SRJC Anatomy 1 – Nervous System Study Guide

Fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering major concepts, structures, and functional relationships of the nervous system as outlined in the SRJC Anatomy 1 study guide.

The nervous system collects input, integrates information, and produces output.

sensory; motor

Information flows from neurons to interneurons to neurons.

sensory; motor

The four anatomical organs of the nervous system are the brain, , , and .

spinal cord; nerves; ganglia

A is a bundle of axons in the PNS, whereas a is a bundle of axons in the CNS.

nerve; tract

matter consists mainly of neuron cell bodies, while matter consists mainly of myelinated axons.

Gray; white

carry impulses toward the cell body, while carry impulses away from the cell body.

Dendrites; axons

neurons (afferent) carry information to the CNS, whereas neurons (efferent) carry information away.

Sensory; motor

sensory neurons monitor internal organs, while sensory neurons monitor skin, joints, and skeletal muscles.

Visceral; somatic

General senses are widely distributed, whereas senses are localized to specialized organs.

special

A cluster of neuronal cell bodies in the PNS is a , while in the CNS it is a .

ganglion; nucleus

Axon bundles emerging from the spinal cord are called nerves, whereas those emerging from the brain are called nerves.

spinal; cranial

Axons wrapped in a multilayered lipid sheath are ; axons lacking this sheath are .

myelinated; unmyelinated

Cerebral gyri and sulci serve to increase .

surface area

Neurons are excitable cells, whereas provide support and protection.

neuroglia

A neuron with one axon and one dendrite is structurally classified as .

bipolar

The connective-tissue sheath essential for regeneration of damaged PNS axons is the .

neurolemma (Schwann cell sheath)

The butterfly-shaped gray matter of the spinal cord is organized into anterior, lateral, and posterior .

horns

The five components of a reflex arc are receptor, sensory neuron, integration center, neuron, and .

motor; effector

A reflex is the response itself, while a is the neural pathway that mediates it.

reflex arc

Each spinal nerve is formed by the union of a dorsal root and a ventral root.

sensory (posterior); motor (anterior)

The connective tissue sheath covering the entire nerve is the .

epineurium

An area of skin supplied by a single spinal nerve is called a .

dermatome

A is a complex network of ventral rami of spinal nerves.

plexus

The four major nerve plexuses are cervical, , , and .

brachial; lumbar; sacral

The sheath enables saltatory conduction and increases the speed of nerve impulse conduction.

myelin

In the autonomic nervous system, the two-neuron chain consists of and neurons.

preganglionic; postganglionic

Somatic motor pathways involve motor neuron(s) between CNS and effector, whereas autonomic pathways involve .

one; two

The sympathetic division is also called the division due to its thoracolumbar outflow.

thoracolumbar

The parasympathetic division is known as the division because of its craniosacral outflow.

craniosacral

The integrates and coordinates autonomic nervous system functions.

hypothalamus

The is a modified sympathetic ganglion that releases epinephrine and norepinephrine into the blood.

adrenal medulla

Divergent preganglionic fibers facilitate activation of effectors in the sympathetic nervous system.

mass

Expansion of the telencephalon forms the cerebral hemispheres and the ventricles.

lateral

The hippocampus, amygdala, and cingulate gyrus are parts of the system.

limbic

The activating system maintains cortical alertness and consciousness.

reticular

Cranial nerves III, IV, and VI collectively innervate muscles.

extrinsic eye

Cranial nerves carrying only sensory information include I, II, and .

VIII

Cranial nerves that carry parasympathetic fibers are III, VII, IX, and .

X

The restricts passage of many substances from the blood into brain tissue.

blood brain barrier

cushions the brain and circulates in ventricles and subarachnoid space.

Cerebrospinal fluid

corpuscles detect deep pressure and vibration, whereas corpuscles detect light touch.

Pacinian; Meissner's

The corticospinal pathway is also called the tract and controls voluntary motor activity.

pyramidal

The dorsal column pathway transmits touch, vibration, and proprioception.

fine (discriminative)

The pathway carries pain and temperature sensations to the thalamus.

spinothalamic

The precentral gyrus of the frontal lobe contains the cortex.

primary motor

The postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe contains the cortex.

primary somatosensory