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Anatomy & Physiology 207 > Introduction to the Nervous System Study Guide > Flashcards

Introduction to the Nervous System Study Guide Flashcards

1
Q

List and define the 3 overlapping functions of the nervous system. Think of an example of each function.

A
  1. Sensory input: information gathered by sensory receptors about internal and external changes
    - Touch, hearing, smell, sight, etc.
  2. Integration: processing and interpretation of sensory input
    - Thinking about something we saw, or how something feels – understanding a coffee we just tasted is hot
  3. Motor output: activation of effector organs (muscles and glands) to produce a response
    - Moving our muscles after receiving signals from CNS/brain
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2
Q

In the nervous system, cells communicate by rapid, specific ______ and ______ signals.

A
  • electrical
  • chemical
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3
Q

What anatomical structures make up the central nervous system

A

brain and spinal cord

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4
Q

What anatomical structures make up the peripheral nervous system

A

Portions of the nervous system outside of the CNS – the nerves extending from the brain and the spinal cord
- Spinal nerves: to/from the spinal cord
- Cranial nerves: to/from the brain
- Ganglia: collections of neuron cell bodies

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5
Q

What are the functions of the CNS

A

Integration and control center, interprets sensory input and dictates motor output based on reflexes, current conditions, and experience

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6
Q

What are the functions of the
PNS

A

Communication lines that link all parts of the body to the CNS

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7
Q

The PNS is divided into the _____ and ______ divisions.

A
  • sensory (afferent)
  • motor (efferent)
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8
Q

function of the sensory division

A

keeps the CNS constantly informed of events going on inside and outside the body

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9
Q

function of the motor division

A

transmits impulses from the CNS to the effector organs (muscles and glands)

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10
Q

What specific types of fibers make up the sensory division

A
  • Somatic sensory fibers: convey impulses from skin, skeletal muscles, and joints to the CNS
  • Visceral sensory fibers: convey impulses from visceral organs to the CNS
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11
Q

What are the 2 divisions of the motor division of the PNS?

A

Somatic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system

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12
Q

Which of division of the PNS is responsible for our voluntary movements? Our involuntary movements?

A
  • Voluntary movements: somatic nervous system
  • Involuntary movements: autonomic nervous system
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13
Q

What structures does the voluntary division innervate? The involuntary?

A
  • Somatic (voluntary) nervous system innervates the skeletal muscle
  • Autonomic (involuntary) nervous system innervates smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands
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14
Q

What are the 2 divisions of the involuntary division?

A

Sympathetic
Parasympathetic

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15
Q

Which division is responsible for “rest and digest”? How about “fight or flight”?

A

Rest and digest: parasympathetic
Fight or flight: sympathetic

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16
Q

What are the 2 major cell types of the nervous system? What is the function of each cell type?

A
  • Neurologia/glial cells: nerve glue – small cells that surround and wrap the delicate neurons while completing other important functions
  • Neurons: excitable nerve cells that respond to stimuli by changing their membrane potential and transmitting electrical signals
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17
Q

Which cell type of the nervous system do we have more of in terms of quantity?

A

Neuroglia outnumber neurons

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18
Q

List the 4 main types of neuroglia in the CNS

A
  • astrocytes
  • microglial cells
  • ependymal cells “wrapping garment”
  • oligodenrodcytes
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19
Q

shape, location, and function of astrocytes

A
  • Shape: sea anemones
  • Location: clings to neurons, synaptic endings, and capillaries
  • Function:
    1. Support and brace neurons
    2. Play a role in exchanges between capillaries and neurons
    3. Guide migration of young neurons and formation of synapses
    4. Control chemical environment around neurons
    5. Recapture and recycle released neurotransmitters
    6. Respond to both nerve impulses and neurotransmitters
    7. Influence neuronal functioning
    8. Participate in information processing in the brain
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20
Q

shape, location, and function of microglial cells

A
  • Shape: small, ovoid cells with thorny processes that touch and monitor the health of nearby neurons
  • Location: migrate towards injured neurons
  • Function: can transform into macrophages to eat up microorganisms and neuronal debris (defensive cells in the CNS)
21
Q

shape, location, and function of ependymal cells

A
  • Shape: range from squamous to columnar, may be ciliated – cilia beat to circulate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
  • Location: line the central cavities of the brain and the spinal column
  • Function: form a permeable barrier between CSF in the cavities and the tissue bathing CNS cells
22
Q

shape, location, and function of oligodendrocytes

A
  • Shape: branched cells but with fewer processes than astrocytes
  • Location and function: line up along thicker nerve fibers in the CNS wrap their processes around to form insulating myelin sheaths
23
Q

Glioblastoma – the most common and aggressive type of primary brain cancer – typically develops in which type of neuroglial cell? In which lobes of the brain?

