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The Cell > The Brain and Nervous System > Flashcards

The Brain and Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

Why is nervous system needed

A
  • communication between organisms
  • controls functions of the organism
  • regulates responses
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2
Q

Neurons

A
  • never cells capable of producing and transmitting electrical impulses
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3
Q

Anatomy of a neuron

A
  • Soma
  • Dentrites
  • Axon
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4
Q

Soma

A
  • neuronal cell body
  • contains nucleus
  • site of protein synthesis
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5
Q

Dendrites

A
  • many per neuron
  • receive incoming inputs from other neurons
  • converge on the soma
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6
Q

Axon

A
  • single axon carries impulse to next neuron in series
  • axon terminal branches into many terminal boutons
  • insulated with fatty coating termed the myelin sheath
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7
Q

Synapses

A

connection between neurons

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8
Q

how many neurons in human brain

A

100 billion

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9
Q

What does neurotransmitter removal ensure

A

that nervous system signalling is rapid and dynamic

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10
Q

how many mechanisms - removal of neurotransmitter from synapse

A

3

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11
Q
  1. removal of neurotransmitter
A

neurotransmitters can be returned to axon terminals for reuse or transported into glial cells

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12
Q
  1. removal of neurotransmitter
A

enzymes inactivate them

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13
Q
  1. removal of neurotransmitters
A

can diffuse out of the synaptic cleft

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14
Q

Divergence of signal

A

synapse expands signals throughout the nervous system

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15
Q

Convergence of signal

A

synapse expand signals specifically down a certain nerve tract

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16
Q

Afferent neurons (incoming neurons)

A
  • carry information from periphery into nervous system
  • convert sensory info into action potential
    = use specialised receptors to do this
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17
Q

Efferent neurons

A
  • carry commands from nervous system to effectors
  • glands, muscles
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18
Q

Interneurons

A
  • form connections and circuits between neurons
  • connect afferent - efferent
  • increase complexity of NS
    -involved in storing info
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19
Q

What is withdrawal reflex

A
  • simplest form
  • involves 1 afferent, 1 efferent and 1 interneuron
    -only requires impulse through spinal cord
  • facilitates rapid response, termed spinal reflex
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20
Q

Nerve net

A
  • neural network
  • simple
  • small numbers of connected neurons
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21
Q

Nervous system

A
  • complex
  • Hughe numbers of cells connected
  • often contains many sub-divisions and components
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22
Q

Ganglia

A

paired or grouped neurons

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23
Q

ganglion

A

singular neuron

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24
Q

Function of glial cells

A
  • support and hold neuron in place
  • supply nutrients/O2
  • insulate neurons electrically
  • protect from pathogens
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25
What are glial cells
cell that support neurons
26
Types of glial cells
- Astrocytes (CNS) - Schwann cells (PNS) - Oligodendrocytes (CNS) - Microglia
27
Astrocytes (CNS)
- star shaped - BBB - protects brain from toxins in blood - role in inflammatory response in brain - control and coordinate the glial cells
28
The Blood Brain Barrier
- made up of cell membranes - permeable to fat soluble substances
29
Schwann cells (PNS)
- rich in lipid and produce myelin - wrap around axons (myelin sheath) - gives white appearance - myelin provides electrical insulation - enhances speed - saltatory conduction
30
Oligodendrocytes (CNS)
- myelin producing cell in CNS - highly branched - single ODC produces myelin for several axons
31
What is Multiple Sclerosis
disease of the myelin - immune system destroys the sheath
32
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis
- pins and needles - loss of motor function - visual disturbance
33
Central nervous system
- myelinating cell = oligodendrocyte = single oligodendrocyte to many axons
34
Peripheral nervous system
- myelinating cell = Schwann cell = single axon to many Schwann cells
35
Microglia
- small, immune cells - act as phagocytes - primary immune defence in CNS - work closely with astrocytes to protect neurons
36
Why is microglia so important
as few antibiotics cross the BBB
37
How can the PNS have the capacity to repair itself
contains few specialised support cells - glial cells promote axon growth
38
why can't the CNS repair itself
Glial cells form a physical and chemical barrier to prevent regrowth
39
Brain stem
controls basic, autonomic functions
40
Cerebellum
integrates sensory and motor movements (precision)
41
Cerebrum
complex behaviour, emotions, learning, memory
42
Hindbrain
Cerebellum, pons and medulla
43
Ponds and medulla
- connects spinal cord and brain - control involuntary functions - breathing = hindbrain
44
Midbrain
- sensory inputs - mainly vision and olfaction
45
Telencephalon
cerebrum - 2 hemispheres - complex array of lobes - perception, learning, memory, conscious behaviour
46
The forebrain
Telencephalon, Diencephalon
47
Diencephalon
Thalmus, Hypothalamus
48
Thymus
final sensory relay between spinal cord and forebrain
49
Hypothalamus
regulates many function like temperature, thirst, hunger
50
The corpus callosum
divides the two hemispheres and allows communication between the two
51
What is the outer region of the cerebral hemisphere
cerebral cortex
52
what is the cerebral cortex
grey matter - forms layer over brain surface
53
What are the ridges called in brain tissue
gyri
54
What are the valleys called in Brian tissue
sulci
55
Brain and spinal cord are divided into what two matters
white and grey matters
56
what is grey matter in the cerebral hemisphere
mainly neuronal cell bodies
57
what is white matter in the cerebral hemisphere
mainly axons - myelin gives white appearance
58
The lobes of the cerebrum
Temporal Frontal Parietal Occipital
59
Anatomy of lobes of the cerebrum
Boxing glove Thumb - temporal Curled fingers - frontal Back of had - parietal Wrist - occipital
60
contralateral control
right hemisphere controls left side of the body left hemisphere controls right side of the body
61
Temporal lobe
- role in auditory processing - recognition and naming objects/ faces
62
What is it called when the temporal lobs is damaged
agnosia
63
agnosia
aware of objects but can't name them
64
Frontal lobe
stimulation of specific areas - specific muscles contract
65
what separates frontal lobe from parietal lobe
central sulcus
66
other functions of frontal lobe
personality planning social conscience awareness
67
What is the primary motor cortex
strip of frontal cortex in front of central sulcus
68
Who was Phineas gage
- construction worker in 1848 - survived explosion = rod through his frontal = became unrecognisable
69
Parietal lobe
stimulation of specific areas - touch, lips, fingers, gentiles
70
primary somatosensory cortex
strip of parietal cortex behind central sulcus
71
somatosensory
relates to sensory inputs
72
Motor
relates to movement of body parts
73
What does disproportionate representation relate to
Degree of fine motor control Degree of touch sensitivity
74
Contralateral neglect syndrome
damage to right parietal lobe
74
Contralateral neglect syndrome
damage to right parietal lobe
75
What does PET scanning stand for
Positron Emission Tomography
76
What is PET scanning
Radioactive substance injected and detected as it passes through the brain = allows detection of active areas in the brain
77
Language processing - speaking a written word
1. words detected by visual cortex 2. processed - Wernickes area 3. transmitted to Brocas area 4. Brocas area stimulates motor cortex to speak word
78
Language processing - speaking a heard word
1. words detected by auditory cortex 2. processed by Wernicke area 3. transmitted to brocas area 4. brocas area stimulates motor cortex to speak word

The Cell (18 decks)

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