nervous system and neurons

• What does the nervous system use to communicate?

  Electrical impulses and neurotransmitters
• How does the nervous system integrate biological processes?

  It connects internal processes with the external environment
• What is the role of the nervous system in the body?

  Coordinates cells and organs to regulate processes
• What are the two main components of the central nervous system?

  Brain and spinal cord
• What is the function of the brain?

  It processes vast amounts of information
• Which hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body?

  The left hemisphere
• What are the four lobes of the brain?

  Frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal
• What is the role of the spinal cord?

  Relays information between brain and peripheral nervous system
• What does the peripheral nervous system do?

  Relays information to and from the brain
• What is the function of the somatic nervous system?

  Controls voluntary muscular functions
• What do sensory neurons do?

  Transmit information from senses to CNS
• What is the role of the autonomic nervous system?

  Governs involuntary body functions
• What does the sympathetic nervous system do?

  Prepares the body for fight or flight
• What happens to the pupils during sympathetic activation?

  Pupils dilate and widen
• What is the effect of the sympathetic nervous system on heart rate?

  Increases rate and force of contraction
• What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?

  Calms and restores the body to rest
• What happens to the heart during parasympathetic activation?

  Decreases rate and force of contraction
• What are nerve cells also called?

  Neurons
• How do neurons communicate?

  Using chemical messengers called neurotransmitters
• What is an action potential?

  Electrical signal traveling down the axon
• What are the three types of neurons?

  Sensory, relay, and motor
• Where are sensory neurons located?

  In the peripheral nervous system
• What is the function of relay neurons?

  Process information from sensory neurons
• Where are motor neurons located?

  In the peripheral nervous system
• What is synaptic transmission?

  Communication between neurons across a synapse
• What is the role of neurotransmitters?

  To transmit signals across the synapse
• What happens during synaptic transmission?

  Electrical signal converts to chemical signal
• What is the function of excitatory neurotransmitters?

  Increase likelihood of action potential
• What is the function of inhibitory neurotransmitters?

  Decrease likelihood of action potential
• What is summation in the context of neurons?

  Calculation of net sum of potentials
• What determines whether a neuron fires?

  Net sum of EPSPs and IPSPs
• What happens if there are more EPSPs than IPSPs?

  The neuron fires an action potential
• What happens if there are more IPSPs than EPSPs?

  The neuron does not fire an action potential
• What are the structures and processes involved in synaptic transmission?

  1. Action potential travels down the axon
  2. Arrival stimulates vesicles to migrate
  3. Vesicles release neurotransmitters into synapse
  4. Neurotransmitters bind to receptor sites
  5. Summation occurs in post-synaptic neuron
  6. Neurotransmitters are reabsorbed in reuptake
• What are the functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?

  Sympathetic Nervous System:

  • Prepares body for fight or flight
  • Increases heart rate and dilates pupils

  
  

  Parasympathetic Nervous System:

  • Calms body after stress
  • Decreases heart rate and constricts pupils