Physiology Study Sheet for Nervous System Exam
Chapter 8, 9, and part of 5
For this unit we will heavily emphasize the molecular interaction in neurons. We will focus on signal
transduction, action potentials, and overall organization of the NS. The other major are is the CNS.
Topics in general covered in this unit:
Physiology of neurons, Membrane dynamics, Nernst & GHK equations, Ion Movement & Action
potentials – generation & termination, Forms of Conduction, Trigger Zones, Graded Potentials,
Glial Cells & their function, Forms of Summation, Cell communication and neural circuits, Neural
transmitters and post-synaptic membrane sensitivity, Structure & Function of the Peripheral,
Central, Reticular formation, Neurotransmitter types, receptor types, types of synapses, CNS
organization, Spinal cord organization.
Chapter 5 Membrane DynamicsPg 160-166
1. Understand the distribution of Na, K, and Cl ion inside and outside the cell membrane
2. Understand what is electrical charge and how does it relate to the various types of potentials
3. Understand the difference between chemical and electrical equilibrium and relate those equilibriums to
the various types of potentials
4. Explain how an electrochemical gradient is maintained
5. Explain why the resting membrane potential is mostly due to potassium
6. How is ion permeability altered, and how does that affect changes in membrane potential?
Chapter 8 Neurons: Cellular and Network Properties pg 244-284
Study on your own
1. Review the structure of the neuron and how it is organized in the NS.
2. Review the various categories of neurons, their locations, and functions. (fig 8-3)
3. Review myelination of the axon in PNS and CNS (make sure you know the difference) fig 8-6
4. Go over the Nernst and GHK equation, understand the type of information they provide
5. Study the effect on neurons of various extracellular potassium concentrations (fig 8-19)
6. Know the various types of neurotransmitters and receptors (table 8-4 and pg 275-277
7. Study the convergence and divergence of neural pathways (fig 8-25)
8. Explain how a signal is inhibited, use fig 8-29 and read pgs 279-281 include the effect of
summation.
Information covered in lecture
1. What are the division of the NS? How is the NS organized?
2. What is the importance of axonal transport? How does it happen?
3. What is the difference between a graded potential and an action potential?
4. Explain in detail the changes that happen during an action potential. How does it travel?
5. What is the refractory period? How and when does it happen? Why is it important?
6. What are the various types of ion channels in a neuron?
7. What is the role of positive feedback during an action potential?
8. What is the relationship between frequency of action potential and stimulus intensity?
9. What is the importance of myelination, axon diameter, and salutatory conduction?
10. What is the sequence of steps during neurotransmitter release? What happens to neurotransmitters
after they are released?
11. Explain in detail what is happening in figure 8-22 and figure 8-23
12. How is transmission of a signal inhibited?
13. What is long-term potentiation? how is it different from other models or synaptic transmission?
14. What is the ability of a neuron to heal after injury? How does it happen?
Chapter 9: The Central Nervous System pg 291-321
Skip: Evolution of NS and embryonic development
Study on your own
1. Review the anatomy of the brain and spinal. Go back to the anatomy textbook or lab manual and
go over organization of the four brain structures and the spinal cord.
2. Know the function of each region and subregion of the brain: Cerebrum, diencephalons, brain
stem, cerebellum
3. Review the cranial nerves, their point of origin, where they end, the types of signals they carry
4. Review the assending and descending spinal tracts (more information in anatomy lab or textbook)
5. Review the ventricles and the flow of CSF throughout the skull and vertebral column, how it’s
produced, and circulated. How does CSF relate to the blood-brain barrier?
6. Review the meninge layers. How are they different in the brain vs the spinal cord region? What
other structures serve to protect the CNS?
7. What is the difference between gray and white matter?
Information covered in lecture
1. What are the metabolic requirements of neural tissue?
2. What is the organization of the spinal cord and how do afferent and efferent signals travel?
3. What are the components of the brain stem, what functions do they govern?
4. What are the components of the diencephalons, what functions do they govern?
5. What is the structure and function of the cerebellum?
6. What is the organization of the cerebrum? What areas process motor and sensory signals? Know all the
functions for the areas listed on figure 9-15
7. What is the limbic system, the basal ganglia, and the reticular formation?
8. What is the importance of the “sensory system”, the “cognitive system”, and the “behavioral state
system”?
