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NCCPT EXAM PREP > The Nervous System [Applied Science 25%] > Flashcards

The Nervous System [Applied Science 25%] Flashcards

1
Q

What makes up the nervous system?

A

Consists of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves and is responsible for controlling the voluntary (conscious or deliberate) and involuntary (automatic) functions of the body and the mind.

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2
Q

What is nervous tissue?

A

Tissue found in the brain, spinal cord, and nerves that coordinates body activities.

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3
Q

What are neurons?

A

The most fundamental component of the brain and nervous system capable of transmitting information to and from other neurons, muscles, or glands.

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4
Q

What is neuroglia?

A

Also known as glial cells, these are neural tissues that support, insulate, and protect neurons.

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5
Q

What are neurosecretory tissues and what do they do?

A

These tissues translate neural signals into chemical stimuli. They produce neurohormones which are hormones produced and released by nerve cells into the bloodstream.

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6
Q

What are the 3 main components of a neuron (nerve cell)?

A

The three main components are the cell body, axon, and dendrites.

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7
Q

Describe the cell body of a neuron.

A

The core and central structure of a nerve cell containing a nucleus and other specialized organelles that aid in nervous system function.

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8
Q

Describe the axon of a neuron.

A

The thin tail-like structure of a nerve cell that generates and conducts nerve impulses.

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9
Q

Describe the dendrites of a neuron.

A

Rootlike structures branching out from the cell body that receive and process signals from the axons of other neurons.

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10
Q

What are the 3 classifications of nerve cells?

A
  1. Sensory neurons
  2. Motor neurons
  3. Interneurons
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11
Q

What are sensory neurons?

A

Nerve cells involved in communicating tactile, auditory, or visual information.

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12
Q

What are motor neurons?

A

Nerve cells that initiate muscle contraction or activate glands.

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13
Q

What are interneurons?

A

Nerve cells that connect neurons to other neurons.

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14
Q

What is the Central Nervous System (CNS)?

A

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

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15
Q

What is the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)?

A

The nerves and ganglia (relay areas for nerve signals) outside of the brain and spinal cord.

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16
Q

What are the 3 main parts of the human brain?

A
  1. The cerebrum
  2. The cerebellum
  3. The brain stem
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17
Q

What is the cerebrum?

A

The uppermost and largest part of the brain consisting of a left and right hemisphere; responsible for receiving and processing sensory information and controlling the body.

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18
Q

What is the cerebllum?

A

The region of the brain responsible for conscious motor coordination.

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19
Q

What is the brain stem?

A

The trunk of the brain, consisting of the medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain that continues downward to form the spinal cord.

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20
Q

What is the cerebral cortex?

A

The outer portion of the cerebrum where most neural integration (information processing) occurs.

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21
Q

What is the role of the midbrain?

A

This part of the brain plays an important role in motor movement and the processing of auditory and visual information.

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22
Q

What is the role of the pons?

A

This part of the brain links the medulla oblongata to the thalamus and helps control sleep, breathing, facial expression and movement, and posture.

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23
Q

What is the role of the medulla oblongata?

A

This part of the brain plays a prominent role in involuntary functions like coughing, sneezing, and swallowing, along with functions of the heart, and is located at the base of the brain stem.

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24
Q

What is the role of the thalamus?

A

The brain region responsible for relaying sensory and motor signals and regulating consciousness.

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25
Q

What is decussation?

A

The point of crossover of the nervous system in vertebrates located between the medulla oblongata and the spinal cord. (i.e. the left hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body)

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26
Q

What are the left hemisphere brain functions?

A

Language, logical processing, science/math, and muscle control on the right side.

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27
Q

What are the right hemisphere brain functions?

A

Spatial perception, creativity, intuition, and muscle control on the left side.

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28
Q

What are the four divisions of the brain hemispheres?

A
  1. frontal lobe
  2. parietal lobe
  3. temporal lobe
  4. occipital lobe
29
Q

What is the role of the frontal lobe?

A

The brain lobe involved in motor control, emotion, and language.

30
Q

What is the motor cortex?

A

The region of the frontal lobe that plans and coordinates movement.

31
Q

What is the prefrontal cortex?

A

The part of the frontal lobe responsible for high-level thinking and language.

32
Q

What is the role of the parietal lobe?

A

The brain lobe involved in processing sensory information.

33
Q

What is the somatosensory cortex?

A

The region of the parietal lobe responsible for processing sensations like pain, temperature, and touch.

34
Q

What is the role of the temporarl lobe?

A

The lateral lobe of the brain responsible for hearing, memory, and emotion.

35
Q

What is the auditory cortex?

A

The region of the temporal lobe responsible for hearing.

36
Q

What is the role of the occipital lobe?

A

The posterior lobe of the brain responsible for vision.

37
Q

What is the visual cortex?

A

The specific region of the occipital lobe responsible for sight and visual perception.

38
Q

What is the role of the hypothalamus?

A

Plays a key role in maintaining homeostasis, or the body’s automatic tendency to maintain a constant internal body environment through various processes, including pH (measure of acidity or alkalinity), temperature, blood glucose (blood sugar) levels, and blood pressure.

39
Q

Describe the spinal cord and it’s role within the body.

