Biology > Nervous System > Flashcards

Nervous System Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 2 roles of the nervous system?

A

. Responding to the environment

. Controlling body functions

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2
Q

What are the 4 parts of the central nervous system?

A

. Sensory organs

. Brain

. Spinal cord

. Nerves

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3
Q

What are the main parts of the nervous system called?

A

. Central nervous system (CNS)

. Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

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4
Q

What is made up of the central nervous system and its function?

A

. Brain & spinal cord

. Controls most functions and responses in the body

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5
Q

What makes up the peripheral nervous system and its functions?

A

. Nerves that connect spinal cord (CNS) to rest of the body

. Made up of receptors, sensory (afferent) & motor (efferent) neurons

. Detects, responds to stimuli outside the body

. When a receptor is stimulated, signal sent to CNS

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6
Q

What is the spinal cord and its function?

A

. Long bundle of nerves which branches out between the vertebrae to parts of body

. Located in CNS

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7
Q

What are the 4 parts of a cross-section of the spinal cord?

A

. Vertebrae

. Spinal cord

. Spinal nerve

. Intervertebral disc

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8
Q

What is the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and its function?

A

. CNS kept separate to rest of body fluids by BBB

. Made of specialised cells which lines inner surfaces of blood vessels within CNS

. Protection from changes to blood composition, toxins, pathogens

. Filter

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9
Q

What are the 2 types of muscle actions?

A

. Voluntary (brain involved)

. Involuntary (brain not involved)

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10
Q

Order of responding to environment?

A

. Stimulus
. Receptor
. Sensory neuron (afferent)
. Relay neuron (spinal cord)
. Brain (if necessary)
. Motor neuron (efferent)
. Effector (glands, muscles)
. Response

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11
Q

What is the function of the sensory neuron?

A

. Transmits impulses from sensory organs to CNS

. Located in PNS

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12
Q

What is the function of the motor neuron?

A

. Sends impulses from CNS to specific muscles or organs (effectors)

. Located in CNS

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13
Q

What is the function of interneurons (relay neurons)?

A

. Transmits impulses between sensory & motor neurons within brain & spinal cord

. Located in CNS

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14
Q

How do animals respond to the environment?

A

. Receptors detect stimulus

. Impulse sent along sensory neuron to spinal cord

. CNS integrates information, &, if necessary, sends to brain for processing prior to response

. Impulse sent from CNS along motor neurons to effector

. Effector generates a response

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15
Q

How do whiskers signals reach the brain?

A

. Movement of whiskers cause movement of receptors that are attached

. As receptors move, ion channels open, initiating an action potential

. This travels along afferent (sensory) neuron, across synapse to relay neuron in CNS, along spinal cord to brain

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16
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system and its function?

A

. Part of PNS

. Regulated by hypothalamus

. Made up of 2 divisions that work together 24 hrs a day

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17
Q

What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?

A

. Rest and digest

. Restores normal body functioning after sympathetic nervous system “fight or flight”

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18
Q

What does the sympathetic nervous system do?

A

. Fight or flight

. Prepares body for physical activity

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19
Q

Name 4 things that occur in the parasympathetic division

A

. Pupils constrict
. Salivation
. Airways constrict
. Heart rate slows
. Stomach digests
. Intestines digest
. Bladder constricts
. Reproductive system increases blood flow

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20
Q

Name 4 things that occur in the sympathetic division

A

. Pupils dilate
. Saliva inhibited
. Airways dilate
. Heart rate increases
. Stomach inhibits digestion
. Liver releases glucose
. Intestines inhibit digestion
. Kidneys release adrenaline
. Bladder relaxes
. Reproductive system decreases blood flow

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21
Q

What are the 4 types of receptor?

A

. Chemoreceptors (presence of chemicals)

. Thermoreceptors (changes in temperature)

. Mechanoreceptors (mechanical changes in environment)

. Photoreceptors (detect light)

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22
Q

What are the 5 types of sense receptor?

A

. Somatosensory
. Visual
. Auditory
. Olfactory
. Gustatory

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23
Q

What is the function of the somatosensory receptor and give examples?

A

. Responds to temperature, touch, or pressure

. Whiskers & skin

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24
Q

What is the function of the visual receptor and give examples?

