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Block 3 > Cells and Communication > Flashcards

Cells and Communication Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 functions of the nervous system?

A

Sensation

Integration

Activation

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2
Q

What 2 things does the function of the nervous system depend on?

A

Anatomical relationship between neurons

  • axon length
  • receptive fields
  • how many neurons

Interactions between neurons

  • mode of communication
  • chemical phenotype
  • how many transmitters
  • receptor density
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3
Q

What 5 things can cause dysfunction of the nervous system?

A

Damage by trauma or disease

Neurons lose ability to produce transmitters

Neurons over/under-produce transmitters

Neurons fail to recognise transmitters

Effector organs fails to respond

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4
Q

What 3 things can nervous system dysfunction manifest as?

A

Loss: sensation or function

Gain: appearance of a new feature

Change: alteration in behaviour/personality of perception

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5
Q

What are the 2 types of cells in the nervous system?

A

Neurons

Glia

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6
Q

What are the 2 types of neurons?

A

Principal cells

Interneurons

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7
Q

What are the 5 types of glia?

A 
Astrocytes
Ependymal cells
Microglia
Oligodendroglia
Schwann cells
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8
Q

Which cell type is most likely to form tumours?

A

Glia

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9
Q

What are the 3 main groups of neurons?

A

Multipolar
Bipolar
(Pseudo) unipolar

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10
Q

What are the 4 common features of neurons?

A

Dendrites
Soma
Axon
Synaptic terminals

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11
Q

What is a dendrite?

A

The receptive field of the neurones, sensitive to neurotransmitter input

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12
Q

What is a soma?

A

The metabolic and integrating centre of the neurone

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13
Q

What is an axon?

A

Rapid one-way communication between cell body and terminals

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14
Q

What is a synaptic terminal?

A

Release transmitters and communicate with other cells in a pathway or circuit

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15
Q

Describe astrocytes

A

Star-shaped cells which form a bridge between the neuron and blood vessels

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16
Q

Describe ependymal cells

A

Simple, ciliated, cuboidal cells that form the lining of the ventricular system

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17
Q

Describe microglia

A

Small glial cells, activated by trauma.

WBC for CNS, act by phagocytosis

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18
Q

Describe oligodendroglia

A

Myelin producing cells, found in the CNS

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19
Q

Describe Schwann cells

A

Myelin producing cells, found in the PNS

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20
Q

What disorder of myelination affects the CNS?

A

Multiple Sclerosis

Oligodendroglia

21
Q

What disorder of myelination affects the PNS?

A

Guilian Barre

Schwann cells

22
Q

Why are nerve impulses quicker along myelinated axons?

A

Action potentials jump the gaps

23
Q

What are the 2 types of synapses?

A

Chemical

Electrical

24
Q

Describe chemical synapses

A

Fast transmission (slower cell-cell, but can cope with higher frequency of activity)

Vesicles releases from presynaptic terminal

Act on receptors in postsynaptic terminal

Major drug target

25
Describe electrical synapses
Slower transmission (faster cell-cell, but more effective at lower freqs) Gap junctions Small molecules and current ‘low-pass filter’ Synchrony Up-and-coming drug target
26
What type of synapses have gap junctions?
Electrical synapses
27
Outline the 5 steps that occur at a neuromuscular junction
Action potentials trigger the exocytosis of acetylcholine (ACh) from the synaptic terminal ACh crosses the cleft Acts on (nicotinic) cholinergic receptors in the motor end plate Initiates muscle contraction Impulse carried through muscle via T-tubules and sarcoplasmic reticulum
28
What is myasthenia gravis?
Autoimmune disease affecting the NMJ. Circulating antibodies block Ach receptors, slowing muscle activity and reducing tone. Receptors don’t respond as well  
29
How do you test for myasthenia gravis?
Nerve conduction tests Electromyography
30
What is the major excitatory transmitter?
Glutamate
31
What is the major inhibitory transmitter?
GABA
32
Why is inhibition essential?
Otherwise a cell will fire at its own rate and not send a coded message to the next cell
33
What 3 types of cell inhibition are there?
Direct inhibition Lateral inhibition Disinhibition
34
Describe direct inhibition
Excitatory neurons have regular patterns of firing in absence of inhibition Inhibition sculpts the firing into a coded pattern which can be read by the brain
35
Describe lateral inhibition
Activation of excitatory cells also activates associated inhibitory cells Inhibition acts on neighbouring cells to reduce activity Strengthens response of cell directly stimulated
36
Where is lateral inhibition usually seen?
Sensory pathways: - vision - touch - olfaction
37
Describe disinhibition
Activation of inhibitory circuit leads to excitation Pivotal role in Basal Ganglia circuitry – shapes motor function
38
What does synchrony do?
Change the strength of the signal and the network level Measured via EEG There are pacemaker cells
39
What is plasticity?
Up or down regulation of synaptic strength
40
What are the 4 types of plasticity?
LTP and LTD Synaptic morphology Metabolic changes Subunit changes
41
Describe neurotransmitters (8)
Used by neurons for rapid cell-cell communication Stored in vesicles in the presynaptic terminal Released when the terminal is depolarised during an AP Pass across the synaptic cleft Activate receptors on the postsynaptic terminal Binds to receptor Excitatory propagates the signal onward Inhibitory blocks onward propagation
42
Describe neuromodulators (4)
Found in vesicles (or not), co-localised with NT Act on receptors or membranes to indirectly alter neuronal activity Changing sensitivity or kinetics of NT receptor Also act on glial cells
43
Which neurotransmitter is affected in Parkinson's disease?
Dopamine
44
Which neurotransmitter is affected in Alzheimer's disease?
ACh
45
Which neurotransmitter is affected in Alzheimer's disease?
ACh
46
Which neurotransmitter is affected in Huntington's disease?
GABA
47
What are the 2 types of receptors in the nervous system?
Ionotropic (linked to ion channels) Metabotropic (GPCR) Receptors are transmitter specific
48
What are the four main types of cutaneous receptors?
Mechanoceptors - tactile sensation e.g. touch, pressure Thermoceptors - temperature Nociceptors - painful/noxious stimuli Proprioceptors - changes in head and body position
49
What mechanisms are involved in pathogenesis of neuronal and psychological disorders?
Altered neuronal activity Altered synchrony Cellular changes Subcellular change Genetic/Epigenetic changes

Block 3 (14 decks)

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