Podcast
Questions and Answers
What component of the nervous system is primarily responsible for voluntary muscle control?
What component of the nervous system is primarily responsible for voluntary muscle control?
What is the primary function of the midbrain?
What is the primary function of the midbrain?
Which part of the brain is referred to as the 'little brain'?
Which part of the brain is referred to as the 'little brain'?
Which structure of a neuron receives incoming signals?
Which structure of a neuron receives incoming signals?
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What function does the hypothalamus NOT perform?
What function does the hypothalamus NOT perform?
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What type of neurons carry information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system?
What type of neurons carry information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system?
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The autonomic division of the PNS primarily controls which of the following?
The autonomic division of the PNS primarily controls which of the following?
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Which brain structure acts as an integrating center as well as a relay station?
Which brain structure acts as an integrating center as well as a relay station?
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What does the behavioral state system regulate?
What does the behavioral state system regulate?
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Which structure is NOT part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?
Which structure is NOT part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?
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What characteristic is true of peripheral sensory neurons?
What characteristic is true of peripheral sensory neurons?
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What characterizes Alzheimer's Disease?
What characterizes Alzheimer's Disease?
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Which condition primarily affects sensory and somatic motor neurons?
Which condition primarily affects sensory and somatic motor neurons?
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Which of the following best describes interneurons?
Which of the following best describes interneurons?
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Which function is not typically associated with the diencephalon?
Which function is not typically associated with the diencephalon?
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What is the primary function of the cell body of a neuron?
What is the primary function of the cell body of a neuron?
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Which disease is linked to the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons?
Which disease is linked to the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons?
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What type of tissue bundles the long axons of both afferent and efferent peripheral neurons?
What type of tissue bundles the long axons of both afferent and efferent peripheral neurons?
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What is the role of sensory neurons in relation to external stimuli?
What is the role of sensory neurons in relation to external stimuli?
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What role does the sensory system play in the brain?
What role does the sensory system play in the brain?
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What is the primary function of an axon?
What is the primary function of an axon?
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Which glial cell type is responsible for forming myelin in the peripheral nervous system?
Which glial cell type is responsible for forming myelin in the peripheral nervous system?
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During the generation of an action potential, which step follows the activation of sodium channels?
During the generation of an action potential, which step follows the activation of sodium channels?
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What is the function of astrocytes in the central nervous system?
What is the function of astrocytes in the central nervous system?
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What is the role of the synaptic cleft?
What is the role of the synaptic cleft?
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In which part of the neuron are polyribosomes found, allowing for protein synthesis?
In which part of the neuron are polyribosomes found, allowing for protein synthesis?
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Which of the following describes the function of dorsal roots in the spinal cord?
Which of the following describes the function of dorsal roots in the spinal cord?
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What strategy is used to transport proteins synthesized in the rough endoplasmic reticulum to the axon?
What strategy is used to transport proteins synthesized in the rough endoplasmic reticulum to the axon?
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Which type of ion channels respond specifically to extracellular neurotransmitters?
Which type of ion channels respond specifically to extracellular neurotransmitters?
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Which part of the brain acts as a relay station for information between the cerebellum and cerebrum?
Which part of the brain acts as a relay station for information between the cerebellum and cerebrum?
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Study Notes
Nervous System Overview
-
Composed of two main parts:
- Central Nervous System (CNS): Brain and spinal cord
- Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Everything else, including nerves and ganglia
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PNS subdivided into:
- Sensory (afferent) neurons: Carry information toward the CNS
- Motor (efferent) neurons: Carry information from the CNS
- Somatic motor division: Controls skeletal muscles
- Autonomic division: Controls smooth and cardiac muscles, glands (exocrine and some endocrine), and some adipose tissue (visceral nervous system)
Neurons
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Carry electrical signals
- Dendrites: Receive incoming signals
- Axon: Carries outgoing information
- Cell body: Contains the nucleus and other organelles, essential for protein synthesis, but outside the direct path of signals
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Types of neurons;
- Peripheral sensory neurons: Pseudounipolar, with cell bodies near the CNS and long processes extending to receptors
- Interneurons: Located entirely within the CNS, often with complex branching to communicate with other neurons
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Axon hillock: Specialized region of the cell body where the axon originates
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Axon Terminal: Contains mitochondria and vesicles with neurocrine molecules, transmits outgoing electrical signals to the end of the axon.
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Synapse: Region where an axon terminal meets its target cell
- Presynaptic cell: Neuron delivering the signal
- Postsynaptic cell: Cell receiving the signal
- Synaptic cleft: The narrow space between the two cells
Glial Cells
- Support and protect neurons
- PNS: Schwann cells and satellite cells
- CNS: Oligodendrocytes, microglia, astrocytes, and ependymal cells
- Schwann cells: Form myelin sheaths around axons in the PNS, speeding signal transmission, have Nodes of Ranvier
- Satellite cells: Non-myelinating, forming capsules around nerve cell bodies
- Oligodendrocytes: Form myelin sheaths around axons in the CNS
- Astrocytes: Abundant in the brain, regulate extracellular environment (e.g., K+ uptake), part of the blood-brain barrier
- Microglia: Specialized immune cells; remove damaged cells and foreign invaders
- Ependymal cells: Form epithelial layer (ependyma) separating fluid compartments
Action Potential Generation
- Main steps:
- Graded depolarization brings membrane to threshold
- Sodium channel activation
- Sodium influx: Further depolarization
- Sodium channel inactivation
- Potassium channels open: Repolarization
- Temporary hyperpolarization
- Sodium channels return to normal
- Types of ion channels (mechanically gated, chemically gated, voltage-gated)
Spinal Cord
- Integrating center for simple reflexes
- Major pathway for information between brain and body (skin, joints, muscles)
- Dorsal roots: Sensory input
- Dorsal root ganglia: Contain sensory neuron cell bodies
- Ventral root: Motor output
- White matter: Tracts of axons (ascending – sensory; descending – motor; propriospinal – within cord)
Brain Stem
- Includes midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata
- Medulla oblongata: Controls involuntary functions (e.g., breathing, blood pressure)
- Pons: Relay station for cerebellum and cerebrum, breathing coordination
- Midbrain: Control of eye movement, auditory and visual reflexes
Cerebellum
- "Little brain"
- Coordinates movement
Diencephalon
- Contains centers for homeostasis
- Thalamus: Sensory relay station, integrates information
- Hypothalamus: Maintains homeostasis, regulates body temperature, osmolarity, reproductive functions, hunger & thirst, interacts with the limbic system, cardiovascular function, hormones, etc
Brain Functions
- Receives, integrates, processes sensory information to create a response; includes sensory, cognitive, behavioural state systems.
Pathophysiology
- Guillain-Barré syndrome: Rare paralytic condition
- Alzheimer's disease: Neurodegenerative disorder
- Parkinson's disease: Movement disorder due to dopamine neuron degeneration
- Multiple sclerosis (MS): Autoimmune disease damaging myelin sheath.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the structure and function of the nervous system, including the central and peripheral components. Understand the roles of various types of neurons and their subdivisions. This quiz will challenge your grasp of important concepts related to signaling and muscle control.
