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physiology 215 > The central nervous system > Flashcards

The central nervous system Flashcards

(63 cards)

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1
Q

what are the functions of the CNS ?

A
  • subconscious neural regulation of your internal environment
  • emotions
  • voluntary control of movement
  • perception
  • higher learning such as memory
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2
Q

Afferent division of PNS

A

carry info from the periphery to the brain

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3
Q

efferent division

A

CNS sends info back to the periphery through this division

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4
Q

Afferent Neuron

A

majority of the neurones that make up the PNS , peripheral ending contains a sensory receptor

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5
Q

inter neuron

A

comprised of about 99% of neurons ad lie completely within the CNS and are connector neurons that lie between afferent and efferent neurons - play important role in integrating responses ( higher learning

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6
Q

Efferent Neurons

A

Cell bodies lie within the CNS where they receive converging pre synaptic inputs

  • when they initiate an action potential it travels down the efferent fibre to the effector organ
  • efferent fibre lies mainly outside the CNS
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7
Q

Glial cells

A

in both the CNS and PNS , they use chemical signals to communicate in between other glial cells and neurons

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8
Q

what sort of tissue does glial cells form ?

A

they form connective tissue in the brain and their primary role is to support and maintain homeostatic control of extracellular environment around the neurons
90% of the CNS

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9
Q

Oligodendrocytes

A

form the myelin sheath that surround some neuronal axons in the CNS allows for faster signalling

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10
Q

Schwann cells

A

found in the PNS , can only myelinated one segment of an axon of a single neuron

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11
Q

Ependymal cells

A

line the areas of the brain and spinal cord in the fluid filled areas ( ventricles ) and contain cilia to produce a current in fluid –> production of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

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12
Q

Astrocytes

A

most numerous class of glial cells,

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13
Q

what are the functions of glial cells ? theres 6

A

1) form the primary connective tissue to hold the neurons in their proper spatial relationship 2) induce the blood vessels of the brain to undergo changes necessary to establish the blood brain barrier
3) help in the repair of brain and spinal cord injuries
4) Help to halt neurotransmitter activity
5) enhance synapse formation and modify synaptic transmission
6) take up excess K+ to maintain the proper extracellular environment for neurons ( raising K+ will increase likely hood of going to threshold and make neurons more excitable

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14
Q

Micro glia

A

non neuronal cells that are a type of immune cell found within the CNS

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15
Q

inactive micro glia

A

typically not active and have many dendrite like branches - secret nerve growth factor to support other neurons andglial cells

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16
Q

activated microglia

A

become activated when they sense any kind of pathological change ( cytokines, plaques, cell death , they become activated and phagocytose foreign particles , reduce inflammation and release cytotoxic chemicals ( they have the ability to destroy normal cells i.e. cause disease

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17
Q

what protects the brain and spinal cord ?

A

cranium / skull and the vertebrae surround the spinal cord

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18
Q

What are the protective membranes of the CNS

A 
dura mater
arachnoid mater 
pia mater 
cerebro spinal fluid 
blood brain barrier
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19
Q

dura mater

A

the outermost layer, tough, double membrane that lies next to the bon. certain regions create the dural sinuses which are blood filled spaces

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20
Q

Arachnoid mater

A

the middle meninges , delicate and highly vascularized

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21
Q

transfer of cerebrospinal fluid from the sub arachnoid space is done through ?

A

arachnoid granulation villi penetrate through the dura and extend into the sinuses

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22
Q

Pia Mater

A

inner most membrane, is highly vascularized and tightly adheres to the surface of the brain and the spinal cord

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23
Q

Cerebrospinal fluid

A

protect the brain by acting as a shock absorber , has similar density to tissue , fluid is located in the sub arachnoid space between the arachnoid mater and pia mater

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24
Q

Cerebrospinal fluid is essential for what ?

