Bio Lecture Mock Exam Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards based on the bio lecture mock exam.

Absolute Refractory Period

The period when a neuron cannot initiate another action potential, regardless of stimulus strength.

Arbor vitae

Part of the cerebellum.

Bell’s Palsy

Dysfunction of the facial nerve (CN VII).

Blood-Brain Barrier

Maintained by astrocytes.

Brachial Plexus

Supplies nerves to the upper limbs.

Brainstem

Includes the pons, medulla oblongata, and midbrain.

Broca’s Area

Critical for speaking.

Cell bodies of preganglionic neurons of the sympathetic nervous system

Located in the lateral horn of the spinal cord.

CN I (Olfactory Nerve)

Responsible for smell.

CN IX

Glossopharyngeal nerve.

CN VI

Controls lateral eye movement.

CN VII (Facial Nerve)

Primarily involved in facial expressions.

CN VIII (Vestibulocochlear Nerve)

Involved in balance and hearing.

CN X

Vagus nerve.

Columns in the Spinal Cord

Bundles of nerve fibers (white matter) in the spinal cord.

Commissures

Connects left and right sides of the CNS.

Continuous Propagation

Occurs in unmyelinated axons.

Depolarization

Making the inside of the cell less negative.

Dorsal Ramus

Carries mixed fibers to/from the back.

Ependymal Cells

Produce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Falx Cerebri

Separates the two cerebral hemispheres.

Filum Terminale

Anchors the spinal cord to the coccyx.

Correct Flow of CSF

Lateral ventricles → Third ventricle → Fourth ventricle → Subarachnoid space.

Primary Function of the Thalamus

Relay sensory and motor signals.

Golgi Tendon Organs

Tension detectors in tendons.

Hypoglossal Nerve (CN XII)

Controls swallowing and tongue movements.

Hypothalamus Functions

Regulates thirst, controls body temperature, and controls hunger.

Medulla Oblongata

Responsible for heart rate and breathing regulation.

Microglia

Immune defense cells of the CNS.

Olfactory Cortex

Processes smell.

Oligodendrocytes

Produce myelin in the CNS.

Loss of Neurons in the Substantia Nigra

Leads to Parkinson’s disease.

Phrenic Nerve

Controls the diaphragm (breathing).

Primary Motor Cortex

Located in the frontal lobe.

Proprioceptors

Detects body position.

Reflexes

Fast, automatic responses to stimuli.

Schwann Cells

Produce myelin in the PNS.

Spatial Summation

Several neurons firing at once on one target.

Special Senses

Include taste, smell, and balance.

Spinal Levels That Do NOT Form Plexuses

Thoracic spinal nerves.

Spinal Reflex Arc

Includes a sensory receptor, sensory neuron, and motor neuron.

Subarachnoid Space

Contains CSF.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Functions to fight or flight.

Voltage-Gated Channel

Opens in response to electrical changes (voltage).

Cell bodies of preganglionic neurons of the autonomic nervous system

Located in the anterior horn of the spinal cord