The Nervous System Flashcards
Everything we do is processed and executed by what?
Everything we do is processed and executed by electrical and chemical signals to and from nerve cells.
Name some inputs to the brain.
Hearing, pain, vision, taste, smell
What are the two types of output from the brain?
Voluntary and involuntary
What are the two different bands of the nervous system?
Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System
How is the PNS divided?
The motor division and sensory division
How is the motor division divided?
Somatic Nervous System and Autonomic Nervous System
How is the Autonomous Nervous System divided?
The Sympathetic Division and the Parasympathetic Division.
Is the Sensory Division Afferent of Efferent, and what does this mean?
The sensory division is afferent, this means it carries impulses towards the peripheral nervous system.
Is the Motor Division afferent or efferent, and what does this mean?
The motor division is efferent, this means they take signals from the peripheral nervous system, and use them to initiate a response to the stimulus.
Is the Somatic Nervous System voluntary or involuntary?
Voluntary
Is the Autonomous Nervous System voluntary or involuntary?
Involuntary
Which part of the peripheral nervous system is involuntary?
The Autonomous Nervous System
What is the Sympathetic Nervous System?
This is the fight or flight
What is the Parasympathetic Nervous System?
This is the rest and digest
What does afferent mean?
Afferent refers to the neurons carrying signals from sensory perceptions towards the CNS.
What does efferent mean?
Efferent refers to the neurons carrying signals from the CNS to the effector organs.
When developing prosthetics, which part of the nervous system must be focused on?
When developing prosthetics, focus on the motor division and working out the intention of the movement of the prosthesis, as well as working out how to make the movement. It is also important to understand how to interface with the sensory system (sensory division) to allow the user to know positions, temperatures, etc of the prosthesis.
A large amount of the cells in the nervous system are what type?
A large amount of the cells in the nervous system are glial cells.
How many different types of glial cells are there?
There are many different types of glial cells, approximately 8.
How much do glial cells outnumber neurons?
Glial cells outnumber neurons by about 10:1
Are the glial cells in the CNS or PNS?
The glial cells are in both the CNS and PNS.
Which types of glial cells are in the CNS?
- Ependyman cells
- Oligodendrocytes
- Astrocytes
- Microglia
Which types of glial cells are in the PNS?
- Satellite cells
- Schwann cells
What are ependymal cells?
They are in the CNS, they are line cavities that line the CSF-filled ventricles in the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord.
What are oligodendrocytes?
They are in the CNS. Their main function is to provide support and insulation to axons in the CNS, they do this by creating the myelin sheath.
What are Astrocytes?
They are in the CNS. They are the star shaped cells in the brain and spinal cord. They have many functions including biochemical support of endothelial cells that form the blood-brain barrier, provision of nutrients to the nervous tissue, maintenance of the extracellular ion balance, and a role in repair and scanning process of the brain and spinal cord following traumatic injuries.
What are microglia?
They are in the CNS. They are located throughout the brain and spinal cord, they account for 10-15% of all cells found within the brain. They act as the first and main form of active immune defence in the CNS. Eg. if something happens to the brain after a stroke, they will attack the area and eat away all scar tissue. They closely integrate with the blood and white blood cells.
What are satellite cells?
They are in the PNS. They cover the surface of nerve cell bodies in sensory, sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia. They act as protective, cushioning cells and express a variety of receptors that allow for a range of interactions with neuroactive chemicals.
What are Schwann cells?
They are in the PNS. These are any of the cells in the PNS that produce the myelin sheath around neuronal axons. They insulate too.
What are the functions of neurons?
They have highly specified functions, depending on where they are and what their connections are.