Fundamentals of the Nervous System

Which function of the nervous system involves gathering information via sensory receptors about internal and external changes?

What is the primary function of the integration center within the nervous system?

If a person touches a hot stove, which division of the nervous system is responsible for transmitting the signal from the skin to the spinal cord?

What is the main role of the motor (efferent) division of the peripheral nervous system?

Which of the following best describes the function of somatic sensory fibers?

What is the primary distinction between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems?

Which of the following is an example of a function controlled by the autonomic nervous system?

What physiological response is characteristic of the sympathetic nervous system?

Which of the following is a characteristic of nervous tissue?

What is the primary function of neuroglia?

Which type of neuroglial cell is responsible for forming the myelin sheath in the central nervous system (CNS)?

What is the role of ependymal cells in the central nervous system?

Which of the following is a primary function of astrocytes?

Which neuroglia can transform to phagocytize microorganisms and neuronal debris?

Which of the following best describes the function of satellite cells?

What is the primary function of Schwann cells (neurolemmocytes)?

Which characteristic is unique to neurons?

What does it mean when neurons are described as amitotic?

Where are most neuron cell bodies located?

What is the primary function of the neuron cell body (soma)?

What is the term for clusters of neuron cell bodies in the CNS?

What term describes bundles of neuron processes in the PNS?

Which part of the neuron is the main receptive region?

Where is the axon hillock located and what is its significance?

What is the functional significance of the axon terminal (terminal bouton)?

What is the function of the axolemma?

What is the difference between anterograde and retrograde movement in an axon?

Which of the following best describes the composition and function of the myelin sheath?

What is the function of myelin in myelinated nerve fibers?

What are myelin sheath gaps (nodes of Ranvier)?

How does myelination differ between the PNS and the CNS?

Which structural class of neurons is most common in the body and a major neuron type in the CNS?

Where are bipolar neurons typically found?

Sensory neurons are functionally classified as:

Which structural type of neuron is predominantly found as interneurons?

Based on function, how are motor neurons classified?

Which type of neuron lies between motor and sensory neurons, shuttling signals through CNS pathways?

Approximately what percentage of the body's neurons are classified as interneurons?

How does the presence of myelin sheaths affect the color of brain and spinal cord regions?

Which of the following best describes the structural arrangement of myelin sheaths in the CNS?

How do drugs typically influence the nervous system according to the 'Why This Matters' introduction?

What is the functional relationship between sensory input, integration, and motor output in the nervous system?

What distinguishes the central nervous system (CNS) from the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

How do somatic and autonomic nervous systems differ in terms of their control over effector organs?

In what key way do the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system interact?

How do neuroglia and neurons differ in their primary functions within nervous tissue?

What is the primary role of astrocytes among the neuroglia of the CNS?

How do ependymal cells contribute to the function of the CNS?

Why is the myelin sheath important for neuron function and what are its constituents?

How do oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells differ in their myelination functions?

What are myelin sheath gaps and their role in nerve signal transmission?

What structural feature defines unipolar neurons, and where are these neurons typically located?

How do the structural characteristics of a neuron (e.g. multipolar, bipolar, unipolar) relate to its primary function?

What is the significance of the axon hillock in a neuron?

What are the different types of neuron processes?

How is voltage, as it relates to neurons, best described?

In the context of electrical principles in neurons, what characterizes resistance?

According to Ohm's law, how are current, voltage, and resistance related?

Which feature is characteristic of leakage channels?

What causes chemically gated channels to open?

How do mechanically gated channels operate to transport ions?

When gated channels open, what primarily drives the movement of ions across the membrane?

What measurable characteristic defines the voltage of a cell's membrane?

What maintains the ionic composition differences between intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF)?

In a neuron, which ion is at a higher concentration within the intracellular fluid (ICF) compared to the extracellular fluid (ECF)?

How does the permeability of the plasma membrane contribute to the resting membrane potential?

How does the sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+ ATPase) stabilize the resting membrane potential?

How is depolarization defined in the context of membrane potential?

How does hyperpolarization affect the likelihood of generating an impulse?

What characteristic defines graded potentials?

What effect does a stronger stimulus have on graded potentials?

What is the primary feature of action potentials that makes them crucial for long-distance communication?

What is another term for action potential?

