neuro test 1 study

Rene Descarte

________ was the first to suggest that the brain was the organ that controlled the body.

Oligodendrocytes

________: Form the myelin segments on neural axons; keeps neurons in place.

cell body

The ________ (soma) is the main part of the neuron, where the nucleus and most other organelles are.

Satellite cells

________: probably metabolic support, but newly discovered and still learning about.

Johannes Muller

________ determined that nerves are capable of sending only one type of message, a binary one: on or off; he also began to collect data via experimental ablation (the systematic removal of brain parts to determine the effect on behavior)

Ependyma

________: form the lining of ventricles and fluid chambers; cilia create flow in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)

Neoteny

________: delayed adolescence and a notably juvenile shape to the adult human head allow for longer brain development and a larger brain cavity compared with our cousins the chimps and gorillas.

Microglia

________: immune cells, that destroy bacteria and viruses.

PNS

________= peripheral nerves; composed of bundles of axons surrounded by multiple layers of connective tissue; interspersed in these bundles are the blood vessels that feed the nerves.

Spinal cord

________: spans from the brain down through the vertebral column, connecting the brain to the peripheral nerves.

Nerves

________ are large bundles of individual neurons.

Tight junctions

________: capillaries in the brain are composed of a single layer of epithelial cells just like capillaries in the rest of the body, but their cell membranes overlap, forming a(n) ________ through which it is more difficult for materials to pass.

Perineurium

________ surrounds nerve fasicles.

Myelin

________ is a fatty substance that insulates neural axons and increases signal speed.

Endoneurium

________ surrounds individual nerves.

Luigi Galvani

________ determined that the nerves of the nervous system communicate via electrical impulse.

Astrocytes

________: these cells serve as "filters "through which materials must pass as they diffuse from blood to ________ to neuron.

Paul Broca

________ used human subjects who had brain damage of some kind to study brain regions and determined that certain regions of the brain were responsible for specific functions; discovered and named Brocas area.

blood brain barrier

The ________ is not a single structure but a way that capillaries are organized differently in the brain than elsewhere.

Glial cells

________ are "helper "cells- they support neurons but can not receive or send messages themselves.

obstetrical dilemma

The ________: the evolution of upright posture demands that human pelvises be relatively narrow, which limits the width of the birth canal, though human infant heads are quite large to accommodate the large brains, which leads to difficult, painful, and dangerous childbirth.

Sensory neurons

________: respond to external changes (i.e.

nervous system

Functions of the ________: sense changes in the external environment and respond to those changes.

Characteristics of the right hemisphere

does not understand language, does recognize faces

Characteristics of the left hemisphere

contains the two primary language processing centers (Brocas and Wernickes areas), as well as the seat of consciousness (??)

Johannes Muller determined that nerves are capable of sending only one type of message, a binary one

on or off; he also began to collect data via experimental ablation (the systematic removal of brain parts to determine the effect on behavior)

Neoteny

delayed adolescence and a notably juvenile shape to the adult human head allow for longer brain development and a larger brain cavity compared with our cousins the chimps and gorillas

The obstetrical dilemma

the evolution of upright posture demands that human pelvises be relatively narrow, which limits the width of the birth canal, though human infant heads are quite large to accommodate the large brains, which leads to difficult, painful, and dangerous childbirth

Functions of the nervous system

sense changes in the external environment and respond to those changes

Brain

composed of 100 billion neurons as well as many glial cells

Spinal cord

spans from the brain down through the vertebral column, connecting the brain to the peripheral nerves

Organs

Brain, brainstem, nerves, spinal cord

Cells

Glia and neurons

Sensory neurons

respond to external changes (i.e

Glial cells are "helper" cells

they support neurons but cannot receive or send messages themselves

Oligodendrocytes

Form the myelin segments on neural axons; keeps neurons in place

Schwann Cells

Each cell forms one myelin segment

Satellite cells

probably metabolic support, but newly discovered and still learning about

Tight junctions

capillaries in the brain are composed of a single layer of epithelial cells just like capillaries in the rest of the body, but their cell membranes overlap, forming a tighter junction through which it is more difficult for materials to pass

Astrocytes

these cells serve as "filters" through which materials must pass as they diffuse from blood to astrocyte to neuron

Exceptions

there are regions of the brain whose job it is to monitor the blood for toxins, hydration levels, sugar levels, etc

EEG: electroencephalogram Pros

Noninvasive, Cheap, Easily accessible

EEG: electroencephalogram Cons

Images are an average of activity, no specific targeting

PET: Positron emission tomography Pros

Detect and view real-time brain activity, High resolution

PET: Positron emission tomography Cons

Radiation exposure, Expensive

CT: computed tomography Pros

fast, relatively cheap, Good soft tissue imaging

CT: computed tomography Cons

X-ray exposure, Can't see specific brain activity

MRI: magnetic resonance imaging Pros

Can see brain activity, no radioactivity

MRI: magnetic resonance imaging Cons

Expensive, Takes a long time, Some are very uncomfortable

Tasks of the nervous system 

• Conduct messages between the brain and the body

• Generate sensation

• Create motion in the muscles

• Regulate autonomic functions

  • Heart and breathing

  • Digestion

  • Menstrual cycle