Week 1 Neuroendocrinology ✅ Flashcards
What is an action potential?
Electrical impulse - language of the nervous system
What structures does the CNS consist of?
Brain and spinal cord
Give 3 examples of stimuli neurons
Physical, chemical, thermal
What are supporting cells?
Non-excitable cells, “neuroglia”
5x more abundant than neurons
What is the function of dendrites?
Receive impulse and transmit to the post-synaptic neuron
What is the function of the axon hillock?
Generate impulse in neuron from local potentials
Where is the axon hillock located?
Summation Zone
What are the 3 types of neurons and what is their function?
Afferent - sensory
Efferent - motor
Interneurons - integratons
Where are the nerve terminals located?
Output zone
What are the 4 nerve zones?
Input
Summation
Conduction
Output
What is a unipolar nerve cell?
1 axon
1 nerve process
Not human (e.g. flies)
What is a bipolar nerve cell?
1 axon
1 dendrite
What is an example of a bipolar nerve cell?
Olfactory nerve
Retina
Ear nerves
What is a multipolar cell?
1 axon
Multiple dendrites
What is an example of a multipolar cell?
CNS, autonomic nervous system
What is a pseudounipolar cell?
Like bipolar neurones
E.g. sensory neurons
What is the function of an astrocyte?
Connect blood vessels to neuron
Give an example of where an astrocyte is located
Blood brain barrier
What is the function of microglia?
Protect CNS neurons by phagocytosis
How many ventricles are there in the brain?
4
What does the Corpus callosum do?
Connect the 2 cerebral hemispheres
What is the function of ependymal cells?
They line the ventricles of the brain to protect them and produce CSF
What is the absolute refractory period?
Time when Na channels open, close and K channels open - the membrane CANNOT RESPOND TO FURTHER STIMULATION
What is the relative refractory period?
When K channels close and Na/K channels return to normal state, the membrane CAN ONLY RESPOND TO LARGER STIMULI
What are the steps of the refractory period?
- Resting membrane potential of cell is at -70mV
- Cell is stimulated and charge becomes more positive, Na channels open
- Membrane becomes +30mV, Na channels close and K channels open
- Cell repolarises and charge goes below resting potential of -70mV - K channels close
- Cell returns to -70mV
What is the resting membrane potential of a cell?
-70mV
What is the threshold of a neuron?
Minimum stimulus to create action potential
How does a cell repolarise to normal resting membrane potential?
Restored by sodium potassium pump
What is saltatory conduction and which cells does this apply to?
Faster conduction - jumps between nodes of ranvier
Occurs in myelinated cells
What is the major extracellular cation?
Sodium
What is the major intracellular cation?
Potassium
What are the 3 meninges of the brain?
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater
What 3 parts of the brain make up the brain stem?
Forebrain
Midbrain
Hindbrain