Key Terms in Nervous System Anatomy

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following correctly describes the function of the sympathetic nervous system?

It controls the normal, resting state of the body.

It is the main component of the spinal cord.

It is responsible for arousing the body's fight-or-flight response. (correct)

It regulates the self-regulated actions of internal organs and glands.

What is the approximate weight of the human spinal cord?

1 kg

100 g

35 kg

35 g (correct)

How are most of the neurons within the brain's gray matter classified?

Neuroglia

Sensory neurons

Motor neurons

Interneurons (correct)

What is the best description of a myelin sheath's chief role within the nervous system?

To speed up the transmission of nerve impulses along the axon. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the function of astrocytes?

Filtering chemicals and pathogens from the blood to protect neurons. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key difference between neurons and neuroglia cells?

Neurons perform communication and processing, while neuroglia provide support and protection. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of motor neurons?

To transmit signals to muscles and glands. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Where does the exchange of information between two neurons take place?

Synapse (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which cells primarily function to protect the brain by attacking and destroying pathogens?

Microglia (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of ependymal cells within the brain?

To produce cerebrospinal fluid (D) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of brain anatomy, what are gyri?

Bumps or ridges on the surface of the brain (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which phrase best describes the primary function of white matter in the brain?

To act as the information highway by connecting different parts of the brain (A) Signup and view all the answers

What type of neurons primarily constitute the grey matter of the brain?

Interneurons (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of network neuroscience?

To understand networks across different spatial and temporal scales (C) Signup and view all the answers

How does immunohistochemistry contribute to the study of brain tissue?

By using antibodies to show where specific proteins are located (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the key difference between optogenetics and chemogenetics?

Optogenetics uses light-activated ion channels and chemogenetics uses modified neurotransmitter receptors (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly represents the hierarchical organization of the nervous system?

Molecules, cells, cell groups, major brain divisions (A) Signup and view all the answers

What are the main structural components of a neuron?

Dendrites, axons, and synapses (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of topographic projections in the brain?

To connect neighboring neurons in one area to neighboring neurons in another (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of divergence in neural circuits?

To transmit information from one neuron to several other neurons (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes a convergence circuit?

It involves several neurons sending signals to a single neuron (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of negative feedback loops in neural circuits?

The forward connection is excitatory while the backward is inhibitory (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the principal function of positive feedback loops within neural circuits?

To maintain neural activity by counteracting inhibition (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the general statement about how neural circuits are connected according to the summary?

Neural circuits feature converging, diverging, and reciprocal connections (B) Signup and view all the answers

What behavior is exhibited in the flametouching example that demonstrates two reflexes in a child?

Reaching for the flame (A) Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of brain organization is considered to be broadly conserved across species?

Higher levels of nervous system organization (C) Signup and view all the answers

How do brains evolve in relation to the distance of species' relatedness?

Distantly related species usually exhibit more dissimilarity in nervous systems (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant factor that differentiates neurons from one another?

The combination of genes they express (B) Signup and view all the answers

What modern view of brain organization includes additional pathways besides long and short reflex arcs?

Looping pathways and central pattern generators (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Nervous System Terms

CNS: Central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
PNS: Peripheral nervous system (nerves connecting the body to the CNS)
Autonomic: Controls self-regulated actions of internal organs and glands
- Sympathetic: "Fight or flight" response
- Parasympathetic: "Normal body state," calming response
Spinal cord: Slender structure supporting the brain
Brain: Weighs about 35g and extends halfway down the vertebral canal

Brain Anatomy and Physiology

Brain Size/Weight: Elephants have larger brains physically, but proportionally, not necessarily more complex brains.
Neurons: 100 billion neurons in the brain
Neuroglia to Neuron Ratio: Less than 1:1
Synapses: 1,000 to 10,000 per neuron
Brain Composition: 75% water, 60% white matter and 40% gray matter.
Cerebrum: Makes up 85% of the brain
Brain Cells: Neurons and neuroglia. Neurons communicate throughout the brain.
Sensory Neurons: Transmit information about the body and surroundings to the brain.
Interneurons: Integrate and process information in the brain.
Motor Neurons: Transmit signals from the brain to muscles and glands.

Neuron Structure and Function

Axon Collaterals: Major axon branches
Myelin Sheath: Fatty insulation surrounding axons that increases signal speed
Axons: Transmit signals away from the cell body
Dendrites: Receive signals from other neurons
Synapse: Junction of neurons where signals pass. Neurons exchange information at synapses

Neuroglia (Glial Cells)

Astrocytes: Filter nutrients from blood and prevent harmful chemicals from entering
Oligodendrocytes: Produce myelin insulation for faster signal transmission
Microglia: Similar to white blood cells, attacking and destroying pathogens
Ependymal Cells: Produce cerebrospinal fluid, protecting the brain and spinal cord

Brain Structure

Sulcus: Grooves (shallow depressions) in the brain
Gyrus: Bumps (raised areas) in the brain
Grey Matter: Primarily composed of unmyelinated neurons, involved in processing and transmitting signals
White Matter: Composed of myelinated neurons, acts as highways for signal transmission between brain regions. Contains axon dendrites

Brain Function and Organization

Topographic projections: Neighboring neurons in one brain region often connect to neighboring neurons in another region.
Divergence: allows information processed by one neuron to be distributed to multiple neurons
Convergence: allows information from different neurons to be integrated into a single neuron.

Brain Circuits

Axonal pathways: Often exhibit a topographic organization; often diverge and converge
Negative Feedback Loops: (excitatory forward, inhibitory backward) regulate excitatory activity
Convergence/Divergence: Allows neurons to be involved in more complex computations

Brain Development and Evolution

Functional decomposition: Identifying functions of the nervous system and their relationships
Neuropsychology: Focuses on understanding mechanisms of the mind
Neuroethology: Aims to understand the neural basis of behavior in animals

Brain Study Methods

Neurologists: Focus on understanding the mechanisms of the mind
Network neuroscience: Broad approach to studying how different networks are organized over varying spatial/temporal scales, bridging biology and behavior

Brain Structure and Function: Hierarchy and Reciprocity

Sensory hierarchy: Primarily and higher sensory cortices
Motor hierarchy: Primary and higher motor cortices
Association cortices: Regions not clearly sensory or motor (involved in integrating info across multiple senses)
There are connections between sensory and motor hierarchies at multiple levels.

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Description

This quiz explores essential terms and concepts related to the structure and function of the nervous system, including the central and peripheral nervous systems, brain anatomy, and neuron composition. Test your knowledge on how these elements interact to support bodily functions.