The Nervous System Flashcards
List the main areas of the brain.
- Cerebellum
- Cerebrum
- Midbrain
- Pons Varolii
- Medulla
Classify the nervous system according to structure and function.
-STRUCTURAL-
Central (CNS) - brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral (PNS)- cranial nerves and spinal nerves.
-FUNCTIONAL-
Somatic - motor (skeletal muscle) and sensory (senses)
Autonomic - viscera (sympathetic and parasympathetic)
Identify the lobes of the cerebral hemisphere.
Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe
Temporal lobe
Occipital lobe
Describe the arrangement of the spinal cord.
- Supported and protected by vertebral column (continuous with brain stem)
- Terminates at conus medullaris
- 31 spinal segments and associated pairs of nerves (8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 1 coccygeal)
Describe the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cords.
- DURA MATER-
Two layers of dense fibrous tissue, very strong and durable. Inner surface of skull and forms a loose sheath around spine.
-ARACHNOID MATER-
‘Middle layer’ passes over fissures, envelopes spinal cord
-PIA MATER-
Fine connective tissue containing many minute blood vessels, completely covers convulsions and dips into fissures.
Discuss the production, circulation and function of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- Secreted into each ventricle of the brain, passes back into blood through tiny diverticula of arachnoid mater.
- When CSF pressure is higher than venous pressure, it passed into the blood.
- Made of - water, mineral salts, glucose, plasma proteins, creatine and urea.
- Functions - supports and protects brain and spine, maintains uniform pressure around them, acts as a cushion and shock absorber and keeps them moist.
Describe the different components of a neurone
- Axon - carries nerve impulses away from the cell body.
- Dendrite - carries impulses towards the cell body and form synapses with other neurones
- Cell body - form the grey matter of the nervous system
- Nodes of ranvier - allow waste products and nutrients to leave/enter cell and allow nerve impulses to move along the neurone
- Schwann cells - the cells that lay down the protective myelin sheath around the axon
Distinguish between a neurone and a nerve
- NEURONE -
Specialised cells that process information. 4 basic types (sensory, motor, communication, computation). They communicate with one another and other tissues through dendrites and axons. - NERVES -
Carry electrochemical impulses/signals to and from different areas of the CNS. Nerve impulses travel along neurones. 2 types - sensory/afferent (respond to changes in environment) and motor/efferent (transmit impulses to the muscles and glands, can be somatic or autonomic)
What is a ganglion?
- A cluster of nerve cell bodies or a deep cluster of interconnected neurones.
- Process sensory information or control motor outputs.
Distinguish between afferent and efferent neurones.
- AFFERENT -
Sensory neurone, bring stimuli from senses to CNS - EFFERENT -
Motor neurone, brings responses from the brain to the muscles and glands from CNS.
Describe the structure and function of the myelin sheath.
- Consists of a series of Schwann cells arranged among the length of the axon
- Each one is wrapped around the axon so that it is covered by a number of concentric layers of Schwann cell plasma membrane.
- They increase the rate of transmission of signals.
Explain the sequence of ionic events that occurs during an action potential.
- When stimulated - permeability of the nerve cell membrane to ions (Na and K) changes
- Sodium channels open and sodium moved into the neurone from ECF.
- Potassium floods out causing depolarisation and action potential is created.
- Inside of the cell become positive.
- Repolarisation occurs when the sodium channels close and potassium channels open and potassium moved out.
Describe the sequence of events that occurs at the synapse.
- At the free end of the synapse, the axon of one neurone breaks up into minute branches which terminate in small swellings called synaptic nobs (boultons).
- At the end of the boultons are spherical synaptic vesicles containing chemical transmitters which are released into synaptic clefts.
- Chemical transmitters are secreted by nerve cells, actively transported along the nerve fibres and stored in synaptic vesicles.
List the common neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine Seratonin Dopamine Norepinephrine L-DOPA Tryptophan GABA Glycine Tryamine Glutamine
What is the function of the cerebellum?
Involved in the main maintenance of balance, posture and muscle tone.