Neural Signaling and Regulation

These flashcards cover the key concepts from the lecture on neural signaling and regulation, essential for understanding the structure and function of the nervous system.

Nerve cells (neurons) receive signals at their and pass these along the for rapid communication.

dendrites; axon

Afferent (sensory) nerves carry signals to the or nervous system.

brain; central

An action potential is an electrical signal that moves along the _.

axon

At rest, a nerve has a negative charge inside and a _ charge outside, known as resting membrane potential.

positive

Depolarization triggers the flow of out of the neuron, leading to and adjacent depolarization.

K+; repolarization

Transmission across synapses can be electrical or can be via molecules called .

chemical; neurotransmitters

The action of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in muscles, is blocked by a neurotoxin from _ botulinum, leading to flaccid paralysis.

Clostridium

The autonomic nervous system governs involuntary body functions, divided into and divisions which have opposite effects.

sympathetic; parasympathetic

Sensory pathways have four functions in common: Reception, Transduction, Transmission, and _.

Perception

Sensory transduction is the conversion of stimulus energy into a change in the _ potential of a sensory receptor.

membrane