Untitled Flashcards Set

Flashcards: Brain

1. Q: What are the four major parts of the brain?
   A: Cerebrum, diencephalon, brainstem, cerebellum.

2. Q: What is the function of the cerebrum?
   A: Higher mental functions, sensory and motor processing.

3. Q: What does the hypothalamus regulate?
   A: Homeostasis, including heart rate, body temperature, hunger, and sleep.

4. Q: What does the cerebellum do?
   A: Coordinates muscle movements and maintains posture.

5. Q: What is the function of the brainstem?
   A: Regulates visceral activities and connects the brain to the spinal cord.

6. Q: What are gyri, sulci, and fissures?
   A: Gyri are ridges, sulci are shallow grooves, and fissures are deep grooves in the brain.

7. Q: What is the corpus callosum?
   A: A bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.

Flashcards: Spinal Cord

1. Q: How many segments does the spinal cord have?
   A: 31 segments, each connected to a pair of spinal nerves.

2. Q: What are the two enlargements of the spinal cord, and what do they serve?
   A: Cervical (upper limbs) and lumbar (lower limbs) enlargements.

3. Q: What is the cauda equina?
   A: A bundle of spinal nerves at the lower end of the spinal cord.

4. Q: What is the central canal?
   A: A cerebrospinal fluid-filled space in the spinal cord's center.

5. Q: What are the functions of the spinal cord?
   A: Transmits impulses to/from the brain and houses reflex arcs.

Flashcards: Ventricles and CSF

1. Q: How many ventricles are in the brain?
   A: Four (two lateral, third, and fourth).

2. Q: What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and where is it produced?
   A: A protective, nutritive fluid produced by the choroid plexuses.

3. Q: What is the pathway of CSF flow?
   A: Lateral ventricles → third ventricle → cerebral aqueduct → fourth ventricle → central canal or subarachnoid space.

4. Q: What are the main functions of CSF?
   A: Cushioning the brain and spinal cord, and transporting nutrients and waste.

Flashcards: Plexuses

1. Q: What is a nerve plexus?
   A: A network of nerves formed by the anterior branches of spinal nerves.

2. Q: What does the cervical plexus control?
   A: Muscles and skin of the neck; includes the phrenic nerve for the diaphragm.

3. Q: What does the brachial plexus control?
   A: Muscles and skin of the arms, forearms, and hands.

4. Q: What does the lumbosacral plexus control?
   A: Muscles and skin of the lower abdomen, legs, and pelvic area.

Flashcards: Neurons and Synapses

1. Q: What are the three structural types of neurons?
   A: Multipolar, bipolar, and unipolar.

2. Q: What are the functional classifications of neurons?
   A: Sensory (afferent), interneurons, and motor (efferent).

3. Q: What is a synapse?
   A: A junction between two neurons where communication occurs.

4. Q: What are neurotransmitters, and where are they stored?
   A: Chemical messengers stored in synaptic vesicles.

5. Q: What is the all-or-none principle of action potentials?
   A: An action potential occurs fully if the threshold is reached or not at all.

Flashcards: Reflexes

1. Q: What are the components of a reflex arc?
   A: Sensory receptor, sensory neuron, interneuron, motor neuron, and effector.

2. Q: What is the difference between a withdrawal reflex and a knee-jerk reflex?
   A: A withdrawal reflex is a protective response involving interneurons, while a knee-jerk reflex is a simple two-neuron pathway.

Flashcards: Meninges

1. Q: What are the three layers of meninges?
   A: Dura mater (outer), arachnoid mater (middle), and pia mater (inner).

2. Q: What is the subarachnoid space, and what does it contain?
   A: The space between the arachnoid and pia mater, containing CSF.

Flashcards: Impulse Conduction

1. Q: What is saltatory conduction?
   A: Impulse conduction in myelinated axons where the signal "jumps" between nodes of Ranvier.

2. Q: What is the refractory period?
   A: The time during which a neuron cannot generate another action potential.

Flashcards: Autonomic Nervous System

1. Q: What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system?
   A: Sympathetic (stress response) and parasympathetic (restful state).

2. Q: What neurotransmitter do parasympathetic postganglionic neurons release?
   A: Acetylcholine.

3. Q: What neurotransmitter do sympathetic postganglionic neurons release?
   A: Norepinephrine.

Flashcards: Questions and Answers

1. Q: What are the three general functions of the nervous system?
   A: Sensory, integrative, and motor.

2. Q: What is the role of neuroglia in the nervous system?
   A: They support, nourish, protect, and insulate neurons.

3. Q: What are the two divisions of the nervous system?
   A: The central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

4. Q: What is the difference between sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) neurons?
   A: Sensory neurons carry impulses to the CNS; motor neurons carry impulses from the CNS to effectors.

5. Q: What is the function of the myelin sheath?
   A: To increase the speed of nerve impulse conduction.

6. Q: What occurs during depolarization of a neuron?
   A: Sodium (Na⁺) ions rush into the cell, making the inside less negative.

7. Q: What is the function of the thalamus?
   A: It sorts and directs sensory information to the cerebral cortex.

8. Q: What are the four lobes of the cerebrum and their primary functions?
   A: Frontal (higher thinking/movement), parietal (sensory processing), occipital (vision), temporal (hearing/memory).

9. Q: What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS)?
   A: Sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest).

10. Q: What is a reflex arc?
    A: The simplest neural pathway involving sensory, interneuron, and motor components.

Flashcards: Key Concepts and Definitions

1. Neuron:
   A nerve cell that conducts electrical impulses for communication.

2. Neurotransmitter:
   Chemical messengers that transfer signals across a synapse.

3. Resting Potential:
   The charge difference across a neuron’s membrane at rest, typically -70 mV.

4. Action Potential:
   A rapid change in electrical charge that travels along a neuron.

5. Synapse:
   The junction where impulses pass from one neuron to another.

6. Facilitation:
   Increased release of neurotransmitter, making the postsynaptic neuron more likely to fire.

7. Convergence:
   Multiple neurons sending impulses to a single neuron.

8. Divergence:
   A single neuron sending impulses to multiple neurons.

9. Myelin Sheath:
   A fatty insulating layer that speeds up impulse conduction.

10. Cerebral Cortex:
    The outer layer of the cerebrum involved in higher brain functions.

11. Thalamus:
    Part of the diencephalon; directs sensory signals to the cerebral cortex.

12. Hypothalamus:
    Regulates homeostasis, including temperature, hunger, and the endocrine system.

13. Basal Nuclei (Ganglia):
    Gray matter regions in the cerebrum that help control voluntary movement.

14. Reflex Arc:
    A neural pathway controlling automatic responses to stimuli.

15. Sympathetic Division:
    Prepares the body for stress-related activities (fight or flight).

16. Parasympathetic Division:
    Promotes rest and digestion.

17. Cerebellum:
    Coordinates muscle movements and maintains posture.

18. Saltatory Conduction:
    Impulse conduction that "jumps" between nodes of Ranvier in myelinated neurons.

19. Ependymal Cells:
    CNS neuroglia that produce cerebrospinal fluid.

20. Schwann Cells:
    PNS neuroglia that produce the myelin sheath.