Chapter 3: The Nervous System

Question 1

afferent vs efferent signals

Answer 1

sensory (incoming) pathways are afferent
motor (outgoing) pathways are efferent

Question 2

what makes up the central nervous system?

Answer 2

the brain and spinal cord

Question 3

what makes up the peripheral nervous system

Answer 3

somatic nervous system, autonomic nervous system, enteric nervous system

Question 4

how does the enteric nervous system send signals to the brain?

Answer 4

via the vagus nerve

Question 5

what affects the enteric nervous system?

Answer 5

stress and anxiety

Question 6

what are the components of the somatic nervous system?

Answer 6

cranial nerves and spinal nerves

Question 7

what are the components of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 7

sympathetic division (arousing) and parasympathetic division (calming)

Question 8

what connects the cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 8

the corpus callosum, which allows for communication between the hemispheres

Question 9

what is dura mater?

Answer 9

a tough, paper-like outer covering of the brain

Question 10

what is the subarachnoid space?

Answer 10

a space between the brain and dura mater and pia mater where cerebrospinal fluid flows

Question 11

what is pia mater?

Answer 11

a clear covering that hugs the surface of the brain

Question 12

where is cerebrospinal fluid produced?

Answer 12

in the choroid plexus

Question 13

where is cerebrospinal fluid reabsorbed?

Answer 13

in the sinuses

Question 14

what is hydrocephalus?

Answer 14

a condition marked by overproduction of cerebrospinal fluid without proper drainage/reabsorption

Question 15

what is the purpose of cerebrospinal fluid?

Answer 15

cushions the brain and spinal cord from bumping and jostling, removes waste

Question 16

what is an ischemic stroke?

Answer 16

a blockage of blood flow to part of the brain, resulting in a lack of nutrients and oxygen

Question 17

what is a hemorrhagic stroke?

Answer 17

a ruptured vessel/artery that causes a bleed in the brain and produces an overactive immune response

Question 18

medial

Answer 18

toward the brain’s midline

Question 19

lateral

Answer 19

located toward the brain’s sides

Question 20

dorsal

Answer 20

atop the brain

Question 21

ventral

Answer 21

toward the bottom of the brain

Question 22

histological technique for studying the brain

Answer 22

most precise way of examining the brain. the brain is sectioned and sliced postmortem and neuronal loss is examined

Question 23

computerized tomography (CT scan)

Answer 23

an x-ray beam is passed through the brain at many different angles, creating many different images.
good for seeing a mass/tumour, lesion, etc

Question 24

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Answer 24

can identify specific brain tissue

Question 25

diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)

Answer 25

detects the directional movement of water molecules to create images of nerve fibre pathways. can identify abnormalities in the pathway, such as an obstruction

Question 26

positron emission tomography (PET)

Answer 26

a real time measure that involves injecting a radioactive tracer into the bloodstream and shows which parts of the brain are more active (have more blood flow) during certain tasks

Question 27

functional magnetic imaging (fMRI)

Answer 27

changes in the oxygen content of the blood alter its magnetic properties. measures are taken while a task is being carried out

Question 28

near-infrared spectroscopy

Answer 28

uses light to track blood flow in the brain based on oxygen levels. limited to more shallow areas of the brain

Question 29

what makes up the hindbrain?

Answer 29

pons, reticular formation, medulla, cerebellum

Question 30

what are the functions of the pons?

Answer 30

serves as a bridge to the cerebellum and allows a person to cycle through the different stages of sleep

Question 31

what is the function of the reticular formation?

Answer 31

sleep/wake behaviour

Question 32

what is the function of the medulla?

Answer 32

moderates heart rate and rhythm

Question 33

what can damage to the medulla result in?

Answer 33

a person may not be able to breathe on their own

Question 34

what is the function of the cerebellum?

Answer 34

coordination of motor movements

Question 35

what can damage to the cerebellum result in?

Answer 35

issues with speech, movement, etc

Question 36

what are the components of the midbrain?

Answer 36

superior colliculus and inferior colliculus

Question 37

what is the function of the superior colliculus?

Answer 37

receives visual input

Question 38

what is the function of the inferior colliculus?

Answer 38

receives auditory input

Question 39

what structure does the superior and inferior colliculi make up? what is its purpose?

Answer 39

together they make up the tectum, which allows for audio-visual integration

Question 40

what structures make up the diencephalon?

Answer 40

the thalamus and hypothalamus

Question 41

what is the function of the thalamus?

Answer 41

serves as a relay centre for incoming and outgoing signals in the brain

Question 42

what is the function of the hypothalamus?

Answer 42

release of the hormones into the bloodstream

Question 43

what is the forebrain responsible for?

Answer 43

complex behaviour (problem solving, language, and thought)

Question 44

what are the brainstem and midbrain responsible for?

Answer 44

survival based behaviours (sleeping, waking, breathing)

Question 45

what are the divisions of the forebrain?

Answer 45

temporal lobe, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe

Question 46

what is the purpose of the temporal lobe?

Answer 46

auditory processing language and memory taste and smell

Question 47

what is the purpose of the frontal lobe?

Answer 47

planning and organizing motor and impulse control (executive function)

Question 48

what is the purpose of the parietal lobe?

Answer 48

touch spacial awareness

Question 49

what are symptoms of parietal lobe damage?

Answer 49

don't know how to position the body can't draw shapes

Question 50

what is the purpose of the occipital lobe?

Answer 50

visual processing

Question 51

what are the symptoms of occipital lobe damage?

Answer 51

flashes of light, vision loss, etc

Question 52

what are the functions of dendrites?

Answer 52

receives signals from other neurons creates an electrical charge

Question 53

what is the purpose of the myelin sheath?

Answer 53

conducts electrical signals more quickly

Question 54

what is located in the axon terminals?

Answer 54

chemical signals in the form of neurotransmitters

Question 55

what is the purpose of the axon?

Answer 55

transmits electrical signals

Question 56

what is the purpose of sensory neurons?

Answer 56

converts environmental energy into a neural signal

Question 57

what are the characteristics of motor neurons?

Answer 57

largest neurons with the longest axons very well myelinated contained in the spinal cord synapse on muscle fibres

Question 58

what are the functions of astrocytes?

Answer 58

help maintain the blood brain barrier cover blood vessels transport nutrients from the blood system into neurons

Question 59

what are the functions of microglial cells?

Answer 59

help recover debris and waste heavily involved in the immune response

Question 60

what are oligodendrocytes?

Answer 60

glial cells with extensions rich in myelin that wrap around the axons of some neurons in the CNS

Question 61

what is the function of schwann cells?

Answer 61

guide axonal regeneration after damage