Nervous System Test Flashcards

What are the three main functions of the nervous system?

Sensory, integrative, and motor functions.

What are sensory functions responsible for?

Sensing changes in and around the body.

What do integrative functions do?

Process and analyze sensory information.

What is the primary purpose of motor functions?

Respond to sensory and integrative functions.

What field studies the nervous system?

Neuroscience.

What are the four specific focuses of neuroscience?

Neurology, neurobiology, neurophysiology, and neuroanatomy.

What does the central nervous system (CNS) consist of?

The brain and spinal cord.

What does the peripheral nervous system (PNS) consist of?

Nerves that control sensory functions.

What are the two types of nerves in the nervous system?

Sensory (afferent) nerves and motor (efferent) nerves.

What does the somatic nervous system control?

Skeletal muscle and voluntary movements.

What does the autonomic nervous system regulate?

Smooth and cardiac muscle and involuntary functions.

What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

Sympathetic division and parasympathetic division.

What does the sympathetic division control?

Fight or flight responses.

What does the parasympathetic division control?

Rest and digest functions.

What are the main types of cells in the nervous system?

Neurons and neuroglial cells.

What is the function of neurons?

Direct movement, memory, and sensory information.

What happens to unused neurons?

They undergo apoptosis.

What are dendrites?

Branch-like structures that receive messages in neurons.

What is the role of neurotransmitters?

To tell the next neuron to fire or perform their job.

What is action potential?

The impulse or signal that runs through the neuron.

What is resting membrane potential?

The potential for energy to be relayed, typically around -70 mV.

What happens during depolarization?

The resting potential becomes more positive as sodium rushes into the cell.

What is the function of astrocytes?

Metabolize neurotransmitters and maintain potassium balance in the brain.

What is the function of oligodendrocytes?

Wrap around neurons and secrete myelin for insulation.

What does the cerebellum control?

Skilled activities, posture, and balance.

What is the role of the thalamus in the brain?

It serves as a relay station for sensory signals.

What does the hypothalamus regulate?

Body temperature, hormone concentration, blood pressure, and emotions.

What does the limbic system involve?

Emotional responses and memory.

What is the sclera of the eye?

The white outer layer of the eye.

What is the function of the cornea?

To bend and focus light onto the retina.

What detects color in the eye?

Cones.

What is the purpose of the cochlea?

To transmit sound messages to the temporal lobe.

What causes conductive deafness?

Problems with the machinery of hearing, such as damage to the eardrum.

What is nerve deafness?

A malfunction in the cochlea or neurons, often traditionally unfixable.