Unit 5 Exam Review - BSC2085C

A series of vocabulary flashcards covering the anatomy and physiology of the spinal cord, spinal nerves, and sensory systems based on Chapter 14 and Chapter 16 lecture review materials.

Spinal Nerve Pairs

There are a total of $31$ pairs of these located in the human body.

Spinal Nerve Counts

The standard distribution includes $8$ pairs of cervical, $12$ pairs of thoracic, $5$ pairs of lumbar, $5$ pairs of sacral, and $1$ pair of coccygeal nerves.

Femoral Nerve

The specific nerve that innervates the quadriceps muscles.

Sciatic Nerve

Identified as the longest and thickest nerve in the human body.

Median Nerve

The nerve responsible for the condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Phrenic Nerve

The nerve responsible for the innervation of the diaphragm.

Conus Medullaris

The tapered, inferior end of the spinal cord.

Plexuses

Nerve networks that are composed of anterior rami.

Posterior Rami

Structures that innervate the deep muscles and the skin of the posterior trunk.

Posterior Root

The part of the spinal nerve structure that carries sensory information.

Ascending Pathways

These are classified as sensory pathways.

Descending Pathways

These are classified as motor pathways that terminate at effectors.

Spinal Nerves Composition

These are mixed nerves, meaning they contain both sensory and motor fibers.

Anterior Horn

The location within the spinal cord where the cell bodies of motor neurons are found.

Gray Commissure

The structure that connects the left and right halves of the spinal cord.

White Matter

In the spinal cord, this substance surrounds the gray matter.

Lateral Funiculus

A region of the spinal cord that contains both ascending and descending tracts.

Posterior Gray Horns

The location where the axons of sensory neurons and the cell bodies of interneurons are found.

Reflex Event Sequence

The chronological order of a reflex: stimulus activates receptor, impulse travels through sensory neuron to CNS, information is processed by interneurons, motor neuron transmits impulse to effector, and finally the effector responds.

Filum Terminale

An extension of the pia mater that anchors the spinal cord to the coccyx.

Epidural Space

The space associated with the spinal cord containing areolar connective tissue, blood vessels, and adipose connective tissue.

Proprioceptors

Receptors that detect body movements, limb movements, and stretch.

Nociceptors

Specialized receptors that detect pain sensations.

Chemoreceptors

Receptors designed to detect specific molecules.

Filiform Papillae

The specific type of papillae on the tongue that lack taste buds.

Olfactory Receptors

The type of neurons that function as receptors for the sense of smell, classified as bipolar neurons.

Cones

Photoreceptors that provide sharp color vision and are found in their greatest concentration in the fovea centralis.

Rods

Photoreceptors that allow for vision in dim light.

Transducer

A device or biological structure that changes energy from one form to another.

Vitreous Humor

The jelly-like fluid found in the posterior cavity of the eye.

Hearing Chronology

The sequence of hearing: tympanic membrane vibrates, ossicles vibrate, pressure waves from the oval window travel through the scala vestibuli, and spiral organ hair cells convert the stimulus to a nerve impulse.

Optic Disc

The specific part of the retina that is devoid of photoreceptors.

Gustatory Pairings

Correct pairings of tastes and their triggers include Acid (hydrogen ions), Bitter (alkaloids), Salty (metals like sodium), Sweet (sugars), and Umami (glutamate and aspartate).

Iris

The structure in the eye that helps control the size of the pupil.

Fibrous Tunic

The outer layer of the eye consisting of the sclera and the cornea.

Photoreceptor Light Response

When light strikes a photoreceptor, it hyperpolarizes and releases less neurotransmitter.

Rhodopsin Light Response

When light strikes this pigment, retinal is converted from cis to trans, and the retinal and opsin disassociate.

Pigmented Layer of Retina

The structure in the eye that provides Vitamin A for photoreceptor cells.

Eyebrows

Structures that function in facial expressions and prevent sweat from entering the eye.

Auditory (Eustachian) Tube

A tube that functions to equalize air pressure between the atmosphere and the middle ear.

Sensation

The conscious awareness of incoming sensory information.

Olfactory Hairs

Structures found at the apical surface of olfactory neurons.