Neurons

CNS; brain and spinal cord

PNS; input and output pathways (everything else)

Sensory System; input

Motor System; output (all three muscles)

Somatic nervous system; controls skeletal muscle (voluntary)

Autonomic nervous system; controls smooth and cardiac muscle (involuntary)

Parasympathetic; “resting and digesting”, normal body functions

Sympathetic; “fight or flight”, alert system

Neuroglia/glial cells; specialized cells allowing CNS to perform functions

Astrocytes; metabolic, structural support cells (CNS)

Microglia; attack microbes, remove debris (CNS)

Ependymal Cells; job of epithelial cells (CNS)

Oligodendrocytes; hold nerve fibers together, make myelin (CNS)

Schwann Cells; make myelin (PNS)

Satellite cells; support cells (PNS)

Neurons; transmit messages (carry out all functions)

Neuromuscular junction; receiving cell in skeletal muscle

Sensory; input, afferent, skin→spinal cord

Motor; output, efferent, spinal cord→muscles

Interneurons/Association neurons; carry info b/w sensory and motor neurons

Excitable cells; carry electrical charge at rest

Resting potential; negative charge, polarized

Depolarization; neuron becomes less negative

Repolarization; becomes more negative again, returning to rest

Hyperpolarized; becomes more negative than resting state

Refractory period; cannot accept another stimulus when correcting the concentrations of Na and K

Action potential; series of changes in charge

Local potential; size or amount of stimulus determines excitement of cell

Impulse conduction; impulse travels from cell body→axon→terminal

Speed of impulse conduction; presence of myelin sheath, diameter of axon

Multiple Sclerosis; myelin destroyed, impulse is slow→impossible

Guillain-Barre Syndrome; ascending paralysis from attack on myelin, acute, plateau, recovery phases (usually temporary)

Chemical synapse; neurotransmitters carry info from one cell to another

Gap junctions; allow ions to move directly from one cell to the next

Meninges; protective membrane (CNS)

Dura mater; outer layer, thick, fibrous (CNS)

Arachnoid mater; middle layer, wispy, delicate, collagen and elastic fibers (CNS)

Pia mater; innermost layer, fused to neural tissue (CNS)

Fissure; deep grove

Sulcus; shallow grove

Dorsal column tract; fine-touch, vibration

Spinothalamic; temperature, pain, crude touch

Spinocerebellar; posture, position

Corticospinal tract; brain→motor neurons in ventral horn of spinal cord

Corticobulbar tract; brain→motor neurons in brain stem

Reticulospinal + rubrospinal tract; higher brain→brain stem, coordinate mvmts.

Reflexes; simplest motor output, involuntary

Vestibular reflex; keeps you upright

Startle reflex; jump at loud sounds

Cerebrum;largest part of brain

Frontal lobe; motor function, behavior, judgment, emotions, memory storage, thinking, smell, speech

Parietal lobe; body sense, perception, language

Occipital lobe; interprets vision

Temporal lobe; hearing, taste, language comprehension, integration of emotions

Insula; autonomic functions

Cerebellum; sensory/motor coordination/balance

Midbrain; relays sensory/motor information

Pons; relays sensory/motor information: role in breathing

Medulla Oblongata; regulates vital functions of heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, reflex center for coughing, sneezing, swallowing, vomiting

Meningitis; infection of meninges; headache, fever, stiff neck, untreated: seizures, coma, death

Hematoma; pool of blood b/w meninges and skull

Primary motor cortex; map of each area of the body dedicated to motor function

Hands, lips, head; larger to show they require more coordinated mvmts.

Broca’s area; controls mvmts. associated with speech

Wernicke’s area; understanding of language

Corpus callosum; communication between right and left (day-to-day activities)

Diencephalon; thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal body

Cerebellum; fine-tunes voluntary skeletal muscle activity, helps in maintenance of balance

Thalamus; relays/processes info going to cerebrum

Hypothalamus; regulates hormone levels, temp, water balance, thirst, appetite, pleasure, fear, pituitary gland, endocrine system

Pineal body; responsible for secretion of melatonin (body clock)

Pituitary gland; secretes hormones

Somatic sensory system; sensory input

Somatic sensation; sense of touch

Somatic motor system; voluntary

Somatic system; controls skeletal muscles

Autonomic system; involuntary muscles: blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, digestion, sweating

Ganglion; group of nerve cell bodies (CNS)

Postganglionic neuron; second motor neuron

Sympathetic; fight or flight, more/up

Parasympathetic; resting and digesting, decreased/calm down