Untitled Flashcards Set

Nervous System Overview

1. Central Nervous System (CNS): "Core control" – brain and spinal cord.

2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): "Peripheral pathways" – connects CNS to the body.

Types of Neurons

3. Sensory Neuron: "Senses signal" – carries info to CNS.

4. Motor Neuron: "Motor moves" – sends commands to muscles/glands.

5. Interneuron: "Internal link" – bridges sensory and motor neurons.

Parts of a Neuron

6. Neuron: "Neural unit" – the basic nerve cell.

7. Cell Body (Soma): "Support hub" – holds the nucleus.

8. Dendrite: "Data branches" – receive signals.

9. Axon: "Action line" – sends signals away.

10. Myelin Sheath: "Speed layer" – speeds up signal transmission.

11. Node of Ranvier: "Signal jump" – gaps in myelin for faster conduction.

12. Axon Terminal (End Buttons): "Signal stop" – releases neurotransmitters.

Synaptic Transmission

13. Synapse: "Signal space" – where neurons connect.

14. Presynaptic Membrane: "Pre-release" – sends neurotransmitters.

15. Postsynaptic Membrane: "Post-receive" – receives neurotransmitters.

16. Synaptic Vesicle: "Signal pack" – stores neurotransmitters.

17. Neurotransmitter: "Neural messenger" – chemical signal carrier.

18. Reuptake: "Recycle it" – reabsorbs neurotransmitters.

19. Enzymatic Deactivation: "Chemical cleanup" – breaks down neurotransmitters.

Neuron Activity

20. Resting Potential: "Ready to fire" – neuron at rest.

21. Action Potential: "Signal spike" – an electrical impulse.

22. Depolarization: "Less negative" – signal activation phase.

23. Hyperpolarization: "More negative" – inhibits firing.

24. Threshold of Excitation: "Trigger point" – voltage needed to fire.

25. All-or-None Law: "Full send or none" – fires completely or not at all.

Glial Cells (Support Cells)

26. Astrocyte: "Star helper" – provides nutrients and cleans debris.

27. Oligodendrocyte: "Many myelin maker" – creates myelin for CNS axons.

28. Schwann Cell: "Single wrapper" – creates myelin for PNS axons.

29. Microglia: "Tiny cleaners" – removes waste and fights invaders.

Chemical Processes

30. Sodium-Potassium Pump: "Ion balancer" – maintains neuron charge.

31. Ion Channel: "Selective gate" – allows ions to pass through.

32. Electrostatic Pressure: "Charge attraction" – opposites attract, likes repel.

33. Diffusion: "Spread out" – molecules move to lower concentration.

Receptors and Ligands

34. Ligand: "Lock key" – binds to receptors.

35. Ionotropic Receptor: "Fast gate" – directly opens ion channels.

36. Metabotropic Receptor: "Signal relay" – triggers a slower chain reaction.

37. G-Protein: "Message helper" – relays receptor signals.

Synaptic Potentials

38. Excitatory Postsynaptic Potential (EPSP): "Go signal" – excites neuron to fire.

39. Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential (IPSP): "Stop signal" – inhibits neuron from firing.

Integration

40. Neural Integration: "Sum it up" – combines inputs to decide firing.This process is crucial for determining whether the neuron reaches the threshold potential necessary for action potential generation.