Nervous System Study Guide

 

  1. What is a nerve fiber?
  2. What is a nerve?
  3. What is a tract?
  4. What is a nucleus
  5. What is a ganglion
  6. Sketch a neuron
  7. What are the components of a synapse?
  8. What are the characteristics of a synapse?
  9. How do myelin sheaths of the CNS and PNS differ?
  10. What is the difference between neurilemma and axolemma?
  11. At what location does the axolemma have contact with extracellular fluid in myelinated nerve fibers?
  12. What are the three gross subdivisions of the brain?
  13. What are the subdivisions of the brain stem?
  14. List major characteristics of the cerebral hemispheres,cerebellum and brain stem.
  15. Is the hypothalamus a subdivision of the cerebrum,cerebellum or brain stem?

18 How are the spinal nerves numbered in relation to the vertebrae?

19. What is the cauda equina?

20. Which root of a spinal nerve does an afferent fiber travers? An efferent fiber?

21. What are the relative locations of nerve cell bodies and tracts in the spinal cord?

22. Are motor neurons located dorsally or ventrally in gray matter of the spinal cord?

23. What is a nerve plexus?

24. Are all spinal nerves mixed nerves?

25. What tissues are innervated by autonomic nerves

26. Which division of the autonomics is associated with fight or flight?

27. Are all spinal nerves mixed nerves?

 

Reflexes

 

  1. What are the names of the neurons that may be involved with a reflex?
  2. Describe the stretch reflex.
  3. What is the purpose of the stretch reflex?
  4. Why is the stretch reflex considered a postural reflex?
  5. Differentiate between somatic and visceral reflexes.
  6. How are visceral reflexes transmitted?
  7. List functions of reflex centers located in the 1)medulla oblongata, 2)cerebellum

3) hypothalamus, and 4)midbrain.

  1. Describe standing, attitudinal, and righting reflexes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nerve Impulse

 

  1. What is the function of the Na+-K+ pump in the axolemma?
  2. What is the approximate value of the resting membrane potential?
  3. What is the polarity of a resting neuron membrane?
  4. What accomplishes depolarization?
  5. What accomplishes repolarization?
  6. What is threshold?
  7. What is an action potential?
  8. What is a refractory period?
  9. What is meant by a nerve fiber being “fired”.
  10. What is the “all or none” principle for nerve fibers?
  11. Describe the sequence of events associated with neurotransmission in mammals.
  12. How does neurotransmission differ in myelinated fibers?
  13. What are two functions of salutatory conduction?
  14. What kind of nerve fiber has the fastest impulse transmission?
  15. What is the purpose of a neurotransmitter?
  16. What neurotransmitters are associated with the autonomic nervous system and where are they located?
  17. What is the nature of the central neurotransmitters
  18. Describe the “final common pathway concept”.
  19. Differentiate between the different types of neuron circuits.
  20. What is the minimum number of neurons required for the transmission of a nerve impulse from the periphery by way of the spinals nerves to the cerebral cortex?

 

Meninges and Cerebrospinal Fluid

 

  1. Visualize the relative location of the meningeal layers to each other, to the skull and brain, and to the vertebral canal and spinal cord.
  2. What are the arachnoid villi extensions of and what do they extend into?
  3. What is an epidural injection?
  4. Is cerebrospinal fluid circulated within the epidural space?
  5. Which meningeal layer forms the lining of the perivascular spaces and what is its

Extent?

  1. What fluid fills the perivascular space?
  2. Visualize the location of the brain ventricles.
  3. What structures within the ventricles produce cerebrospinal fluid?
  4. Describe the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid.
  5. What could cause the cerebrospinal fluid pressure to rise?
  6. What are functions of cerebrospinal fluid?
  7. Are blood cells present in cerebrospinal fluid?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Central Nervous System Metabolism

 

  1. What is the principal energy source for the CNS?  How does it get into brain cells?
  2. What percent of the body’s oxygen requirement is used by the CNS?
  3. What is meant by the blood-brain barrier?
  4. What cells transport substances between blood and brain tissue?
  5. Is there a CSF-brain barrier?
  6. What are some maximum limits of oxygen deprivation to the CNS before injury occurs?