The Nervous System Flashcards
the chemical messengers of the nervous system
Neurotransmitters
the chemical messengers of the endocrine system
Hormones
What 2 things make up the CNS vs the PNS?
CNS = Brain + Spinal Cord
PNS = Spinal Nerves + Cranial Nerves
the basic functional units of the nervous system that respond to stimuli and conduct impulses from one part of the cell to another
Neurons
the cell body of a neuron
Perikaryon (Soma)
neuron extensions involved in afferent processes
Dendrites
neuron extensions involved in efferent processes
Axons (Nerve Fibers)
a sheath of fatty substance that cover axons and works with nodes of Ranvier to enhance the speed of impulse conduction
Myelin Sheath
small gaps in the myelin sheath between adjacent glial cells that work with the myelin to enhance the speed of impulse conduction
Nodes of Ranvier
specialized glial cells whose cell membranes makes up the myelin sheath in the brain and spinal cord
Oligodendrocytes
specialized glial cells that make up the myelin sheath in nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord
Schwann Cells
nervous tissue made up of many myelinated axons
White Matter
nervous tissue made up largely of neuron somas
Grey Matter
neurons that carry signals of touch, taste and sensation to the brain
Sensory Neurons
neurons which carry instructions from the brain to the muscles, causing them to move
Motor Neurons
motor neurons in the peripheral nervous system
Lower Motor Neurons
motor neurons carrying signals that initiate body movement from nuclei in the brain
Upper Motor Neurons
How many types of motor neurons are there and what are they called?
- Upper Motor Neurons
- Lower Motor Neurons
neurons that carry signals between neurons
Interneurons
cells that structurally and functionally support and protect neurons so the neurons can do their jobs as well as outnumber neurons 10:1
Neuroglia (Glial Cells)
conduct nerve impulses toward the CNS
Afferent (Sensory) Nerve Fibers
Afferent vs Efferent
Sensory vs Motor
Afferent > Sensory
Efferent > Motor
conduct nerve impulses away from the CNS
Efferent (Motor) Nerve Fibers
a nerve that contains only afferent nerve fibers
Sensory Nerve
a nerve that contains only efferent nerve fibers
Motor Nerve
nerve fibers that contain both afferent and efferent nerve fibers
Mixed Nerves
What 2 places are mixed nerves found?
- Most nerves in the PNS
- Nerve tracts in the CNS
the system that controls and coordinates voluntary control of skeletal muscles
Somatic Nervous System
nerves that control the voluntary initiation of efferent impulses
Somatic Motor Nerve
nerves that send impulses to the CNS from receptors in the muscles, skin, eyes, or ears that are consciously perceived by the brain
Somatic Sensory Nerve
the system that controls and coordinates the self-regulation of necessary bodily functions
Autonomic Nervous System
nerves that control the involuntary initiation of efferent impulses
Autonomic Motor Nerve
nerves that receive the afferent sensory impulses from sensory receptors used to self-regulate necessary bodily functions
Autonomic Sensory Nerve
Give an example of:
1. Somatic Motor Nerve
2. Somatic Sensory Nerve
3. Autonomic Motor Nerve
4. Autonomic Sensory Nerve
- Somatic Motor Nerve = Animal turning its head in response to owner calling its name
- Somatic Sensory Nerve = Animal feeling you petting them
- Autonomic Motor Nerve = Digestion
- Autonomic Sensory Nerve = The body feeling the stomach stretch to tell the brain to initiate digestion
the state when a neuron is not being stimulated but is still working to maintain this state
Resting State
the difference in electrical charges across a neuron cell membrane in which the inside is more negative than the outside
Resting Membrane Potential
What is the standard resting membrane potential?
