M1: Neural Functioning

Question 1

Neurons

Answer 1

cells in the nervous system responsible for information transmission

Question 2

Glial Cells

Answer 2

cells int he nervous system responsible for support, feeding, recycling, development, etc

Question 3

Ribosomes

Answer 3

organelles in a cell that are the site of protein production, crucial to much neural functioning

Question 4

Mitochondria

Answer 4

organelles in a cell that are the source of energy (ATP) to power active (rather than passive) functions in cell

Question 5

Dendrites vs Axon

Answer 5

Processes (branches) of a neuron that receive the incoming message vs the one that releases the outgoing message

Question 6

Concentration vs Electrical Gradient

Answer 6

Difference in the amount of a given chemical inside/outside a cell vs a difference in charge inside/outside a cell

Question 7

Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl-

Answer 7

Symbols for 4 key elements in neural functioning - including 3 positive ions and 1 negative ion

Question 8

Resting Potential (-70mV)

Answer 8

Name for AND amount of difference in charge inside/outside cell, in millivolts (mV), in polarized cell ready to fire

Question 9

Sodium-potassium pump

Answer 9

Energy-requiring pump that helps restore membrane potential after cell fires

Question 10

Action Potential

Answer 10

A sequence of depolarization that moves along an axon, resulting in the all-or-nothing release of NT’s

Question 11

Axon Hillock

Answer 11

section of axon where depolarization sequence begins

Question 12

Graded Potential

Answer 12

A greater or lesser change in the polarity of a neuron that results in a greater or lesser release of NT

Question 13

Ionic Conduction vs Electrical Conduction

Answer 13

Propagation of info down an axon by way of chemical gates opening/closing vs by flow of electrons

Question 14

Saltatory Conduction

Answer 14

“Jumping” electrical conduction that occurs in myelinated axons

Question 15

Myelination

Answer 15

Glia cells wrapping around sections of an axon to insulate it and speed its information transmission

Question 16

Nodes of Ranvier

Answer 16

gaps between myelin sheaths on an axon

Question 17

Multiple Sclerosis

Answer 17

disease that destroys myelin; no ion gates under sheath so neurons cannot fire

Question 18

Refactory Period

Answer 18

pewriod follwoing an action potential during which the cell cannot (or is more difficult to) fire

Question 19

Synapse

Answer 19

The event in which one cell releases NT and that NT affects another cell

Question 20

Synaptic Cleft

Answer 20

the gap between cells across which NT Passively floats

Question 21

Pre-synaptic Cells vs Post-Synaptic Cells

Answer 21

the cell that releases the NT vs the cell that receives the NT

Question 22

Pre-synaptic terminal

Answer 22

the end of the axon from which NT is released, also called “button” or “end bulb”

Question 23

Vesicles

Answer 23

Packets of NT released by a neuron

Question 24

Exocytosis

Answer 24

the release of NT into cleft via its packet opening at a Fusion Pore in the cell’s membrane

Question 25

Receptor Site

Answer 25

area, usually on a dendrite, that is specialized for the attachment of NT

Question 26

EPSP (excitatory post-synaptic potential) vs IPSP (inhibatory post-synaptic potential)

Answer 26

an increase vs a decrease in a cell's likelihood of releasing a neurotransmitter

Question 27

Hyper- vs hypo-polarization

Answer 27

less polarized, less difference between inside of a cell and outside of cell vs more difference

Question 28

Summation

Answer 28

cumulative effect of the activity of multiple pre-synaptic cells; can be temporal or spatial

Question 29

Ionotropic vs Metabotropic

Answer 29

when NT has direct effect on ion channels in postsynaptic vs indirect effects via internal metabolic processes

Question 30

Second Messenger

Answer 30

Chemical in postsynaptic cell involved in energy-requiring processes (including altering ion channels) triggered by NT

Question 31

Neurotransmitters vs Neuromodulators

Answer 31

chemical released by presynaptic cells that directly affect local postsynaptic cell vs ones that widely influence neural activity

Question 32

Agonist vs Antagonist

Answer 32

chemical (endogenous or man-made) that acts to faciliate vs to reduce the effects of specific NT's

Question 33

Reuptake

Answer 33

Process by which NT's or their components re-enter the presynaptic cell for re-use

Question 34

Acetylcholinesterase

Answer 34

enzyme in cleft that breaks down acetylcholine

Question 35

auto-receptors

Answer 35

site on presynaptic terminal that reacts to that cell's own NT, usually acting to turn off/down that cell's further NT release

Question 36

Axoaxonic Synapses

Answer 36

synapses at a presynaptic terminal that reacts to NT from another cell, excitatory or inhibitory