Neuron Structure and Function, Exams of Nursing

An overview of the key structures and functions of neurons, the fundamental units of the nervous system. It covers topics such as the node of ranvier, action potentials, the endoplasmic reticulum, radial glia, active transport, ribosomes, axons, schwann cells, concentration gradients, dendritic spines, sensory neurons, motor neurons, glial cells, neurotransmitters, and various synaptic processes. The document delves into the intricate mechanisms and components that enable neurons to receive, process, and transmit information throughout the body. By understanding these neuronal structures and their roles, researchers and students can gain insights into the complex workings of the nervous system and its implications for various physiological and neurological processes.

Typology: Exams

2023/2024

Available from 10/01/2024

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Chapter 1 Flashcards
Myelin Sheath-Insulating material that covers vertebrate axon
Intrinsic Neuron: Cell whose axons and dendrites are all confined within a given structure
Presynaptic Terminal: Point where an axon releases chemicals.
Node of Ranvier: Interruptions in the myelin sheath of vertebrate axons
Action Potential: All-or-none message sent by axon
Endoplasmic Reticulum: Network of thin tubes that transport newly synthesized proteins to other
locations
Radial Glia: Cell that guide neuron migration and axon and dendrite growth during embryological
development
Active Transport: Protein-mediated process that expends energy to enable a molecule to cross a
membrane
Ribosome: Site for cell synthesis of new protein molecules
Axon: thin fiber of constant diameter.
Afferent axon: structure that brings information onto a structure.
Propagation of the action potential: transmission of an action potential down an axon.
Active transport: Protein-mediated process that expends energy to enable a molecule to cross a
membrane.
Schwann cell (purple and yellow in the middle): Glia cell in the pheriphery of the body that builds myelin
sheaths.
Refractory Period: Time when the cell resists the production of further action potentials.
Concentration gradient: difference in distribution of ions across the neuron’s membrane
Dentritic Spine: Short outgrowth that increases the surface area available for synapses
Sensory neurons: Cell that is highly sensitive to a specific type of stimulation.
Absolute Refractory Period: Time when the membrane is unable to produce an action potential.
Neuron: cell that receives information and transmits it to other cells
Glia: Type of cell in the nervous system that does not conduct impulses over long distances.
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Chapter 1 Flashcards

Myelin Sheath- Insulating material that covers vertebrate axon

Intrinsic Neuron: Cell whose axons and dendrites are all confined within a given structure

Presynaptic Terminal: Point where an axon releases chemicals.

Node of Ranvier: Interruptions in the myelin sheath of vertebrate axons

Action Potential: All-or-none message sent by axon

Endoplasmic Reticulum: Network of thin tubes that transport newly synthesized proteins to other locations

Radial Glia: Cell that guide neuron migration and axon and dendrite growth during embryological development

Active Transport: Protein-mediated process that expends energy to enable a molecule to cross a membrane

Ribosome: Site for cell synthesis of new protein molecules

Axon: thin fiber of constant diameter.

Afferent axon: structure that brings information onto a structure.

Propagation of the action potential : transmission of an action potential down an axon.

Active transport: Protein-mediated process that expends energy to enable a molecule to cross a membrane.

Schwann cell (purple and yellow in the middle): Glia cell in the pheriphery of the body that builds myelin sheaths.

Refractory Period: Time when the cell resists the production of further action potentials.

Concentration gradient: difference in distribution of ions across the neuron’s membrane

Dentritic Spine: Short outgrowth that increases the surface area available for synapses

Sensory neurons: Cell that is highly sensitive to a specific type of stimulation.

Absolute Refractory Period: Time when the membrane is unable to produce an action potential.

Neuron: cell that receives information and transmits it to other cells

Glia: Type of cell in the nervous system that does not conduct impulses over long distances.

Microglia (Thin snow flate): Cell that removes waste material and other microorganisms from the nervous system.

Electrical gradient: difference in electrical charges between the inside and outside of the cell.

Motor neuron: cell that receives excitation from other neurons and conducts impulses to a muscle.

Selective permeability: ability of some chemicals to pass more freely than others through a membrane.

Thiamine: B1 vitamin, necessary to use glucose

Astrocyte: Star-shape glia that synchronized the activity of the axons

Membrane: structure that separates the inside of the cell from the outside environment.

Nucleus: structure that contains the chromosomes.

Efferent axon: structure that carries information away from a structure.

Local anesthetic: drug that attaches to the sodium channels of the membrane, stopping action potentials.

Oligodendrocyte (shorizo): glia cell in the brain or spinal cord that builds myelin sheaths.

