Nervous Tissue

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary related to Chapter 12: Nervous Tissue, including definitions for important terms and concepts pertinent to understanding the nervous system.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord, enclosed in bony coverings.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

A subdivision of the nervous system that consists of nerve bundles and ganglia.

Afferent Division

The sensory division that carries information from receptors to the CNS.

Efferent Division

The motor division that carries commands from the CNS to effectors like muscles and glands.

Neuroglia

Supportive cells in the nervous system that outnumber neurons and provide various functions.

Neurons

Specialized cells that transmit nerve impulses and are responsible for the functional activities of the nervous system.

Excitability

The ability of neurons to respond to stimuli.

Conductivity

The production of traveling electrical signals between cells.

Action Potentials

Electrical signals that neurons produce to communicate.

Myelin Sheath

An insulating layer around nerves, which speeds up the transmission of electrical signals.

Schwann Cells

Neuroglia in the PNS that form a myelin sheath around nerve fibers.

Oligodendrocytes

Neuroglial cells in the CNS that myelinate several axons.

Interneurons

Neurons confined to the CNS that process information and form connections between sensory and motor pathways.

Regeneration Tube

Structure formed by Schwann cells during nerve regeneration that guides regrowth to original cells.

Fight or Flight Response

The reaction driven by the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system.

Rest and Digest Response

The reaction driven by the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system.

Neurilemma

The outermost layer of a Schwann cell that surrounds the myelin sheath in PNS.