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Biology > The Nervous System > Flashcards

The Nervous System Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is the central nervous system?

A

Brain and spinal cord

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2
Q

What is the spinal cord?

A

A long, thin structure composed of
neurones that extends from the medulla
oblongata down the spine.

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3
Q

What is the function of the spinal cord?

A

Connects the peripheral nervous system

(nerves outside of the CNS) to the brain.

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4
Q

Describe the structure of the brain

A

Consists of three main regions:

● Cerebrum
● Cerebellum
● Medulla oblongata

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5
Q

Describe the structure of the cerebrum

A

● Largest region of the brain

● Divided into two hemispheres

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6
Q

What is the function of the cerebrum?

A 
Involved in:
● Intelligence
● Language
● Memory
● Emotion
● Visual and sensory processes
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7
Q

What is the function of each cerebral hemisphere?

A

● Left hemisphere receives sensory information from the right side
of the body and controls muscle coordination on the right
● Right hemisphere receives sensory information from the left side
of the body and controls muscle coordination on the left

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8
Q

Where is the cerebellum located?

A

Lower region of the brain

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9
Q

What is the function of the cerebellum?

A

Involved in:
● Coordination of muscles
● Voluntary movement e.g. walking
● Non-voluntary movement e.g. balance

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10
Q

What is the function of the medulla oblongata?

A

Controls automatic processes in the
body e.g. breathing rate, heart rate,
peristalsis

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11
Q

What methods, other than surgery, are

used by doctors to observe the brain?

A

● CT scan

● PET scan

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12
Q

What is a CT scan?

A

A procedure that uses X-rays to produce

3D cross-sectional images of the brain

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13
Q

Describe how CT scans are useful to investigate

brain function

A

CT scans show damaged regions of the brain e.g. areas
of swelling, bleeding

● Observations of the patient’s symptoms can enable
scientists to determine the function of the damaged region

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14
Q

What does a PET scan involve?

A

● Radioactive substance injected into a patient’s
bloodstream and taken up by tissues in the brain

● Radiation emitted by tissues detected, enabling the
identification of active and inactive regions of the brain

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15
Q

Describe how PET scans are useful to investigate

brain function

A

● Show which areas of the brain are active and which areas
are not

● Comparisons of brain activity in healthy patients and
patients with brain damage allow scientists to determine
the functions of inactive regions

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16
Q

Why is it difficult to treat damage to the CNS?

A

● Damage to neurones is permanent and cannot be
repaired (as nerve cells don’t divide by mitosis)
● Hard to reach some areas of the brain
● Risk of further permanent damage to other areas of the
CNS during surgery

17
Q

What is the function of the nervous system?

A

Allows an organism to rapidly react to

environmental and internal changes

18
Q

What are neurones?

A

Nerve cells adapted to quickly transmit
nerve impulses. They are the functional
units of the nervous system.

19
Q

What is the function of the axon?

A

● Carries impulses away from the cell body
● Enables the transmission of nerve impulses
over long distances

20
Q

What is the function of the dendrites and dendrons?

A

● Carry impulses towards the cell body
● Dendrites provide a large surface area to
receive impulses

21
Q

What is the role of the myelin sheath?

A

● Electrically insulating layer
● Surrounds the axon and increases the speed
of impulses

22
Q

Outline the function of a sensory neurone

A

Carries impulses from receptors to the

central nervous system

23
Q

Describe the structure of a sensory neurone

A

● Long dendron carries impulses from receptors to the
cell body
● Cell body found part way along the neurone
● Short axon carries impulses from the cell body to the
CNS

24
Q

Outline the function of a motor neurone

A

Carries impulses from the central

nervous system to effectors

25
Q

Describe the structure of a motor neurone

A

● Short dendrites carry impulses from the CNS to the
cell body
● Cell body found at one end of the neurone
● Long axon carries impulses from the cell body to the
effectors

26
Q

Outline the function of a relay neurone

A

Carries impulses from sensory neurones
to motor neurones within the central
nervous system

27
Q

Describe the structure of a relay neurone

A

● Short dendrites carry impulses from sensory
neurones to the cell body
● Short axon carries impulses from the cell body to
motor neurones

28
Q

Describe how the central nervous system

coordinates a response to a stimulus

A

● Stimulus
● Sensory receptor detects stimulus
● Sensory receptor sends impulses along sensory neurone to CNS
● CNS coordinates response
● CNS sends information to effector along motor neurone
● Effector produces a response to the stimulus

29
Q

What is a synapse?

A

A small gap between neurones across
which a nerve impulse is transmitted via
neurotransmitters

30
Q

How are nerve impulses transmitted across a

synapse?

A

● Nerve impulse reaches presynaptic neurone
● This triggers the release of neurotransmitters
● Neurotransmitters diffuse across the synapse
● They bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neurone
● This stimulates an impulse in the postsynaptic neurone

31
Q

Why do synapses slow down the transmission of

nerve impulses?

A

It takes time for the neurotransmitters to
diffuse across the synapse and bind to
receptors on the postsynaptic neurone.

32
Q

What is a reflex?

A

● Automatic response to a stimulus by the body
● Involuntary - does not involve conscious part of the brain
● Protective mechanism e.g. a withdrawal reflex is initiated
when a hot object is touched to prevent burns

33
Q

Describe the reflex arc

A

stimulus → sensory receptor → sensory
neurone → relay neurone → motor
neurone → effector → response

Biology (36 decks)

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