brain and cranial nerves

What are the main divisions of the divisions of the nervous system and what structures make
up these divisions?

• The main divisions of the nervous system are the central nervous system (CNS) which includes the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) which includes all peripheral nerves. (cranial, ganglia, spinal nerves)

• The main divisions are the endocrine system and the immune system.
• The central nervous system includes the heart and lungs.
• The peripheral nervous system consists only of the cranial nerves.

What are the 2 main divisions of the PNS and what kind of information do they carry (afferent
and efferent)?

• The two main divisions of the PNS are the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.
• The two main divisions of the PNS are the sensory (afferent) nervous division and the motor (efferent) division. Sensory afferent division contains somatic nerves that conduct impulses from receptors to cns. Motor efferent division contains motor fibers that conduct impulses from cns to effectors (muscles and glands)

• The two main divisions of the PNS are the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
• The two main divisions of the PNS are the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

What are the functions of the nervous system?

• Regulating body temperature and digestion
• Producing hormones and enzymes
• The functions of the nervous system include collecting information/sensory input, processing and evaluation information (integration), responding to information (motor output, cns sends to effectors)

• Facilitating nutrient absorption in the intestines

What are the divisions of the autonomic nervous system and what tissues are the targets for
these neurons?

• The autonomic nervous system has only two divisions: sympathetic and parasympathetic.
• The enteric nervous system is not part of the autonomic nervous system.
• Target tissues include skeletal muscles and skin.
• The divisions of the autonomic nervous system are the sympathetic (flight or flight), parasympathetic (rest and digest). Their target tissues include the heart, lungs, blood vessels, digestive organs, and glands.

What does a ganglia consist of?

• A type of muscle tissue.
• A cluster of nerve cell bodies or brain cell that are closely

• A single nerve cell.
• A collection of blood vessels.

Could you recognize characteristics of a neuron (structural unit of ns)?

• Neurons do not have a nucleus.
• Neurons are primarily composed of muscle tissue.
• Neurons are only found in the heart.
• Neurons have high metabolic rate (uses lots of energy), extreme longevity, and nonmitotic (cannot divide and replace)

What are the main structures of the neuron and what are their functions? Could you label
these?

• Mitochondria - produces energy
• Main structures of a neuron: 1. Cell Body; typical organelles/nucleus (Soma) 2. Dendrites - receive stimuli/input; 3. Axon - single long process transmits nerve impulses away neurons ; 4. Axon Terminals (terminal branches)- release neurotransmitters end of axon. 5. terminal knobs (boutons): end of terminal branches get communication signaling

• Nucleus - stores genetic information
• Cell Membrane - protects the neuron

Where does the neuron receive excitatory input?

• Synaptic cleft
• Axon terminals
• Dendrites and cell body (soma)
• Myelin sheath

Where would an action potential be triggered and what part of the neuron does the action
potential travel down?

• The action potential is triggered at the axon hillock and travels down the axon.
• The action potential is triggered at the myelin sheath and travels down the axon hillock.
• The action potential is triggered in the synapse and travels down the axon terminal.
• The action potential is triggered at the dendrites and travels down the soma.

What are the main components of the neuronal synapse?

• Axon terminal, synaptic gap, glial cell
• Dendritic spine, synaptic junction, myelin sheath
• Neurotransmitter vesicles, synaptic channel, axon hillock
• Presynaptic terminal, synaptic cleft (chemical messenger related postsynaptic), postsynaptic membrane