Introduction and Neurons Study Guide

1. What are the two types of cells in the nervous system?

     1. Neurons/nerve cells 2. Glial cells

2. What is the main function of a neuron?

     1. to signal

3. What is the main function of a glial cell?

     1. to support

4. What are the four structural zones of a neuron?

     1. input site 2. mixing/integration 3. conducting/transmission 4. output site

5. What makes up the input site of a neuron? What does it do?

     1. Input site is made up of dendrites and soma

        1. dendrites receive signals 2. soma assesses the signal

6. What makes up the integration part of a neuron?

     1. Axon hillock

7. What makes up the conducting and transmission part of the neuron?

     1. Axon

8. What makes up the output site of a neuron?

     1. presynaptic terminal

9. What are neuronal networks?

     1. a group of neurons that work together

10. Where do neurons receive information from?

     1. other cells or real world signals

11. What do excitatory signals do?

     1. increase cellular activity and cause the neuron to fire

12. What do inhibitory signals do?

     1. decrease cellular activity and cause the neuron not to fire

13. How many signals do neurons receive at one time?

     1. multiple all at once

14. What is the axon hillock?

     1. the site of integration

15. What does the axon hillock do?

     1. takes in the sum of excitatory and inhibitory signals--if the sum is enough, then the neuron will fire

16. What is action potential?

     1. neural signal that allows the brain to convey information through its many networks

17. What is important to know about action potential?

     1. that it is all or nothing

18. Order of a signal

     1. input to integration to action potential to transmission

19. What’s an afferent neuron?

     1. sensory neuron

20. What does an afferent neuron do?

     1. carry sensory and perception signals towards the CNS

21. What is an efferent neuron?

     1. motor neuron

22. What does an efferent neuron do?

     1. carry signals from the CNS to the body

23. What are interneurons?

     1. neurons that connect neurons within a region of the CNS

24. What is the synapse?

     1. the communication point between two neurons

25. Where is the synapse?

     1. between the presynaptic cell and the postsynaptic cell

26. What is the function of the presynaptic cell?

     1. Sending the information across the synapse

27. What is the function of the postsynaptic cell?

     1. receiving the information

28. Where are synapses located on the postsynaptic cell?

     1. 3 places

        1. dendrites 2. somas 3. axons 2. axondendritic synapses are the most common

29. What is the function of dendritic spines?

     1. to house material essential for modifying a synapse

30. What can lead to the modification of a synapse?

     1. behavioral experience and practice

31. What are dendritic spines a key location of?

     1. neuroplasticity

32. What are glial cells?

     1. key support cells that maintain the health of neurons

33. What are the two types of glial cells?

     1. Microglia and Macroglia

34. What is the function of the microglia?

     1. “sanitation works”; part of the immune system

35. What are the three types of microglia?

     1. Oligodendrocytes 2. Schwann cells 3. Astrocytes

36. What is myelin?

     1. the fatty, protective covering around axons that allows for faster conduction of electrical signals

37. What two cells produce myelin?

     1. Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells

38. Where do oligodendrocytes produce myelin?

     1. in the CNS

39. Where do Schwann cells produce myelin?

     1. in the PNS

40. What is an astrocyte?

     1. the most common of the glial cells

41. What is the general function of the astrocyte?

     1. to be the packaging of the cells

42. What are the four specific jobs of the astrocyte?

     1. participate in the function of the blood-brain barrier 2. regular concentration of potassium 3. clear synapse of the neurotransmitters after it fires 4. breaks down excess glutamate