Neurotransmission and Neural Circuits

Spinal Cord Function

• The ventral side of the spinal cord primarily conveys motor information.
• The ventral horns of the thoracic spinal cord are small compared to other regions due to the lack of complex movements in the thorax/upper abdomen.

Thoracic Spinal Cord Function

• The ventral horns of the thoracic spinal cord are responsible for motor information transmission to the thorax/upper abdomen.
• The thoracic spinal cord region is expected to have prominent reflexes related to breathing and digestion.

Grey and White Matter

• Grey matter in the spinal cord is primarily responsible for processing and integrating information.
• White matter is composed of myelinated axons that transmit information.

Nervous System Components

• Ganglia are typically located within the peripheral nervous system.
• Ascending tracts in the spinal cord carry sensory information towards the brain.
• A neuron is distinguished from a nerve by its ability to integrate and process information.
• Afferent division of the peripheral nervous system conveys sensory information from the periphery to the central nervous system.
• Somatic senses are related to the perception of the body's position and movement.
• Voluntary motor output is controlled by the central nervous system and leads to actions that are under conscious control.
• Motor neurons in the peripheral nervous system carry information from the central nervous system to the muscles.

Brain Function

• The cerebrum is responsible for processing and integrating sensory information, as well as controlling movement, posture, balance, and motor learning.
• The brain stem is responsible for processing information related to blood gas levels and blood pH.
• The cerebellum is responsible for controlling movement, posture, balance, and motor learning.

Reflex Arc

• The dorsal roots are associated with the afferent division of the spinal cord.
• The peripheral nervous system is a major regulator of subconscious activity and reflexes.
• Sensory neurons differ from motor neurons and interneurons in their morphology, having a single axon that transmits information from the periphery to the central nervous system.
• The proportion of grey and white matter changes at different levels of the spinal cord.

Swallowing Reflex Arc

• The soft palate is involved in detecting changes in length during the swallowing reflex arc.
• Efferent nerves are involved in transmitting motor information to the muscles during the swallowing reflex arc.
• The integrating center of the swallowing reflex arc is responsible for processing and integrating sensory information.
• Afferent sensory neurons in the swallowing reflex arc are responsible for detecting changes in the environment.

Signal Transduction

• The type of stimulus a transduction channel can transduce is determined by the specific channel's properties.
• The number of dendrites on a neuron relates to its signal reception capability, with more dendrites allowing for greater signal reception.

Feedback Systems

• Negative feedback systems aim to maintain homeostasis in the human body.
• Feedforward systems are designed to anticipate and prepare for changes in the environment.

Body Fluids

• The internal environment of the body is composed of interstitial fluid, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid.

Nervous System Divisions

• The peripheral nervous system primarily deals with the processing and integration of afferent information.
• The two major divisions of the peripheral nervous system are the somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
• The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary responses like heart rate and digestion.

Brain Regions

• The thalamus is responsible for processing and integrating sensory information in the diencephalon.
• The cerebrum is responsible for regulating conscious activity.