Nervous System Flashcards
(20 cards)
What are the two parts of the nervous system?
CNS and PNS
What does the CNS include?
Brain and spinal cord
What does the PNS include?
Nerves (somatic and autonomic)
What does the somatic nervous system control?
Voluntary actions, like skeletal muscles
What does the autonomic nervous system control?
Involuntary actions (glands, heart, smooth muscle)
Name the main function of the nervous system.
Sense, process, and respond
What is a neuron?
A nerve cell that sends electrical signals
Name two types of glial cells.
Astrocytes and microglia
What makes myelin in the CNS?
Oligodendrocytes
What makes myelin in the PNS?
Schwann cells
What is resting membrane potential (RMP)?
-70 mV (inside of neuron is negative)
What causes depolarization?
Sodium ions (Na+) rushing into the cell
What causes repolarization?
Potassium ions (K+) leaving the cell
What is the threshold for an action potential?
-55 mV
What is saltatory conduction?
Action potential jumps between nodes of Ranvier, faster signal
What is a reflex?
Fast, automatic response to a stimulus
What are the 5 steps of a reflex arc?
Stimulus → sensory neuron → CNS → motor neuron → response
Name a neurotransmitter.
Acetylcholine (ACh), dopamine, or norepinephrine
What is a nociceptor?
A pain receptor
What is proprioception?
Awareness of body position (sensed by proprioceptors)
