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Nervous System Flashcards – Lecture Assignment #3

Question 1: Synapses

Front: What type of synapse uses gap junctions that allow ions to move directly between cells?
Back: Electrical synapse

Front: At a chemical synapse, what ion’s gated channels open in response to an action potential?
Back: Ca²⁺

Front: What does the entrance of calcium ions cause in the axon terminal?
Back: It triggers vesicles to release neurotransmitters into the synapse by exocytosis.

Question 2: Neural Summation

Front: When multiple pre-synaptic neurons signal one post-synaptic neuron at the same time, what occurs?
Back: Spatial summation

Front: When one pre-synaptic neuron fires rapidly, what occurs?
Back: Temporal summation

Front: If all signals are excitatory, what happens?
Back: A large depolarization occurs that can trigger an action potential if threshold is reached.

Front: If most signals are inhibitory, what happens?
Back: Hyperpolarization — makes an action potential less likely.

Question 3–4: Post-Synaptic Potentials

Front: What ions are involved in generating an excitatory post-synaptic potential (EPSP)?
Back: Opening Na⁺ channels (more enters) or closing K⁺ channels (traps K⁺ inside).

Front: What ions are involved in generating an inhibitory post-synaptic potential (IPSP)?
Back: Opening K⁺ channels (K⁺ leaves) or opening Cl⁻ channels (Cl⁻ enters).

Question 6: CSF Flow Pathway

Front: Order the flow of cerebrospinal fluid from production to reabsorption.
Back:

  1. Lateral ventricles

  2. Third ventricle

  3. Cerebral aqueduct

  4. Fourth ventricle

  5. Central canal / Subarachnoid space

  6. Arachnoid villi (granulations)

  7. Dural sinus

Question 7: Glial Cells

Front: Which glial cell forms the myelin sheath in the PNS?
Back: Schwann cells

Front: Which glial cell acts as macrophages in the CNS?
Back: Microglial cells

Front: Which glial cell forms the blood-brain barrier and supports neurons?
Back: Astrocytes

Front: Which glial cell makes and circulates cerebrospinal fluid?
Back: Ependymal cells

Question 8: Meninges

Front: Which meninges layer has a spider-web appearance?
Back: Arachnoid mater

Front: Which meninges layer contains large venous sinuses and forms brain partitions?
Back: Dura mater

Front: Which meninges layer contains nourishing capillaries and clings to the brain/spinal cord?
Back: Pia mater

Front: Which layer has a space that holds cerebrospinal fluid?
Back: Arachnoid mater (subarachnoid space)

Question 9: Brain Structures

Front: What is the exterior layer of gray matter in the cerebrum called?
Back: Cerebral cortex

Front: What interior gray matter regulates involuntary skeletal movements?
Back: Basal nuclei

Front: What connects the cerebrum and diencephalon?
Back: Fornix (white matter tract)

Front: What limbic structure is responsible for short-term memory formation?
Back: Hippocampus

Question 10: Lobes of the Cerebrum

Front: Which lobe processes sound and smell?
Back: Temporal lobe

Front: Which lobe processes vision?
Back: Occipital lobe

Front: Which lobe processes taste?
Back: Insula

Front: Which lobe controls voluntary skeletal muscle movement?
Back: Frontal lobe

Front: Which lobe processes touch?
Back: Parietal lobe

Question 11: Membrane Potentials

Front: What is the voltage inside an unstimulated neuron (around -70mV)?
Back: Resting membrane potential

Front: What is the increase in positive charge within a neuron called?
Back: Depolarization

Front: What is the minimum depolarization needed to trigger an action potential?
Back: Threshold

Front: What causes hyperpolarization of a post-synaptic neuron?
Back: Inhibitory post-synaptic potential (IPSP)

Question 12: Graded vs Action Potentials

Front: Which occurs on the axon and has the same size voltage change each time?
Back: Action potential

Front: Which occurs on dendrites/cell body and varies with stimulus strength?
Back: Graded potential

Front: Which type can be positive or negative?
Back: Graded potential

Front: Which type does not decrease over distance?
Back: Action potential

Front: Which type always produces a positive voltage change?
Back: Action potential

Question 13: CSF Production & Pathways

Front: What structure produces cerebrospinal fluid?
Back: Choroid plexus

Front: What type of cell covers these capillaries and secretes CSF?
Back: Ependymal cells

Front: Where is the lateral ventricle located?
Back: In each cerebral hemisphere

Front: What ventricle is in the diencephalon?
Back: Third ventricle

Front: What channel in the midbrain allows CSF flow?
Back: Cerebral aqueduct

Front: What ventricle lies between the pons and cerebellum?
Back: Fourth ventricle

Front: What canal carries CSF through the spinal cord?
Back: Central canal

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