w-1 course overview Flashcards
What is neuroscience?
The study of how the nervous systems of humans and other animals are organized, how they develop, and how they function to generate behavior
Name areas of neuroscience research.
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience
- Computational Neuroscience
- Neurology (Clinical Neuroscience)
- Developmental Neuroscience
What is a neuron?
- the fundamental units of the nervous system
- they integrate and transmit information in the form of electrical signals
- they are very similar across neurons
______ ______ ________ depend on unique properties in neurons as well as diverse organization and connectivity of many neurons.
distinct animal behaviors
________ are the primary target for synaptic outputs
dendrites
________ send out information in the form of action potentials
Axons
What are the three main classes of glia in the mature central nervous system?
- Astrocytes
- Oligodendrocytes
- Microglia
Schwann cells are also a type of glia but are primarily found in the peripheral nervous system.
what is the function of schwann cells?
- to myelinate cells of the peripheral nervous system
- only myelinate one axon at a time
What is the function of oligodendrocytes?
- Oligodendrocytes create myelin by wrapping cell membrane around axons in the CNS
- can myelinate many axons at once
(Myelin acts as electrical insulation, allowing for faster signal transmission)
they do this to any axon shaped thing lol
What do astrocytes do?
maintain the chemical enviornment for neurons/synapses
What do microglia do?
- they are the resident immune cell of the central nervous system
- they respond to injury and infection
What is the longest axon in humans?
The motor neuron axon in the sciatic nerve, spanning from the spinal cord to the big toe, is approximately 3 feet long
Giraffes have axons around 15 feet long, and blue whales can have axons up to 30 meters (90 ft!!!!)
What are the two types of matter in the nervous system?
- Gray matter: where the neuron cell bodies are located
- White matter: consists of myelinated axons and axon tracts
What are ganglia?
Local accumulations of nerve cell bodies and support cells
____________ contain cell bodies for sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system.
Dorsal root ganglia (DRGs)
____________ contain cell bodies for the peripheral motor neurons of the visceral nervous system
Sympathetic chain ganglia
What does the autonomic nervous system consist of?
- Parasympathetic nervous system
- Sympathetic nervous system
the parasympathetic nervous system drives
the rest and digest response
the sympathetic nervous system drives
the fight or flight response
What is the function of the blood-brain barrier?
Protects the brain by selectively transporting substances necessary for normal biological functions , while simultaneously excluding potentially harmful invaders (such as immune cells) from the brain
nucleus:
a local accumulation of neurons with similar function and connectivity
What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
A fluid that fills the ventricles, contributing to the buoyancy of the brain and helps clear waste products
Meningitis
an infection of the CSF and meninges (protective membranes/lining around the central nervous system)
What are the morphological features of a neuron?
Dendrites, Cell body (soma), Axon, Axon hillock, Myelin sheath, Nodes of Ranvier, Axon terminals
What do ependymal cells do?
Line ventricles; produce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
How is the nervous system categorized?
Central Nervous System (CNS), Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), Somatic Nervous System, Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
Each category has distinct structures and functions.
What is the main role of the Somatic Nervous System?
Controls voluntary movements & sensory input.
What regulates involuntary functions in the body?
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).
What is the function of the sympathetic nervous system?
Increases heart rate, dilates pupils, inhibits digestion, increases glucose release for energy.
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?
Decreases heart rate, constricts pupils, stimulates digestion.
What is the enteric nervous system responsible for?
Regulates gut motility & secretion.
What is the function of gray matter?
Processing & integration.
What is the function of white matter?
Rapid signal transmission.
What substances can pass through the blood-brain barrier?
Nutrients (e.g., glucose, oxygen) while blocking large molecules and pathogens.
What forms the blood-brain barrier?
Tight junctions in endothelial cells supported by astrocytes.
What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
Cushions & protects the brain and spinal cord, removes waste, delivers nutrients.
Where can cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) be found?
Found in ventricles, subarachnoid space, & central canal of the spinal cord.
What produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
Choroid plexus in the ventricles.