A

transfer of materials between blood and neural tissue , brains interstitial fluid supplies the neurons and glial cells while the CSF has strong influence on the blood stream

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25
blood brain barrier
endothelial cells of the brain capillaries are joined together by tight junctions to prevent materials from passing between the cells . therefore exchange of materials between the brine must pass thought the endothelial cells
26
why is the blood brain barrier regulated by variety of cell types
must protect the brain cells from toxins but are able to respond to the dynamic metabolism of neurons , glial cells and the extracellular matrix , the permeability of the cells need to be highly regulated
27
Choroid plexus
Highly vascularized masses of Pia mater that dip into pockets of the ependymal cells and create the CSF. One can be found in each ventricle
28
What is the spinal cord ?
Long tube of neurons and support cells which extends from the brainstem through a hole in the skull to the lumbar region of the vertebral column . Acts as a highway for the flow of information between body and brain
29
Grey matter
Consists of the nerve cell bodies, short inter neurons and glial cells. Contains a central canal which is filled with CSF , each half of grey matter is called a horn
30
Dorsal Horn
cell bodies of interneurons on which afferent neurons terminate
31
Lateral horn
cell bodies of autonomic efferent nerve fibres
32
ventral horn
cell bodies of somatic efferent neurons
33
White matter
consists of bundles of nerve fibres or axons , each bundle is connected to a specific region of the brain to transmit information from the brain to the periphery or from the periphery to the Brain
34
Dorsal root ganglia
cell bodies from the afferent nerves are located here
35
Ganglia
collection of neuron cell bodies , receive info from the periphery and relay it to the inter neurons of the dorsal horn within the spinal cord grey matter
36
pathwayDorsal root
dorsal root ----> afferent input
37
Ventral root pathway
ventral root ----> efferent output
38
structure of a nerve
bundle of peripheral afferent and efferent axons, covered in connective tissues that follow the same pathway
39
where are cell bodies found ?
in the CNS or in the ganglia in the PNS
40
What is a nerve fascicle ?
a single nerve contains several nerve fascicles which are bundles of myelinated or unmyelinated axons in connective tissue as well as blood vessels
41
Spinal cord structure
along the vertebral column, paired spinal nerves project from between vertebrae , these nerves are named according to the regions that they innervate ( synapse with another tissue )
42
Cervical nerves
8 pairs emerge from neck
43
thoracic nerves
12 pairs emerge from the chest
44
lumbar nerves
5 pairs emerge from the abdomen
45
sacral nerves
5 pairs emerge from the pelvis
46
coccygeal nerve
emerges from the tailbone
47
Spinal reflexes
certain afferent and efferent inputs that bypass the brain itself
48
simple reflexes
unlearned reflexes such as puling your had away from something hot
49
acquired reflexes
the result of practice, training or conditioning
50
The reflex arc
neuronal pathways for reflexes and are comprised of 5 components
51
Step 1 reflex arc
receptors sense a physical o chemical change in the environment and produce action potential
52
step2 reflex arc
action potential is transmitted from the receptor to the integrating centre
53
step 3 reflex arc
the inter neuron integrating centre is generally within the CNS. simple reflexes are integrated within brain or spinal cord or brainstem while acquired reflexes go to higher processing brain centres
54
step 4 reflex arc
the response is transmitted away from the CNS
55
step5 reflex arc
this is target of the efferent pathway and is usually a muscle or gland that is required to carry out direct response
56
example of simple spinal reflex
associated with skeletal muscles which contain stretch receptors , when a muscle is stretched , this receptor is activated and the afferent fibre terminates directly on the efferent
57
why is this reflex a negative feedback mechanism ?
resists passive change in muscle length ( patellar tendon reflex )
58
step 1 withdrawal reflex
touching hot stove will activate thermal pain receptors in finger
59
step2 withdrawl reflex
action potentials are generated in the afferent pathway which propagates impulses to the spinal cord
60
step 3 withdrawl reflex
within spinal cord, afferent fibre can synapse with many other interneurons in this case , afferent neuron stimulates excitatory inter neurons to act on bicep muscle , inhibitory interneurons to act on motor neurons of tricep and inter neurons to descend from brain
61
step 4 withdrawl reflex
one efferent pathway stimulates contraction of bicep another leads to relaxation of tricep
62
step 5 withdrawl reflex
effectors are stimulated and allows the withdrawl of the hand
63
parts of the brain oldest to newest
brainstem , cerebellum , forebrain , cerebrum

physiology 215 (3 decks)

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