A
  • Develops in astrocytes
  • Most commonly develops in the frontal or temporal lobes
24
Q

Myelin sheaths in the CNS are formed from ___________.

A

oligodendrocytes

25
Q

Myelin sheaths in the PNS are formed from ___________________________ .

A

schwann cells (neurolemmocytes)

26
Q

What is the primary function of neurons

A

structural units of the nervous system – large highly specialized cells that conduct impulses from one part of the body to another

27
Q

List the 2 major neuroglial cells in the PNS. What are each of their functions?

A
  • Satellite cells
    • Surround neuron cell bodies in the PNS
    • Function similarly to the astrocytes of the CNS
  • Schwann cells
    • Surround all peripheral nerve fibers and form myelin sheaths around the thicker nerve fibers
    • Functional similarly to the oligodendrocytes in the CNS
    • Vital to regeneration of damaged peripheral nerve fibers
28
Q

List the 3 special characteristics of neurons

A
  • Extreme longevity: can function optimally for a lifetime
  • Amitotic: with a few exceptions, neurons cannot be replaced / they can’t divide
  • High metabolic rate: requires continuous supply of oxygen and glucose
29
Q

What are 2 functions of the cell body of a neuron?

A

Receives input from other neurons in its plasma membrane
Biosynthetic and metabolic center of a neuron (synthesizes proteins, membranes, chemicals)
Some contain pigments
Nuclei: clusters of neuron cell bodies in the CNS
Ganglie: clusters of neuron cell bodies in the PNS

30
Q

An arm-like structure that extends from the cell body is called a

A

neuron process.

31
Q

The CNS contains both _________ and their _____________.

A
  • neuron cell bodies
  • processes
32
Q

The PNS contains mostly just neuron __________ .

A

neuron processes

33
Q

What are the 2 types of processes?

A

Dendrites
Axons

34
Q

Define tracts

A

bundles of neuron processes in the CNS

35
Q

define nerves

A

bundles of neuron processes in the PNS

36
Q

What is the function of dendrites? What is the functional importance of having many of them?

A
  • they are the receptive (input) region of the neuron – they provide a big surface area for receiving signals, they convey incoming messages toward the cell body as graded potentials (short distance signals)
  • more dendrites = higher receptive capacity
37
Q

Anatomically, where does the axon start?

A

A cone-shaped area of the cell body called the axon hillock

38
Q

Branches of axons are called _____________. The many branches at the end of axons are called ____________ .

A
  • axon collaterals
  • axon terminals
39
Q

What’s the axolemma? What is its function?

A

The cell membrane of the axon, where nerve impulses that are generated are transmitted along to get to the axon terminal

40
Q

What is secreted from axon terminals? What is the function of neurotransmitters?

A

Axon terminals secrete neurotransmitters into the extracellular space
Neurotransmitters function: excite or inhibit the neurons, muscles, or glands they contact

41
Q

Know that things can be transported along a neuron’s axon. What are the two directions of transport

A
  • Anterograde: away from the cell body
    • Ex. mitochondria, cytoskeletal elements, membrane components (vesicles), and enzymes
  • Retrograde: towards the cell body
    • Ex. organelles to be degraded, signal molecules, viruses, and bacterial toxins
      Used to tell the cell body about conditions in the axon terminals
42
Q

clinical connection to transport along an axon

A

certain viruses and bacterial toxins (like polio, rabies, herpes simplex viruses, tetanus toxins) that damage neural tissues use retrograde axonal transport to reach the cell body

43
Q

What is myelin? What is its functional importance? Are dendrites myelinated

A
  • A white-ish, protein-lipid substance that cover nerve fibers that are long/large in diameter
  • Functions of myelin:
    • protect and electrically insulate the axon
    • Increase the speed of nerve impulse transmission
  • Dendrites are never myelinated
  • Myelinated fibers conduct nerve impulses more rapidly than unmyelinated fibers
44
Q

Define the outer collar of perinuclear cytoplasm/neurilemma.

A

Peripheral bulge containing the nucleus and most of the cytoplasm of the schwann cell

45
Q

Do adjacent Schwann cells touch each other? What do we call the gaps between them?

A

Adjacent schwann cells do not touch each other
Gaps in between schwann cells are called Nodes of Ranvier or myelin sheath gaps

46
Q

In the CNS, regions with dense collections of myelinated fibers are ______ matter.

A

white

47
Q

In the CNS, regions with dense collections of unmyelinated fibers are ________ matter.

A

gray

48
Q

Draw out multipolar, bipolar, and unipolar neuron structure. Which of these is the most common?

A

Most common = multipolar neurons

49
Q

What structure are sensory neurons? Motor neurons? Interneurons?

A

Sensory neurons: unipolar
Motor neurons: multipolar
interneurons : multipolar

Anatomy & Physiology 207 (44 decks)

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