-70 mV
the opening of neuron sodium channels that causes a sudden influx of sodium ions into the cell
Depolarization
the significant change in electrical charge within a neuron from negative to positive due to an influx of Na+ ions
Action Potential
the opening of neuron potassium channels that causes a sudden outflux of potassium ions from the cell
Repolarization
Explain the conduction of an action potential in 5 steps
- Cell membrane is polarized (resting state)
- Stimulus changes the membrane potential voltage > Threshold reached
- Nerve impulse is generated > Na+ channels open along the cell membrane of the entire neuron > Na+ passively flow in (depolarization)
- K+ channels open > K+ passively flow out > cell membrane returns to resting potential (repolarization)
- Sodium-Potassium Pump returns the Na+ and K+ to their appropriate sides of the membrane
the membrane potential voltage that must be reached in order to generate a nerve impulse
Threshold
a stimulus of sufficient intensity to generate a nerve impulse
Threshold Stimulus
when an initial stimulus causes a wave of the opening of sodium channels along the cell membrane of the entire neuron
Conduction of the Action Potential (Wave of Depolarization / Nerve Impulse)
the phenomenon in which a complete neuron depolarizes to its maximum strength or it does not depolarize at all
All-or-Nothing Principle
the very brief phase during and after a neuron has generated a nerve impulse and cannot generate another
Refractory Period
the part of the refractory period involving the sodium influx and early potassium outflux in which no stimulus, no matter how strong, can cause the cell to depolarize again
Absolute Refractory Period
the part of the refractory period involving a very strong stimulus arriving during the tail end of the repolarization in which the cell may depolarize again
Relative Refractory Period
the rapid process of conducting an action potential via the depolarization wave in the myelinated axon that skips from one node of Ranvier to the next
Saltatory Conduction
a drug injected into superficial areas of the body to block the conduction of sensations from that area
Local Anesthetic
a local anesthetic molecule that prevents the sensory neuron from depolarizing by clogging and blocking the sodium channels
Lidocaine
the perpetuation of nerve impulse from one neuron to the next cell via the release of a chemical to stimulate the next cell
Synaptic Transmission
the junctions between 2 neurons or a neuron and a target cell
Synapse
the physical gap between the 2 cells
Synaptic Cleft
the neuron bringing the nerve impulse to the synapse and releasing the neurotransmitter to stimulate the next cell
Presynaptic Neuron
the chemical released into the synaptic cleft to stimulate the next cell
Neurotransmitter
a branched structure at the end of the axon of a presynaptic neuron
Telodendron
the enlarged bulb at the end of telodendron containing mitochondria, calcium channels, and vesicles containing neurotransmitters
Synaptic Knob
the neuron containing receptors the receive and bind to the neurotransmitters in order to initiate the impulse
Postsynaptic Neuron
specialized proteins on the postsynaptic membrane that bind to specific neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft in order to trigger changes in the postsynaptic cell
Receptors
Name the 2 types of neurotransmitters that affect postsynaptic membranes
- Excitatory Neurotransmitters
- Inhibitory Neurotransmitters
neurotransmitters that cause an influx of sodium into the postsynaptic membrane to move the membrane toward threshold and trigger a new nerve impulse
Excitatory Neurotransmitters
neurotransmitters that cause the opening of chloride or potassium channels in order to hyperpolarize the postsynaptic membrane and move the membrane charge away from the required threshold
Inhibitory Neurotransmitters
a catecholamine neurotransmitter associated with arousal and fight-or-flight reactions of the sympathetic nervous system
Norepinephrine
a catecholamine neurotransmitter released primarily from the adrenal medulla and plays more of a role as a hormone in the fight-or-flight reactions of the sympathetic nervous system
Epinephrine
a catecholamine neurotransmitter in the brain involved with autonomic functions and muscle control
Dopamine
an inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the brain
Gamma-aminobutyric Acid (GABA)
a tranquilizer that works to inhibit activity in the brain and producing reduced anxiety with sedation (drowsiness) aka enhancing the GABA effects on the brain
Diazepam (Valium)
an inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the spinal cord
Glycine
a neurotransmitter that can be either excitatory or inhibitory depending on its location in the body
Acetylcholine
a common antiparasitic drug that causes an increased inhibitory neurotransmitter effect
Ivermectin
The stopping and recycling of neurotransmitters are achieved by what?
Enzymes