Untitled Flashcards Set

Sensory system

A system that receives information from the environment through senses and sends it to the brain, functioning in a bottom-up manner (afferent).

Motor system

A system that sends signals from the brain to muscles to produce movement, functioning in a top-down manner (efferent).

Sensorimotor system

Integrates sensory information and motor output, allowing for coordinated movement and predictive adjustments by the brain.

Proprioception

The body's ability to sense its position in space; a vital component of the sensory system.

CNS

Central Nervous System, consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

PNS

Peripheral Nervous System, including all nerves outside the CNS.

Afferent fibers

Nerve fibers that carry sensory signals towards the CNS.

Efferent fibers

Nerve fibers that carry motor commands away from the CNS.

Meningitis

Inflammation of the meninges, which can be caused by bacterial or viral infections.

Glia Cells

Supportive cells in the nervous system that assist in various functions, including myelin production in CNS (oligodendrocytes) and PNS (Schwann cells).

Myelin

An insulating layer that forms around nerves in the brain and spinal cord, crucial for rapid electrical impulse transmission.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

An autoimmune disease affecting myelin in the CNS, leading to various neurological symptoms.

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the PNS that controls involuntary bodily functions, with further divisions into sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

Signal transduction

The process of converting sensory stimuli into electrical signals.

Thalamus

A relay station for sensory information, regulating consciousness, alertness, and sleep.

Tonic receptors

Slow-adapting receptors that respond continuously for the duration of a stimulus.

Phasic receptors

Fast-adapting receptors that respond quickly to changes in stimuli but adapt to a constant stimulus.

Action Potential

A rapid electrical signal generated when a neuron is depolarized beyond its threshold potential.

Golgi tendon organ

A sensory receptor located in tendons that detects tension and protects against excessive force.

Muscle spindle fibers

Sensory receptors that detect changes in muscle length and the rate of that change.

Cerebellum

The part of the brain responsible for motor control, balance, and coordination.

Basal Ganglia

A group of structures involved in the initiation and modulation of voluntary movement.

Homunculus

A map of body parts represented in the brain, particularly in the primary motor and somatosensory cortex.

Vestibular system

The system that contributes to balance, spatial orientation, and the sense of motion.

Central nervous system (CNS) components

Includes the brain and spinal cord and their protective coverings.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) components

Encompasses all nerves that are not part of the CNS, including sensory and motor pathways.

Ventricles

Cavities in the brain that produce and contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

CSF Functions

Cerebrospinal fluid reduces friction, provides buoyancy, and protects the brain.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals across the synapse from one neuron to another.

Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)

A hyperpolarization of the postsynaptic membrane that decreases the likelihood of an action potential.

Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)

A depolarization of the postsynaptic membrane that increases the likelihood of an action potential.