Threshold of excitation: minimum amount of membrane depolarization necessary to trigger an action potential.

Relative refractory period: time that requires a stronger stimulus to initiate an action potential.

Mitochondrion: structure that performs metabolic activities.

Chapter 2 flashcards

Transporter Protein (on the edge of the bone blue circle and purple): Special membrane protein that moves the neurotransmitter back into the presynaptic neuron.

Monoamine: Chemical formed by a change in certain amino acids.

MAO (monoamine oxidase): enzyme that converts catecholamines and serotonin into sypnaptically inactive chemicals

Presynaptic neuron: cell that delivers transmission to another cell.

Methylphenidate: stimulant drug prescribed for ADHD that increases stimulation of dopamine synapses.

Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP): graded depolarization

Spatial summation: combination of effects of two or more synapses onto a single cell.

Neurotransmitter: chemical released by neurons that affect other neurons.

Nicotine: stimulant drug that stimulates certain acetycholine receptors. Mono

Reflex - Automatic muscular response to stimuli

Spatial Summation- Combination of effects of two or more synapses onto a single cell

COMT- Enzyme that breaks down excess dopamine into inactive chemicals that cannot stimulate the dopamine receptors

Purine- Category of chemicals including adenosine and several of its derivatives

Metabotropic Effect- Sequence of metabolic reactions that produces slow and long-lasting effects at a nsynapse

Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential- temporary hyperpolarization of a membrane

Ionotropic Effect- Synaptic result that depends on the rapid opening of some kind of gate in the membrane

Acetylcholinesterase- Enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine into acetate and choline

Synaptic Cleft - space between the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons

Temporal Summation- Cumulative effect of repeated stimuli within a brief time

Exocytosis- Release of neurotransmitter from the presynaptic neuron into the synaptic cleft

2-AB- Chemical that binds to cannabinoid receptors

Gap Junction - direct contact of one neuron with another enabling electrical transmission

Catecholamine- Compounds that contain a catechol and an amine group

Amino acid: acid containing an amine group (NH2)

Nitric Oxide: Gas released by many small local neurons

Synapse: Specialized gap as a point of communication between two cells

Vesicle (inside the bone): tiny nearly spherical packet filled with neurotransmitters molecules.

Neuropeptide: chain of amino acids.

EPSPs (excitatory postsynaptic potentials) are brief depolarizations that move the neuron closer to threshold. They can occur in quick succession (temporal summation) or by activating multiple, nearby locations (spatial summation).

Protein like turkey contains a large amount of tyrosine. Tyrosine is the precursor to dopamine (as well as norepinephrine and epinephrine).

Neurotransmitters are made and packaged into vesicles so that they are ready for release. When activated by an influx of calcium, the vesicle fuses with the cell membrane to release the contents into the synapse (a form of exocytosis).

mitochondria; osmosis. Most neurotransmitters are typically stored in

located in the axon terminals. When stimulated, the neurotransmitter is

released via into the synapse.

Insulin is made by the pancreas and is secreted following a meal. It helps to lower blood sugar by encouraging cells to take up the sugar from the bloodstream. In this case, Dedra must supplement her insulin levels because her pancreas isn't making enough.

Karin just burned her finger on a hot pan. What is the circuit from sensory neuron

to muscle response called that transmitted the message that she should remove

her finger from the pan?

c. reflex arc

Sherrington inferred the presence of a gap between neurons based on.

a. slower than predicted speed of conduction

What term is used for the cumulative effect of repeated stimulation over a brief

period of time?

c. temporal summation

The temporary hyperpolarization of a membrane is a(n).

d. inhibitory postsynaptic potential

What term describes periodic production of action potentials, even without synaptic

input?

a. spontaneous firing

Consider a wiring arrangement of neurons in which the two neurons (A and B)

stimulate a third neuron (X). Neither neuron A nor B can stimulate neuron X on its

own, but can excite neuron X in combination. This is an example of.

d. spatial summation

In which neurotransmitter category does GABA belong?

d. purine

Nitric oxide is an example of the category of neurotransmitters.

a. gas

Frederick is interested in using his diet to elevate his mood. His doctor

suggested that he try to increase the amount of in his diet, because it

controls the amount of serotonin in the brain.

a. tryptophan

refers to bursts of release of neurotransmitter from the

presynaptic neuron.

a. Exocytosis

Most of the brain's excitatory ionotropic synapses use the neurotransmitter

d. glutamate

Neuropeptides are characterized by.

c. being released mostly from dendrites

Many hallucinogenic drugs are chemically similar to.

b. serotonin

Tommy is addicted to smoking cigarettes and says he really enjoys smoking.

Smoking cigarettes feels rewarding in part because it triggers the release of

d. dopamine

Stimulant drugs, including amphetamine and cocaine, decrease reuptake and

prolong the effects of various neurotransmitters. Which of the following is not

one of those neurotransmitters?

a. GABA

Which of the following classic researchers is credited with demonstrating the

existence of chemical synapses?

b. Loewi

Epinephrine and norepinephrine are produced in the.

b. adrenal medulla

Gordon is having trouble sleeping and decides to take a supplement containing a

hormone that is manufactured in the pineal. What is he most likely taking?

c. melatonin

is thought to help control appetite by decreasing it.

b. Leptin

Chapter 3 Quiz

Aimee is trying to memorize the anatomical directions for her physiology quiz

so she is associating her body parts with the various terms. Which of the

following should she remember to be ventrally located?

Maricella has suffered a severe blow to the caudate (or rear) section of her

head. As a result, the striate cortex has suffered extensive damage. Which

symptom is she most likely to experience from this injury?

d. Problems with her visual processing

The striate cortex, which is another name for the visual cortex, can result in cortical blindness. Even though the eyes function properly, the brain area responsible for receiving and processing that information lies in the occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex.

The cerebral cortex has a wrinkled appearance. The lobe lies between the

occipital lobe and the central.

b. parietal; sulcus The texture of the cerebral cortex is like a mountain chain. The "hills" are the gyri, the "valleys" are the sulci. The central sulcus is a deep groove in the surface of the cortex.

Veda is in the lab and wants to do some imaging of participants memorizing picture

cards. Because she doesn't have access to an fMRI machine, what is the next best

technique she could use to get information about brain activity during the card task?

a. PET scan A positron emission tomography (PET) scan allowed researchers to observe brain activity for the first time. Although PET scans do not provide details about structure, they can allow researchers to observe activity that is artificially shown as colors on the brain image (for example, red is high activity).

Aaron has been having seizures. His doctor wanted to perform a(n)

(where electrodes would be placed on the scalp) to get a better idea of what

was going on.

b. EEG

To figure out what might be triggering his seizures (and, more importantly, where they might be starting in the brain), Aaron's doctors will likely start with an electroencephalogram (EEG).

e. phrenology

Although phrenology is invalid for many reasons, Gall believed that he could infer qualities about a person based on the shape of the skull. We know that the skull does not match brain anatomy and that it can be thicker in some places than others.

Patterns of brain activity in response to the same stimulus tend

to.

a.be consistent across individuals and cultures

Logan, who has an autism spectrum disorder, is participating in brain

imaging research. If Logan were shown a word related to social

interaction, what would you expect to see on his brain scan?

b.lack of activation in the part of the brain associated with

the "self"

Can neuroimaging methods be used to read your thoughts? c.Yes, at a

level that is reliably greater than chance.

Dot is a cat with a huge brown spot on her dorsal side. The rest of her fur is white.

Where is the spot located? b. on Dot's back

The cat's brown spot is on the dorsal ("toward the back") side of the body.

The cell bodies of the sensory neurons are in clusters of neurons outside the

spinal cord called. c. dorsal root ganglia

Following a stroke, Mr. Smith suffered damage to his. His doctors warned

his family that he might now have alterations in motivated behaviors like hunger,

thirst, and sex. d. hypothalamus

The hypothalamus works together with both the rest of the brain and the endocrine system to help produce motivated behaviors like hunger. Due to the work of the hypothalamus, the body is able to stay in homeostatic balance. Mr. Smith will have to be monitored to make sure he is getting his water and food needs following his stroke.

What structure(s) is/are implicated in movement disorders like Parkinson's and

Huntington's?

a. basal ganglia Both Parkinson's and Huntington's disease are characterized as movement disorders. They each involve damage to the basal ganglia, which is made up of several structures including that caudate nucleus, the putamen, and the globus pallidus.

Cerebrospinal fluid is produced by cells called the. d. choroid plexus

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear fluid similar to blood plasma that fills the ventricles of the brain. It is produced by the cells that line the walls of the fourth ventricle called the choroid plexus.

The cerebral cortex is organized in six layers of cell bodies called , which

are parallel to the surface of the cortex. b. laminae

The cerebral cortex contains up to six distinct laminae (layers of cell bodies that are parallel to the surface of the cortex and separated from each other by layers of fibers). They vary in thickness and prominence from one part of the cortex to another.

Primary visual cortex is located in the lobe. b. occipital

The occipital lobe is the main target for visual information. It is also called the primary visual cortex as well as the striate cortex, because of its striped appearance in cross section.