9. What is perception? What is emotion? What is learning?
10. What is happening during sleep? What are the various stages of sleep? How do brainwaves change?
11. What is memory? What are the various types of memory?
12. What is language? What areas of the cerebrum are involved with language?
13. What pathological changes cause schizophrenia, alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis,
and depression?
14. What is plasticity and emergent properties of the CNS?
Other Study Questions for this unit
1. What is the structure of a neuron, in which direction does information flow, and how does
myelination differ in the CNS vs PNS
2. Explain the difference between the classes of neurons, their organization, and what is meant
by presynaptic and postsynaptic neuron.
3. What are glial cells and glial cell function?
4. How does neural growth and neural regeneration happen in the CNS and PNS?
5. What makes a cell an excitable cell? What cells in the body are considered excitable?
6. Explain what type of information is obtained from the following formulas and when would they
be used: Ohm’s law (I=E/R)
The Nernst Equation Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz (GHK) Equation
7. What ions play a role in signal transduction and how do they enter/leave the cell?
8. What are the components that influence an ion to move a certain direction and what is their
common distribution.
9. What are leak channels and the Na+/K+ pump? . How do sodium and potassium voltage gated
channels differ?
10. What is a graded potential and how is it related to EPSP and IPSP? What is the difference between
and excitatory and inhibitory synapse?
11. What is an action potential and how does it occur?
12. How do the following terms apply to potential formation: depolarize, overshoot, repolarize,
hyperpolarize, resting potential, millivolt (mV), distance, intensity, stimulus, electrical synapse,
chemical synapse, paracrine
13. Be able to define and apply the following terms: potential/potential difference, membrane
potential, equilibrium potential, resting membrane potential, graded potential, action potential,
synaptic potential, receptor, neurotransmitter, calcium, gated channels (3-types), threshold.
14. How do the following terms relate to each other: potential propagation, refractory period,
salutatory conduction, hyperporlarization
15. What is the role of calcium in the nervous system? How does this relate to different types of
signaling?
16. How does convergence and divergence influence information flow?
17. What is the mechanism that leads to the release of neurotransmitters? What factors play a role?
18. How does the neurotransmitter affect the postsynaptic cell? How does this relate to disorders of the
nervous system.
19. How do action potentials move down the axon, how do they code for stimulus intensity?
20. What is spatial summation and temporal summation and why are they essential?
21. Name the multiple ways that drugs and disease affect what happens at a synapse?
22. What are they different types of neurotransmitters? How do they differ in structure and function?
Relate them to the receptors listed in the book.
23. How is the nervous system organized? What are the major divisions and subdivision?
24. Identify the functions of the major parts of the brain: cerebral hemispheres, thalamus,
hypothalamus, limbic system, cerebellum, brainstem
25. What is blood-brain barrier, CSF and choroid plexus? What purpose do the ventricles and the
CSF serve?
26. What general mechanism do receptors use to send signals to the CNS? (don’t forget to include
ascending/descending tracts)
27. What is EGG, alpha rhythms, and beta rhythms? What are the stages of sleep? Why sleep?
28. What is stream of conscious experience and selective attention? What areas of the brain that form
the “emotional brain”?
29. How are emotions linked to physiological reactions?
30. What neurotransmitter and brain structures are involved in behavior and emotions?
31. Explain the differences between anatomical and physiological bases for emotion, emotional
behavior, and inner emotions.
32. What factors influence mood disorders or mental illness and how to psychoactive drugs work?
33. How is memory encoded? What is the difference between declarative and procedural memory?
34. What areas of the brain are involved in memory and learning? How is long term memory
established?
35. How do the two cerebral hemispheres differ in terms of the information they process?
36. What is contra-later and ipsi-laterl control?
37. What is the organization of the spinal cord? What are ascending and descending tracts? How is
sensory information integrated at the spinal cord? What sensory perception?
39. What is the metabolic requirement of nervous tissue? What are key components needed to maintain
homeostasis and normal activity in NS cells?
40. How do various areas of the brain communicate?