Chapter 3 (NERVOUS SYSTEM FUNCTIONING)

Question 1

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Answer 1

the brain and the spinal cord;
processes and coordinates
responses to sensory stimuli

Question 2

Brain

Answer 2

a complex structure that receives and processes
sensory stimuli from the body and coordinates
responses

Question 3

Spinal Cord

Answer 3

a dense bundle of nerves that carries sensory information from the body to the
brain and motor information from
the brain to the body

Question 4

Spinal Reflex

Answer 4

an involuntary and unconscious response to a stimulus involving the spinal cord, which occurs without input from the brain

Question 5

Sensory Receptor

Answer 5

a sensory nerve ending
that produces an afferent or sensory impulse when stimulated

Question 6

Sensory Neuron

Answer 6

a nerve cell that carries
sensory signals throughout the nervous system

Question 7

Interneuron

Answer 7

a nerve cell in the spinal cord that connects
motor and sensory neurons by relaying
information between the two

Question 8

Motor Neuron

Answer 8

a nerve cell that transmits motor impulses from the spinal cord to the skeletal and smooth muscles

Question 9

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Answer 9

all the nerves outside of the central nervous system that carry messages between the
central nervous system and muscles, organs and glands throughout the body

Question 10

Somatic Nervous System

Answer 10

a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that carries sensory information
to the central nervous system and motor information to the body

Question 11

Autonomic Nervous System

Answer 11

a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that controls the
body’s internal environment in
an autonomous or self-regulated manner

Question 12

Sympathetic Nervous System

Answer 12

a subdivision of the autonomic
nervous system that increases our arousal, readying the
body for a quick response

Question 13

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Answer 13

a subdivision of the autonomic
nervous system that controls the
body’s internal environment in
an autonomous or self-regulated
manner

Question 14

Unconscious Response

Answer 14

any response of our nervous
system that does not require awareness

Question 15

Conscious Response

Answer 15

any response of the nervous
system that requires awareness

Question 16

Neuron

Answer 16

an individual nerve cell that
is specialised to receive, process
and/or transmit information
within the nervous system

Question 17

Neural Transmission

Answer 17

an electrical impulse that occurs when a neuron is activated or fires

Question 18

Neurotransmitter

Answer 18

a chemical produced by neurons
that carries messages to other neurons or cells within the nervous system, including muscles, organs and glands

Question 19

Synapse

Answer 19

the point of communication between two neurons or between a neuron and a target cell such as a muscle or gland

Question 20

Synaptic Vesicle

Answer 20

a membrane-bound sphere
filled with neurotransmitter molecules

Question 21

Synaptic Gap

Answer 21

the space between the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron and the membrane of the post-synaptic neuron

Question 22

Receptor Site

Answer 22

a membrane protein on the
dendrites of neurons that receive and detect specific neurotransmitters

Question 23

Excitatory Effect

Answer 23

the increased likelihood that the post-synaptic neuron will fire an action potential or neural impulse

Question 24

Glutamate

Answer 24

the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous
system, which is involved with
learning and memory

Question 25

Inhibitory Effect

Answer 25

the decreased likelihood that the post-synaptic neuron will fire an action potential or neural impulse

Question 26

GABA (Gamma- aminobutyric acid)

Answer 26

the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, associated with anxiety, specific phobias and Parkinson’s disease

Question 27

Neuromodulator

Answer 27

a subclass of neurotransmitters that alter the strength of neural transmission, by increasing or decreasing the responsiveness of neurons to neurotransmitter signals

Question 28

Dopamine

Answer 28

a multifunctional neurotransmitter with both excitatory and inhibitory effects, that is involved in many central nervous system functions such as movement, pleasure, attention, mood, cognition and motivation

Question 29

Reward Pathway

Answer 29

a group of structures in the brain that are activated by rewarding or reinforcing stimuli

Question 30

Serotonin

Answer 30

an inhibitory neurotransmitter that also acts as a neuromodulator, influencing a variety of brain activities

Question 31

Synaptic Plasticity

Answer 31

specific changes that occur within the synapse, between neurons

Question 31

Serotonin Pathway

Answer 31

serotonin’s neuromodulatory system, which originates in the brainstem and extends to almost all areas of the cerebrum including the cerebral cortex

Question 32

LTP (Long - Term Potention)

Answer 32

the relatively permanent strengthening of synaptic connections as a result of repeated activation of a neural pathway

Question 33

LTD (Long - Term Depression)

Answer 33

the relatively permanent weakening of synaptic connections as a result of repeated low- level activation

Question 34

Sprouting

Answer 34

the growth of axon or dendrite fibres at the synapse

Question 35

Dendritic Spine

Answer 35

a dendrite fibre that grows by sprouting on the post-synaptic neuron

Question 36

Filigree Appendage

Answer 36

a fibre that grows by sprouting from the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron

Question 37

Synaptogenesis

Answer 37

the formation of new synapses that result from the process of sprouting

Question 38

Rerouting

Answer 38

the formation of new connections between neurons to establish alternative neural pathways

Question 39

Pruning

Answer 39

the removal of excess neurons and synaptic connections to increase the efficiency of neuronal transmissions