q
What is the major structure in the MYELENCEPHALON?
A
- Myelin
- Tracts carrying signals b/w brain & rest of body
24
Q
What is the major structures in the METENCEPHALON?
A
- Pons: many fibre tracts & part of reticular formation
- Cerebellum: 50% of all neurons in brain, massively connected to cortex, movement & timing
25
What is the major structure in the MESENCEPHALON?
1. Tectum (roof): visual & auditory nuclei
2. Tegmentum (floor): motor & pain nuclei
26
What is the major structure in the DIENCEPHALON?
1. Thalamus (helps shape experience of world)
2. Hypothalamus (feeding, sex, temperature, emotion, movement)
27
What is the major structure in the TELENCEPHALON?
1. basal ganglia
2. limbic system
3. cerebral cortex
28
What is the BASAL GANGLIA?
collection of nuclei connected to cortex, thalamus, midbrain
movement & learning
29
What are the major components of the LIMBIC SYSTEM?
1. hippocampus (spatial memory)
2. amygdala (emotion)
30
What is the CORPUS CALLOSUM?
largest cerebral commissure tract (connects left & right hemispheres)
31
What are the 4 cortical lobes?
1. frontal lobe
2. temporal lobe
3. parietal lobe
4. occipital lobe
32
What are the 3 roles of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid)?
1. buoyancy
2. protection
3. chemical stability
33
What are the 2 broad categories of cells within the nervous system?
1. Neurons (electrically conductive)
2. Glia Cells (do everything else)
34
What are the 3 mechanisms of molecular transport across the cell membrane?
1. passive diffusion (for fat-soluble molecules)
2. facilitated diffusion through CHANNELS
3. active transport, requires energy, through PUMPS
35
What is the resting membrane potential & how is it maintained?
at rest: between -60mV and -80mV, more Na+ outside & K+ inside)
maintained by sodium-potassium pumps (3Na+ out = 2K+ in)
36
What are the key events of the action potential & neural conduction?
When charge of membrane > -55mV = neuron fire action potential
1. Rising phase: sodium/potassium channels open, inside cell more positive
2. Repolarization: sodium channels close, inside cell more negative b/c potassium leaving
3. Hyperpolarization: potassium channels close, inside extra negative
37
What are the major components of a synapse?
Synapse: small, active gap b/w 2 neurons
Sending: presynaptic neuron
Receiving: postsynaptic neuron
38
What is the general role of neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitters: molecules that allow neurons to communicate
1. Excitatory: make receiving neuron MORE likely to fire action potential
2. Inhibitory: make receiving neuron LESS likely to fire action potential
3. Modulattory: trigger other changes
39
What is an agonist (drug-related)?
Agonist: turns on receptor & activating its effects (ie. methadone - sub for heroine)
40
What is an antagonist (drug-related)?
Antagonist: blocks receptor from being turned on (ie. Narcan - prevent overdose)
41
What is a reuptake inhibitor (drug-related)?
Neurotransmitters: Serotonin & Norepinphrine
lengthens the time serotonin available in synapse to act on post-synaptic cell
(used to treat depression, anxiety, pain)
42
What are the 3 types of glial cells? What are some functional roles for each?
1. Oligodendroglia
2. Microglia
3. Astroglia
43
What are the functional roles of OLIGODENDROGLIA?
wrap around axon of neurons in CNS, forming MANY myelin sheaths per cell
44
What are some functional roles of MICROGLIA?
respond to injury & disease, engulfing debris & triggering immune response (Only CNS)
45
What are some functional roles of ASTROGLIA?
largest glial cells,
- support BBB (blood brain barrier)
- provide nutrients to neurons
- maintain ion balance in CNS
- repair after injury
- communicate w/ neurons & glia
- control & maintaain synapses
46
What is SCHWANN CELLS?
wrap around axons of neurons in PNS, forming ONE myelin sheath per cell
47
What does the Blood-brain Barrier (BBB) do?
Protect brain & active transport for large molecules