A

. Respond to light

. Eye & photoreceptors in eye

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25
What is the function of the auditory receptor and give examples?
. Detects sound . Hair cells vibrate and sends impulses via auditory nerve to brain for processing prior . Ears & hair cells in inner ear
26
What is the function of the olfactory receptor and give examples?
. Receptors in nasal cavity respond to odour molecules in the air . Nose & Jacobson’s organ
27
What is the function of the gustatory receptor and give examples?
. Taste buds response to chemical in food . Tongue
28
What is jacobson’s organ (vomeronasal)?
. Detects moisture-bourne odour molecules . Some animals e.g snakes, many mammals have it
29
What is the flehmen response?
. Helps animals detect moisture-bourne odour molecules using Jacobson’s organ
30
What is the lateral line system?
. A sensory system in fish that helps detect movement, pressure, vibrations in water . Sensory organs spread across fish’s body
31
Define ‘action potential’
When information gets sent through a neuron (movement of ions across the membrane creating a nerve impulse)
32
What are the steps to how the eye works?
. Light rays refract and focus on the pupil as they enter through the cornea . Muscles in iris contract or relax to control amount of light passing through pupil . Behind pupil is the lens which refracts light more so it is focused on the retina . Photoreceptors in retina respond to energy from the light and generate action potentials . Action potentials sent along optic nerve to the brain for processing
33
What 2 things do photoreceptors consist of?
. Rods . Cones
34
What are the characteristics of rods in photoreceptors?
. Light sensitive . Functions in the dark . Single pigment (rhodopsin) which detects in shades of grey . Low level of visual sharpness
35
What are the characteristics of cones in photoreceptors?
. Function at higher intensity . Allow some species to see in colour (iodopsin) . Each cone cell responds to one colour . Provide visual information when light levels are high, as rhodopsin is unable to effectively generate . Gives high level of visual sharpness
36
What colours do birds cones respond to?
. Violet . Blue . Green . Red
37
What colours do dogs cones respond to?
. Violet . Yellow-green
38
What proteins is rhodopsin broken down into and what is this process called?
. Opsin . Retinal Process - Bleaching
39
What does bleaching cause to happen?
. Depolarisation . Gives rise to an action potential which is transmitted via optic nerve to brain
40
What are the characteristics of UV light photoreceptors in birds?
. Tetrachromatic vision . Wider range of colours and patterns
41
What do birds use UV light photoreceptors for?
. Foraging & food detection . Signalling & mate selection . Navigation & habitat structure
42
Name 2 advantages of monocular vision (prey)?
. Wide field of vision (almost 360•) . Early motion detection . Enhanced low-light sensitivity . See escape routes or uneven terrain
43
Name 2 disadvantages of monocular vision (prey)?
. Limited depth perception . Difficulty focusing on a specific moving objects . Susceptible to injury . Need to move head which could give location away
44
Name 2 advantages of binocular vision (predator)?
. Accurate distance judgement . Improved light sensitivity . Focus sharply, central to a specific target
45
Name 2 disadvantages of binocular vision (predator)?
. Larger blind spots (in peripheral vision) . Requires more energy to maintain a complex visual system . Have to move head to get a wider view
46
What are the 6 pupil shapes?
. Round . Vertical slit . Horizontal . Horizontal slit . Crescent . W-shape
47
What eye characteristics do nocturnal animals have?
. Large eyes & pupils to capture more light . High density of rod cells for light sensitivity . Tapetum lucidum . Shorter focal length
48
What is the tapetum lucidum and its function?
. Layer of eye which contains a reflective pigment behind the retina . Aids sight in dark conditions . Reflects lights back to photoreceptors for a second time
49
What is the function of the eyelid?
. Protect eye from injury & debris . Keeps eye lubricated
50
What is the function of the cornea?
. Protection . Refracts light to help vision
51
What is the function of the sclera?
. Protects internal structures of the eye . Muscle attachment to move the eye
52
What is the function of the retina?
. Converts light into electrical signals so brain interprets them as images
53
What is the function of the choroid?
. Delivers oxygen & nutrients . Absorbs excess light to prevent blurring . Thermoregulation
54
What is the function of the iris?
. Controls amount of light entering eye by controlling size of the pupil
55
What is the function of the pupil?
. Controls amount of light entering the eye
56
