Nerve cell central
These branchlike extensions of a neuron receive incoming messages from other cells and carry them toward the cell body.
What are dendrites?
This ion is primarily responsible for depolarization.
What is sodium (Na+)?
The brain and the spinal cord make up which division of the nervous system?
What is Central Nervous System?
The groove on the surface of the brain.
What is sulcus?
This nerve plexus houses the largest nerve in the body, the sciatic nerve
What is the sacral plexus?
These tiny endings of an axon release neurotransmitters into the synapse.
What are synaptic end bulbs?
Define membrane potential.
What is a difference in charge between the inside and outside of a cell?
What division of the autonomic nervous system is called the "rest and digest" system?
What is the parasympathetic division?
This portion of the diencephalon acts as a relay station for sensory impulses traveling upward to the sensory cortex?
What is the thalamus?
Damage to the cervical nerve plexus can cause problems with ________.
What is breathing?
This long projection carries electrical impulses away from the cell body toward other neurons or muscles.
What is the axon?
During which stage of an action potential is potassium more concentrated inside of the cell.
What is resting potential?
These are the 2 divisions of the peripheral nervous system.
What are sensory & motor?
What 3 parts make up the brainstem?
What is midbrain, pons and medulla oblogata?
List the correct sequence of nerves that exit the spinal cord, from superior to inferior.
What are cervical spinal nerves, thoracic spinal nerves, lumbar spinal nerves, sacral spinal nerves?
A neurologist reviews a brain biopsy and notes that the large, round structure inside the neuron responsible for DNA storage and directing cell activity has been destroyed. What structure was damaged?
What is the nucleus?
List the stages of an action potential in order.
What is resting potential, depolarization, repolarization, and refractory period?
A soldier in combat has an accelerated heart rate, dilated pupils, and increased blood pressure as part of the “fight-or-flight” response. Later, during recovery, his body slows the heart rate, constricts pupils, and promotes digestion. Which two divisions of the nervous system are responsible for these contrasting responses, and how do they differ in function?
What are the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system — the sympathetic prepares the body for stress, while the parasympathetic restores the body to rest and homeostasis?
A patient is unable to maintain normal body temperature and shows abnormal hormone levels because the part of the brain that regulates the pituitary gland is damaged. Which structure is responsible?
What is the hypothalamus?
During a reflex test, a doctor taps a patient’s patellar tendon. The sensory neurons carry information to the spinal cord, which then sends a signal through motor neurons to the quadriceps muscle, causing the leg to kick. Which two neuron types are directly involved in this pathway?
What are sensory (afferent) neurons and motor (efferent) neurons?
A patient develops multiple sclerosis, a disease that damages the myelin sheath. Explain why this results in slower nerve conduction.
What is because electrical impulses can no longer jump across the gaps between Schwann cells. Further, myelination speeds up conduction.
A patient is given a drug that blocks the sodium-potassium pump in neurons. After the first action potential, the neuron can no longer fire again. Explain why blocking this pump prevents repeated action potentials from occurring.
What is because the sodium-potassium pump restores the resting membrane potential by moving sodium out and potassium in, reestablishing ion gradients necessary for depolarization and repolarization?
A medical student is asked to explain how the nervous system is organized. Starting at the broadest level and working down, break down the divisions of the nervous system, including the central and peripheral divisions, the sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) pathways, and how the autonomic nervous system branches further into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.
What is the nervous system divides into the CNS (brain and spinal cord) and PNS. The PNS splits into sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) divisions. The motor division divides into the somatic (voluntary skeletal muscle control) and autonomic (involuntary). The autonomic further divides into the sympathetic (“fight or flight”) and parasympathetic (“rest and digest”).)
A patient suffers a head injury in a car accident and can no longer form new memories, struggles to recognize familiar faces, and has trouble understanding spoken language. Which lobe of the brain is primarily affected, and what are its major functions?
What is the temporal lobe — responsible for memory, hearing, and language comprehension?
A child accidentally steps on a sharp nail. The receptors in the foot detect pain, and the signal travels to the spinal cord. The spinal cord processes the information and sends signals back to the leg muscles, causing the child to quickly pull the foot away. Explain the pathway of nervous system communication in this scenario, including the functions and types of neurons involved.
What is sensory input via sensory (afferent) neurons → integration in the spinal cord (interneurons) → motor output through motor (efferent) neurons to muscles?