Which best describes the state of voltage-gated Na+ and K+ channels during the resting state of a neuron?

What occurs when a neuron reaches the threshold potential?

What is the role of $Na^+$ channel inactivation gates during repolarization?

What primarily leads to the hyperpolarization phase following an action potential?

Why does the action potential only propagate in one direction?

What is the key difference in how the CNS distinguishes between a weak stimulus versus a strong stimulus?

During the absolute refractory period, what prevents a neuron from generating another action potential?

What is a key feature of the relative refractory period that influences neural excitability?

Which factor will increase the conduction velocity of an action potential?

In myelinated axons, where are the voltage-gated Na+ channels concentrated?

How does saltatory conduction affect the propagation of action potentials?

What are the typical effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) on nerve impulse conduction?

Which nerve fiber group possesses the largest diameter and the fastest transmission speed?

Which best describes Group B nerve fibers?

An anesthetic blocks voltage-gated $Na^+$ channels. What direct effect would this have on neuron function?

How do cold temperatures affect nerve impulse propagation?

What occurs during the depolarization phase of an action potential?

What specific part of the neuron integrates incoming signals to determine if an action potential should be generated?

Where do graded potentials primarily occur?

How do neurons signal the intensity of a stimulus if all action potentials are the same size?

When opposite charges are separated, what form of energy is established?

Which of the following accurately relates voltage to charge difference?

How does resistance affect the flow of electrical charge (current)?

According to Ohm's law, if the resistance is doubled while the voltage remains constant, what happens to the current?

What characteristic differentiates leakage channels from gated channels?

What is the primary difference between chemically gated and voltage-gated channels?

Which gradient primarily drives the diffusion of ions across a membrane when gated channels are open?

What does a voltmeter measure when connected across a neuron's membrane?

If a neuron's resting membrane potential is -70 mV, what does the negative sign indicate?

What two factors generate the resting membrane potential in a neuron?

Which of the following ionic conditions is characteristic of a neuron's resting state?

How does the selective permeability of the plasma membrane contribute to the resting membrane potential?

If a stimulus causes the inside of a neuron to become less negative (more positive), this change in membrane potential is called:

What effect does hyperpolarization have on a neuron's ability to generate an action potential?

What is the main characteristic of graded potentials that distinguishes them from action potentials?

In the context of changing membrane potential, what occurs during depolarization?

What happens to membrane permeability to sodium ($Na^+$) when a neuron reaches threshold?

During repolarization, what is the state of the voltage-gated $Na^+$ channels?

Following an action potential, what primarily causes the hyperpolarization phase?

Why does an action potential only propagate in one direction down the axon?

How does the central nervous system (CNS) differentiate between a weak and strong stimulus?

What occurs during the absolute refractory period?

If a neuron is in the relative refractory period, what condition is most likely to stimulate another action potential?

Which of the following factors increases the conduction velocity of an action potential the most?

In myelinated axons, where are the voltage-gated $Na^+$ channels primarily concentrated?

How does saltatory conduction increase the speed of action potential propagation?

Which of the following is a direct consequence of demyelination in conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS)?

Which nerve fiber group has the fastest conduction velocity?

What characterizes Group B nerve fibers?

What is the primary role of synapses in the nervous system?

How does a presynaptic neuron transmit information to a postsynaptic neuron across a chemical synapse?

Which type of synapse involves direct physical contact between neurons, allowing for rapid electrical communication?

What is the role of voltage-gated $Ca^{2+}$ channels in synaptic transmission?

Which of the following mechanisms is involved in the termination of neurotransmitter effects after it has been released into the synaptic cleft?

What is the definition of synaptic delay and why does it occur?

Neurotransmitter receptors on the postsynaptic membrane cause graded potentials. What primarily determines the strength of these graded potentials?

What distinguishes an excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) from an inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)?

What happens during temporal summation?

What is the mechanism behind spatial summation in neurons?

Synaptic potentiation can increase the efficiency of neural transmission. What cellular mechanism underlies synaptic potentiation?

How does presynaptic inhibition affect synaptic transmission?

Neural integration allows for complex processing of information in the CNS. Why is neural integration essential for proper nervous system function?

Which statement best describes the role of a 'discharge zone' within a neuronal pool?