What is the function of the lens?
. Focuses light onto specific surfaces to create a clear image
57
What is the function of the ciliary body?
. Controls lens shape for focusing (near & distant vision)
58
What is the function of the vitreous humour?
. Provides structure for eye . Holds retina in place
59
What is the function of the aqueous humour?
. Waste removal . Provides nourishment for the eye
60
What is the function of the lateral rectus muscle?
. Abducts the eye (look left & right)
61
What is the function of the medial rectus muscle?
. Adducts the eye (look inwards)
62
What is the function of the fovea?
. Sharp, detailed, central vision . (e.g driving, reading)
63
What is the function of the optic disc?
. Exit point for optic nerve . Supplies blood to the retina
64
What is the function of the optic nerve?
. Transmits visual information from the eye to brain
65
Define ‘diurnal’
Only awake during the day
66
Name a cause of listeriosis
. Bacteria grown from contaminated feed . Bacteria grown in contaminated soil & water
67
Name 3 symptoms of listeriosis
. Constant salivation . Lethargy . Loss of appetite . Fever . Lack of coordination . Unusual body spasms . Facial paralysis
68
Name 3 consequences of listeriosis
. Paralysis . Death . Brain inflammation . Severe organ damage . Abortion, stillbirths, neonatal death in pregnant animals
69
What is listeriosis?
. Bacterial infection . Affects one side of the brain
70
Name 2 causes for seizures
. Metabolic abnormalities . Exposure to toxins . Brain disorders . Infectious diseases
71
What are seizures?
. Neurological disorder . Abnormal electrical activity in the brain causing uncontrolled body movements
72
Name 3 signs that an animal may be about to have a seizure
. Nervous . Restless . Shaking . Salivating
73
Name 2 consequences of seizures
. Vision problems . Toilet training issues . Disorientation . Loss of appetite
74
What is degenerative myelopathy (in dogs)?
. Neurological disorder . Progressive spinal cord disease leading to degeneration of white matter . Most common in German Shepherds
75
Name 3 symptoms of degenerative myelopathy
. Loss of balance . Stiffness, weakness in back legs . Swaying during movement . Trouble swallowing . Loss of bowel/bladder control
76
What is the cause of degenerative myelopathy
Genetic mutation
77
Name 3 consequences of degenerative myelopathy
. Progressive muscle weakness . Loss of coordination . Paralysis . Respiratory failure . Inability to walk . Loss of bladder control
78
What is the neurotransmitter in the parasympathetic nervous system?
Acetylcholine (Ach)
79
What is the neurotransmitter for the sympathetic nervous system?
Noradrenaline (NA)
80
What is short-absorbing fluid is the CNS surrounded by?
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
81
Name 2 treatments for listeriosis
. High doses of antibiotics . Anti-inflammatory drugs . Supportive care . Nutritional support
82
Name a treatment for seizures
. Anti-seizure medications . Trigger avoidance . Vagal nerve stimulation
83
Name 2 treatments for degenerative myelopathy
. Physiotherapy . Hydrotherapy . Assistance devices
84
What are the 5 sense receptors?
. Visual . Auditory . Olfactory . Somatosensory . Gustatory
85
How does the auditory sense receptor work?
. Hair cells in inner ear vibrate according to pitch/volume of sound . Send impulses via auditory nerve to brain for processing
86
How does the gustatory sense receptor work?
. Tongue of many mammals have papillae containing taste buds . Respond to different chemicals in food & drink to give different sensations of taste
87
What is the main somatosensory organ in animals?
The skin
88
Why is the aqueous humour needed to provide nutrients to the cornea?
. Cornea does not have a blood supply to give nutrients . Aqueous humour is liquid so allows nutrients to diffuse across easily
89
What type of vision do predators have and what is it?
Binocular vision - each eye overlaps at the front to create a single 3D image
90
What type of vision does prey have and what is that?
Monocular vision - each eye works independently and only overlaps over a small area
91
Name 2 things that could happen while the animal is seizing
. Loss of consciousness . Convulsions . Hallucinations
92
What is the role of ears in detecting stimuli?
. Detects sound . Identify prey, warn of danger, find a mate
93
What is the role of whiskers in detecting stimuli?
. Sensitive to movement/pressure/touch . Responds to prey/safety/spatial awareness
94
What is white matter?
. Contains the nerve fibres of neurons . Myelin surrounds it making it appear white
95
What is grey matter?
. Contains neuronal cell bodies- appears darker in colour
96
What are the 2 divisions of the autonomic nervous system called?
. Sympathetic . Parasympathetic
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