Test 1 Flashcards
What are neurons?
The nerve cells that are the building blocks of the body’s neural information system
What is a dendrite?
The bushy, branching, extentions of a neuron that recieve messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
What is an axon?
The extension of a neuron, ending in terminal fibers through which messages are sent to other neurons or to muscles or glands
What is a myelin sheath?
A layer of fatty cells encasing the axon and speeding up transmission
What is action potential?
A neural impulse: a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon.
What generates action potential?
By the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon’s membrane
What us threshold?
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
What is the difference between agonist and antagonist?
An agonist minics a neurotransmitter, an antagonist block a neuro transmitter
What are interneurons?
Neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and the motor outputs
What are motor neurons? What is their other name?
Efferent neurons. Neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
What are sensory neurons? What is their other name?
Afferent neurons. Neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
What is resting potential?
The potential of the reaction of the negatively chaged fluid inside an axon and the positively charged fluid outside
What is the refractory period?
A resting pause between for neurons, the neuron pumps positively charge sodiums ions back outside
What is a synapse?
The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the sending neuron.
What is an example of an agonist and an antagonist?
Antagonist-Botox
Agonist-Heroin
What is a neurotransmitter?
Chemical sent across synaptic gaps between between neurons by bonding to receptor sites on the recieving neuron, influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse
What is reuptake?
The process where the sending neuron reabsorbs excess neurotransmitters
What are endorphins?
Natural neurotransmitters linked to pain, control, and pleasure
What is the nervous system?
The body’s electrochemical communication network, consisting of all nerve and peripheral and central nervous system
What is the peripheral nervous system?(PNS)
The sensory and motor neurons connecting the central nervous system(CNS) to the rest of the body
What is the central nervous system?(CNS)
The brain and spinal chord
What is the somatic nervous system?
The division if the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles(also called skeletal nervous system)
What is the autonomic nervous system?
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and muscles of the internal organs
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy