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Unit 3 Nervous System Cells
Unit 3 Nervous System Cells
44
Anatomy
Intermediate
06/08/2017

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Term
Neurons are
Definition
nerves cells which transmit nerve impulses
Term
The three types of neurons are:
Definition
sensory, inter and motor
Term
All neurons are made up of
Definition
a cell body, one axon and several dendrites
Term
The cell body of a neuron contains
Definition
the nucleus and most of the cytoplasm
Term
The cell body is the
Definition
control centre of the cell’s metabolism and contains ribosomes
Term
The axon is a single nerve fibre that
Definition
carries nerve impulses away from the cell body to the next neuron
Term
The direction of a nerve impulse is always
Definition
dendrites  cell body axon
Term
Axons are surrounded by
Definition
a myelin sheath which insulates it
Term
Gaps in the myelin sheath are called
Definition
nodes
Term
The presence of the myelin sheath
Definition
increases the speed impulses can be transmitted
Term
Myelination continues from
Definition
birth to adolescence
Term
Diseases that destroy the myelin sheath include
Definition
Polio, Multiple Sclerosis, Tay-Sachs disease
Term
Glial cells
Definition
physically support neurons and produce the myelin sheath
Term
A synapse is
Definition
a tiny gap between the axon of one
neuron and the dendrite of another which contains sufficient neurotransmitter to continue the nerve impulse
Term
Pre-synaptic neuron
Definition
is the nerve cell before the synaptic cleft
Term
Neurons connect with other neurons, muscle fibres and endocrine glands
Definition
at a synaptic cleft
Term
Neurotransmitters
Definition
are chemical messages relayed across synaptic clefts from neuron to neuron
Term
Examples of neurotransmitters are
Definition
Acetylcholine and Norepinephrine
Term
Neurotranmitters are stored in
Definition
vesicles before their release (pre-synaptic neuron)
Term
Neurotranmitters bind to
Definition
receptors on the nerve endings once they have diffused across the cleft
Term
Acetylcholine released between a motor neuron and a skeletal muscle fibre
Definition
binds to receptors that have an excitatory effect on the muscle, making it contract
Term
Acetylcholine released between a motor neuron and a heart muscle fibre
Definition
binds to receptors which have an inhibitory effect, reducing rate and strength of the muscle contraction
Term
Neurotransmitters can be removed
Definition
by enzyme degradation and re-uptake
Term
Summation is when
Definition
a series of weak stimuli trigger enough neurotransmitter to fire an impulse
Term
Converging neural pathways increase sensitivity to excitatory and inhibitory signals by
Definition
impulses from several sources meeting at a common point
Term
Diverging neural pathways influence several neurons
Definition
at the same time by branching out from a common point
Term
Reverberating pathway neurons later in the pathway
Definition
synapse with earlier ones, sending the impulse back through the circuit
Term
Plasticity of response is
Definition
the brain cells’ ability to become altered as a result of new environmental experiences
Term
Plasticity occurs when
Definition
new neural pathways are developed
Term
Endorphins are neurotransmitters that
Definition
act as natural pain killers
Term
Endorphin production increases in response to
Definition
severe injury, prolonged exercise, physical and emotional stress and certain food stuff
Term
Increased levels of endorphins may bring about
Definition
feelings of euphoria, regulate appetite and release sex hormones
Term
Dopamine induces the
Definition
feeling of pleasure and rewards particular behaviour in the reward pathway
Term
Neurotransmitter related disorders
Definition
include Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases
Term
Neurotransmitter-related disorders can be treated by
Definition
agonists, antagonists and inhibitors
Term
Agonists bind to
Definition
and stimulate receptors mimicking the neurotransmitter
Term
Antagonists bind to
Definition
specific receptors blocking the action of the neurotransmitter
Term
Inhibitors
Definition
inhibit the enzymes which degrade the neurotransmitters or inhibit re-uptake
Term
Alzheimer’s disease is treated using
Definition
cholinesterase inhibitors
Term
Parkinson’s disease is treated by using
Definition
L-dopa, agonists that mimic dopamine
Term
Recreational drugs affect the transmission of nerve impulses
Definition
in the reward circuit of the brain.
Term
Drug tolerance is said to have built up when
Definition
reaction to a drug has decreased intensity even though the drug’s concentration remains the same
Term
Sensitisation
Definition
leads to addiction
Term
Desensitisation
Definition
leads to drug tolerance
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