Nervous System Overview Quiz

The brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system (CNS), responsible for processing and coordinating information.

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes all nerves outside the CNS, acting as communication lines between the CNS and the rest of the body.

Sensory neurons carry information from the body's senses to the CNS. Think of them as messengers from your 5 senses.

Motor neurons transmit signals from the CNS to muscles, causing movement. Think of them as the brain's command center.

Interneurons connect and process information between sensory and motor neurons within the CNS. Think of them as connectors and analysts.

A collection of neurons with a shared function within the central nervous system (CNS).

A bundle of axons that share origins, destinations, and functions within the CNS.

The electrical difference between the inside and outside of a neuron at rest, maintained by the sodium-potassium pump.

A change in the neuron's membrane potential that makes it more positive, often due to sodium ions entering the cell.

A change in the neuron's membrane potential that makes it more negative, often due to potassium ions leaving the cell.

A type of synapse that releases acetylcholine as its neurotransmitter.

A type of synapse that releases norepinephrine.

A type of synapse that releases dopamine.

The spreading of information from one neuron to several others.

The process where several neurons send information to a single neuron.

The central part of a neuron containing the nucleus and other organelles.

A type of neuroglia in the central nervous system that forms the myelin sheath around axons, providing insulation and speeding up signal transmission.

The long, slender projection of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body.

Type of neuroglia that support and protect neurons in the central nervous system; they help form the blood-brain barrier.

Branching extensions of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons.

Movement of the action potential along the axon, facilitated by the opening of voltage-gated sodium channels, creating a chain reaction of depolarization.

Type of propagation where the action potential travels along the entire surface of the axon, occurring in a series of small steps.

Type of propagation where the action potential jumps between gaps in the myelin sheath, called nodes of Ranvier.

The space between two neurons where communication occurs using chemical signals.

The primary motor cortex, located in the precentral gyrus, is responsible for directing voluntary movements, allowing us to control our body's actions.

The primary sensory cortex, located in the postcentral gyrus, receives sensory information such as touch, pain, pressure, and temperature from our body.

The categorical hemisphere usually resides in the left hemisphere and handles language-based skills and general interpretations. This includes understanding and producing language, reading, and mathematical reasoning.

The representational hemisphere, usually located in the right hemisphere, specializes in spatial reasoning, understanding relationships between objects, and processing visual information.

The thalamus acts as a relay center for sensory information from the body to the cerebral cortex, connecting sensory pathways to the brain's conscious awareness.

A region of the body surface monitored by a pair of spinal nerves; it's like a dedicated area controlled by a specific nerve pair.

A complex interwoven network of nerves, forming pathways for communication between the brain and the body. Examples include the cervical, brachial, lumbar, and sacral plexuses.

An automatic, involuntary motor response to a specific stimulus. Think of it as a rapid reaction without conscious control, like a knee-jerk response.

A reflex arc where the sensory neuron directly synapses onto the motor neuron, resulting in quick and simple responses. Example: patellar reflex.

A reflex arc with at least one interneuron between the sensory and motor neuron, leading to a more complex response and longer delay. Examples: flexor reflex, withdrawal reflex.

The central canal, containing cerebrospinal fluid, and motor nuclei (gray matter) surround the sensory nuclei (gray matter), which consist of ascending and descending axons. A thick layer of white matter covers the gray matter, with axons organized into bundles with specific functions.

The cerebrum is responsible for conscious thought, intellectual activity, memory, and generating complex movements.

The highly folded surface of the cerebral cortex has elevated ridges (gyri) and shallow depressions (sulci), which increase its surface area and processing power.

Cerebrospinal fluid, produced by the choroid plexus, circulates through the ventricles and central canal, subarachnoid space, and into the bloodstream. It can be accessed through a lumbar puncture.

The brain stem, composed of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata, connects the brain to the spinal cord and is responsible for vital functions like breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Cranial nerves are 12 pairs of nerves that originate directly from the brain, not the spinal cord. They are responsible for controlling sensory and motor functions of the head, face, and neck.

The cranial nerves control various functions like smell, sight, eye movement, facial expression, taste, hearing, balance, swallowing, and autonomic regulation of organs.

The PNS transmits sensory information, such as touch, temperature, and pain, from the body to the CNS. This is achieved through sensory neurons that carry signals from receptors to the brain and spinal cord.

The PNS transmits motor commands, such as muscle contractions and gland secretions, from the CNS to the body. This is done through motor neurons that carry signals from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands.

A complex network of interwoven nerves, forming important connections in the body.

An automatic, involuntary response to a stimulus. It involves a simple pathway called a reflex arc.

The simplest reflex arc, involving a direct connection between a sensory neuron and a motor neuron. An example is the knee-jerk reflex.

A reflex arc with at least one interneuron between the sensory neuron and motor neuron, resulting in a longer delay and more complex response. An example is the withdrawal reflex.

A type of withdrawal reflex that involves flexing a limb to remove it from a painful stimulus.