Bio 168
Nervous System Overview
Fall Semester 2004
Learning Objectives, Topics, Key Words
Readings: Martini : (5th ed.)pp 360-372; 406-416; 435-474; (6th ed.) 385-395; 429-440; 463-503.
1. Describe the divisions of the nervous system and the coverings
Central Nervous System (CNS)
brain
spinal cord
meninges
dura mater
arachnoid
pia mater
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
cranial nerves
spinal nerves
afferents (sensory)
efferents (motor)
somatic nervous system (innervates skeletal muscle)
autonomic (or, visceral) nervous system (innervates cardiac and smooth muscle, or glands)
peripheral nerves (afferent and efferent axons + connective tissue)
epineurium, perineurium, endoneurium
ganglia (clusters of neuron cell bodies)
2. Describe the structure and functions of the two classes of cell types in the nervous system.
neuroglia (glia = Greek for "glue") -- four major types
glioma (tumor of glial cell line)
ependymal cells (form lining of ventricles, some secrete cerebrospinal fluid)
oligodendrocytes (form myelin sheath on CNS axons)
Schwann cells (form myelin sheath on PNS axons)
myelination
node of Ranvier (gap between myelin sheath segments)
astrocytes
part of blood brain barrier
microglia
macrophages in the brain - defend against bacteria; remove damaged cells
gray matter and white matter
nucleus (cluster of CNS cell bodies)
ganglion (pl. ganglia)
tract (bundle of CNS axons)
neurons
cell body (also called soma)
dendrites
dendrites and soma: where synapses from other neurons are made = input
initial segment
axon (output) (= nerve fiber)
axolemma
axoplasm
axon collaterals
axon terminal
synapse
chemical transmission of impulse
axoplasmic transport (µtubules + molecular motors)
from cell body toward axon terminal (anterograde) and vice versa (retrograde)
3. Describe the principal divisions of the brain and their major functions
cerebrum (forebrain)
cerebral cortex
gyri and sulci
frontal lobes
parietal lobes
occipital lobes
temporal lobes
lateral ventricles
ventricles from embryonic neural tube (neural tube defects prevented by folic acid in diet)
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
choroid plexus
diencephalon
thalamus
hypothalamus
third ventricle
brain stem
midbrain
pons
medulla oblongata
fourth ventricle
cerebellum
4. Describe the general organization of the spinal cord
cervical enlargement
lumbar enlargement
gray mattter: dorsal, intermediate, and ventral horns
white matter: spinal tracts
ascending tracts
descending tracts
dorsal roots
dorsal root ganglia
ventral roots
spinal nerves
spinal segment
dermatome
5. List the cranial nerves and give their major functions
Name/Number |
Function |
olfactory I |
|
optic II |
|
oculomotor III |
|
trochlear IV |
|
trigeminal V |
|
abducens VI |
|
facial VII |
|
vestibulocochlear VIII |
|
glossopharyngeal IX |
|
vagus X |
|
spinal accessory XI |
|
hypoglossal XII |
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Durham Technical Community College
Durham, NC 27703
Last updated 4 October 2004