Neur200 UMD Exam 1

autonomic nervous system

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles

enteric nervous system

The nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract. It controls secretion and motility within the Gi tract, and is linked to the central nervous system.

central nervous system

consists of the brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

nervous system cell types

neurons and glial cells

CNS processing

Information processing occurs at every relay synapse. Sensory information may be distributed to multiple nuclei and centers in the spinal cord and brain

Microbiome

all of the microorganisms that live in a particular environment, such as a human body

vagus nerve

the tenth cranial nerve that innervates digestive organs, heart and other areas

brain

The mass of nerve tissue that is the main control center of the nervous system

sympathetic nervous system

a set of nerves that prepares the body for action in challenging or threatening situations

parasympathetic nervous system

a set of nerves that helps the body return to a normal resting state

skull

cranium

dura mater

thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord

arachnoid mater

middle layer of the meninges

subarachnoid space

a space in the meninges beneath the arachnoid membrane and above the pia mater that contains the cerebrospinal fluid

pia mater

thin, delicate inner membrane of the meninges

meninges

three protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

plasma-like clear fluid circulating in and around the brain and spinal cord

CSF functions

buoyancy, protection, chemical stability

stem cells

unspecialized cells that are able to renew themselves for long periods of time by cell division

neurogenesis

the development of new neurons

Hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

syncytium

A large multinucleate cell, typically formed by the fusion of many smaller cells during development (e.g. a skeletal muscle cell), or formed by nuclear division in the absence of cellular division.

Neuron Doctrine

The hypothesis that the brain is composed of separate cells that are distinct structurally, metabolically, and functionally.

Neuron vs. Nerve

- neuron - a single cell
- nerve - a large bundle of many different axons from different neurons

Glia

cells found throughout the nervous system that provide various types of support for neurons

Glia functions

provide support, structure, and nourishment for neurons; participate in communication

intracellular homeostasis

Gradients of ions/metabolites along cellular membrane

extracellular homeostasis

A constant glomerular filtration rate allows the kidneys to make filtrate and maintain _____________ _____________.

blood-brain barrier

Blood vessels (capillaries) that selectively let certain substances enter the brain tissue and keep other substances out

Dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

L-dopa

A drug for Parkinson's disease that contains the precursors to dopamine so that once it is in the brain, it will be converted to dopamine.

immune system

A system (including the thymus and bone marrow and lymphoid tissues) that protects the body from foreign substances and pathogenic organisms by producing the immune response

footplates

astrocytes

Brain metabolism

[bioenergetics and regulation of metabolism] uses glucose except in prolonged starvation where it uses ketolysis

Glucose

the form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues. When its level is low, we feel hunger.

myelin sheath

A layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.

Ventricles

Lower chambers of the heart

cerebral aqueduct

connects the third and fourth ventricles

choroid plexus

A highly vascular portion of the lining of the ventricles that secretes cerebrospinal fluid.

neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

unipolar, bipolar, multipolar

structural classification of neurons

synapse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

presynaptic terminal

(end bulb or bouton) point where an axon releases chemicals

postsynaptic

referring to the region of a synapse that receives and responds to neurotransmitter

Dendrite

the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

dendritic spines

short outgrowths that increase the surface area available for synapses

Soma

cell body of a neuron

Axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

Information flow in a neuron

dendrite, cell body, axon, terminal

spinal cord

Nerves that run up and down the length of the back and transmit most messages between the body and brain

spinal nerves

31 pairs of nerves arising from the spinal cord

dorsal and ventral roots

fuse laterally to form spinal nerves

dorsal root ganglia

contain cell bodies of sensory neurons

afferent, efferent

Some ___ neurons are specialized to detect stimuli, whereas ____ neurons send signals to the effectors of the nervous system.

Interneurons

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

Caudal/Rostral

toward the tail, away from the head

medial/lateral

toward the midline/away from the midline

dorsal/ventral

backside/belly side

ipsilateral/contralateral

same side/opposite side

sagittal, frontal, transverse

3 body planes

bilateral symmetry

Body plan in which only a single, imaginary line can divide the body into two equal halves.

nucleus

A part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction

Brainstem

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions

Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

Pons

A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain

Midbrain

A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory information and relays it upward.

Diencephalon

thalamus and hypothalamus

Telencephalon

cerebrum

Thalamus

the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

Hypothalamus

A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

Lobes of the brain

frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal

subcortical structures

areas of the forebrain housed under the cerebral cortex near the very center of the brain

association cortex

regions of the cerebral cortex that integrate simpler functions to perform more complex functions

cognitive skills

A leader's ability to understand the internal and external environments, make decisions with sound reasoning, and communicate effectively

control of attention

the increasing ability to tune into certain stimuli, while tuning out others

prefrontal cortex

part of frontal lobe responsible for thinking, planning, and language

orbital cortex

part of the brain in which the combination of odor and taste information helps create the perception of flavor

Phineas Gage

railroad worker who survived a severe brain injury that dramatically changed his personality and behavior; case played a role in the development of the understanding of the localization of brain function

Hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

limbic system

neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

Amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

insula

regions of cortex located at the junction of the frontal and temporal lobes

anterior cingulate gyrus

brain region involved in the supervisory attentional system that inhibits automatic responses and selects the correct response

gyrus, sulcus, fissure

bump, groove, deeper groove

reptilian brain

The Portion of the brain that controls vital functions like heart rate, breathing, body temperature and balance. (medulla, pons, cerebellum, midbrain, globus pallidus, and olfactory).

Cerebellum

A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills.

basal ganglia

a set of subcortical structures that directs intentional movements

Parkinson's disease

A disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement, often including tremors.

colliculi (superior and inferior)

two paired bumps on back of midbrain containing the visual and auditory reflex centers

substantia nigra

An area of the midbrain that is involved in motor control and contains a large concentration of dopamine-producing neurons

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

Grey and white matter

Area of the Spinal Cord (as seen in cross-section) consisting of soma vs. myelinated axons

precuneus

visual spatial processing

cortex

outermost covering of the brain consisting of densely packed neurons, responsible for higher thought processes and interpretation of sensory input

cerebral hemispheres

The right and left halves of the cerebrum.

contralateral neglect

A disturbance of the patient's ability to respond to visual, auditory, and somatosensory stimuli on the side of the body opposite to a site of brain damage, usually the left side of the body following damage to the right parietal lobe.

short range signals

EPSP, IPSP

long-range signals

AP