What is the key feature of serial processing in neural circuits?

What are the five essential components of a reflex arc?

How does parallel processing differ from serial processing in neural circuits?

In a diverging circuit, what is the relationship between the input and output?

What is the primary characteristic of a converging circuit?

What functional role is associated with reverberating circuits?

Which of the following characterizes a parallel after-discharge circuit?

During embryonic development, from which of the following does the nervous system originate?

What role do neurotropins play in the development of neurons?

Roughly what proportion of neurons created die during normal brain development, and what is this process called?

What is the term for the specialized structure at the tip of a growing axon that allows it to interact with its environment?

How do astrocytes support synapse formation?

During which period of life does learning reinforce certain neuronal synapses and prune others?

After birth, most neurons are considered amitotic, but which neuronal populations can continue to divide?

Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from acetic acid and choline, and is degraded by acetylcholinesterase (AChE)?

Which of the following neurotransmitters is classified as a catecholamine?

Which of the following neurotransmitters is considered an amino acid neurotransmitter?

Which class of neurotransmitters includes substance P and endorphins?

Which of the following is a gasotransmitter that is involved in learning and memory as well as brain damage in stroke patients?

Which of the following neurotransmitters acts at the same receptors as THC (the active ingredient in marijuana)?

How is a neurotransmitter's effect determined, and which of the following is an example of its effect?

What is a neuromodulator?

What is the primary action of channel-linked receptors?

G protein-linked receptors are characterized by which of the following?

What is the initial step in the mechanism of G protein-linked receptors?

What crucial role do synaptic vesicles play in the process of chemical synaptic transmission?

What is the functional significance of the synaptic cleft in chemical synapses?

How would the introduction of a substance that significantly reduces the amount of available synaptotagmin affect synaptic transmission?

What is the immediate consequence of neurotransmitter binding to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane?

What is the consequence of blocking voltage-gated calcium channels at the axon terminal of a presynaptic neuron?

What mechanisms contribute to the termination of neurotransmitter effects in the synaptic cleft?

How does synaptic delay impact neural transmission?

What distinguishes electrical synapses from chemical synapses?

Which factor most directly determines whether a postsynaptic potential is excitatory or inhibitory?

How does temporal summation enable a postsynaptic neuron to reach threshold and fire an action potential?

What cellular process underlies synaptic potentiation, enhancing neural transmission efficiency?

Why is neural integration essential for proper nervous system function?

In a simple neuronal pool, how do neurons in the discharge zone differ from those in the facilitated zone?

What is the defining characteristic of serial processing in neural circuits?

What are the five essential components of a reflex arc, in order?

How does parallel processing enhance the speed and efficiency of neural computation?

What is the primary effect of a diverging circuit in neural processing?

What is the defining feature of a converging circuit?

In what functional processes are reverberating circuits primarily involved?

What characterizes a parallel after-discharge circuit?

During embryonic development, from which primary germ layer does the nervous system originate?

Why are neurotropins essential for the development of neurons?

What is the average proportion of neurons that undergo apoptosis during normal brain development and why does it occur?

What is the function of filopodia in a growth cone?

How do astrocytes contribute to synapse formation and function during neuronal development?

How does synaptic pruning contribute to brain development during childhood and adolescence?

Which specific neuronal populations retain the ability to divide postnatally, even though most neurons become amitotic?

How do channel-linked receptors mediate their effects?

In the context of neurotransmitter effects, what is the primary role of a neuromodulator?

How do G protein-linked receptors typically initiate changes within a neuron?

Which action is the initial step in the mechanism of G protein-linked receptors upon neurotransmitter binding?

Which of the following is the correct order of events that occur at a chemical synapse?

What type of synapse has direct physical contact, allowing for rapid electrical communication?

What happens to the impulse frequency when synaptic vesicles exocytose?

Where are neurotransmitters typically received on the postsynaptic neuron?

How does the synaptic cleft ensure unidirectional communication?

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates spatial summation?

If a drug were to block voltage-gated calcium channels on the presynaptic neuron, what would be the most likely direct effect?

In a reverberating circuit, what would be the most likely effect of a drug that blocks neuronal feedback?

How do astrocytes facilitate synapse formation?

How does the action of a neuromodulator differ from that of a typical neurotransmitter?