A

A tube of nervous tissue that extends from the brain to the bottom of the spine. It is the connection point between the brain and the body—all nerve impulses travel through the spinal cord to and from the brain.

It is carefully protected by the vertebrae (bones of the spine), meninges (membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cord), and cerebrospinal fluid (fluid that acts as a cushion and protects the brain and spinal cord).

40
Q

What is the role of the Peripheral Nervous System?

A

Its primary purpose is to connect the CNS to the rest of the body via the extensive network of nerves that serve the limbs and organs of the body.

41
Q

What are the cranial nerves?

A

The 12 sensory and motor nerves extending directly from the brain.

42
Q

What are the spinal nerves?

A

Bundles of (31) nerves connected to the spinal cord carrying information toward the periphery. Responsible for involuntary reflexes.

43
Q

What are affarent neurons?

A

(Part of the PNS) Sensory, sending information, or stimuli, from the body toward the CNS. (Arrive at the CNS)

44
Q

What are efferent neurons?

A

(Part of the PNS) Motor neurons sending information from the CNS to the muscles to generate movement. (Exit the CNS)

45
Q

Describe the divisions of the PNS.

A

The PNS is divided into two divisions: the sensory division and the motor division.

The motor division further divides into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system is further divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

46
Q

What is the somatic nervous system?

A

The part of the nervous system in charge of controlling voluntary movement.

47
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system?

A

The part of the nervous system responsible for involuntary functions and movement.

48
Q

What is the sympathetic nervous system?

A

The autonomic nervous system activated by stress-related activities and is often referred to as the “fight-or-flight” system because it elevates heart rate and increases cellular metabolism (energy use).

49
Q

What is the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

The autonomic nervous system associated with control of the body systems while at rest. Often described as “rest and digest” as it slows the heart rate and controls digestion.

50
Q

What is the role of the CNS?

A

It controls and regulates all systems of the body as well as fosters communication among and between those systems.

51
Q

What is internal stimuli?

A

Changes happening inside the body, including changes in internal temperature, pH (acidity or alkalinity), carbon dioxide concentration, or electrolyte levels.

52
Q

What is external stimuli?

A

Messages from outside the body, may include fluctuations in environmental temperature, light, or sound.

53
Q

What is sensory input?

A

Collectively, the information the body receives for processing, whether internal or external.

54
Q

What are mechanoreceptors?

A

Sensory input from receptors that transmit information via the somatic nervous system to control voluntary movement. (i.e. responding to sound or touch)

55
Q

What is proprioception?

A

Perception or awareness of body movement or position.

56
Q

Describe the 3 types of mechanoreceptors.

A

Tactile receptors: collect and communicate sensations of touch.

Proprioceptors: communicate the position of the body and movement.

Baroreceptors: collect and communicate changes in blood pressure.

57
Q

What is the myelin sheath and what does it do?

A

The insulation of neuron axons, made of proteins and fats, which propagates neural impulses. Increases the speed at which impulses are sent and received.

58
Q

What are nerve impulses?

A

The input collected by receptors is translated into electrical signals. The brain interprets these impulses to perceive sensations, have thoughts, or form memories.

59
Q

What is sensory integration

A

The brain makes decisions based on the sensory input it receives at every moment. This is the way the brain works to affect responses to neural input.

60
Q

Describe motor function.

A

When sensory input has been integrated by the CNS, efferent signals are sent to the tissues of the body to generate a muscle contraction or secrete a hormone.

Includes both voluntary and involuntary muscle contractions.

These contractions occur in part because of the firing of a motor unit.

61
Q

What is a motor unit?

A

A single motor neuron and the muscle fibers it controls.

62
Q

What is mechanical work?

A

The amount of energy transferred by a force, the product of force and distance.

63
Q

What are extrafusal muscle fibers?

A

The standard skeletal muscle fibers involved in creating mechanical work.

64
Q

What are alpha motor neurons?

A

Motor neurons originating in the brain stem and spinal cord that initiate muscle contraction.

65
Q

Describe the relationship between motor units, muscles. and movement.

A

The motor units and the skeletal muscles they innervate (supply with nerves) make up the structural elements that create movement.

The physiological process they must go through to turn an electrical impulse into a mechanical response is called excitation-contraction coupling.

A nerve impulse sent to skeletal muscle fibers is called an action potential.

The action potential causes an interaction between a motor neuron and its associated muscle fibers.

66
Q

What is excitation-contraction coupling?

A

The physiological process of converting a neural impulse into a mechanical response.

67
Q

What is action potential?

A

An explosion of electrical activity caused by a neural impulse.

68
Q

What is the all-or-none principle in relation to neural signalling?

A

Any stimulus above the neuron’s threshold will trigger the same action potential and propagate an electrical signal.

In other words, a nerve either fires or it does not.

For example, performing a bicep curl with a 5-pound weight, an external stimulus, would initiate a response from the nervous system to fire as many motor neurons needed to lift the 5-pound weight.

If the 5-pound weight were to be exchanged for a 10-pound weight, the nervous system response would need to recruit additional motor neurons in order to lift the additional weight.

All recruited motor neurons fire at a maximal strength, regardless of the number recruited.

NCCPT EXAM PREP (8 decks)

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