Study Sheet for Nervous System Exam II
Chapter 10-13
While there will be some questions on the overall organization of the NS, we will mostly focus on
NS function of overall body control and sensory interpretation. There will be questions on reflexes,
and a heavy emphasize on skeletal muscle structure and function.
Topics in general covered in this unit:
Integrative physiology & control of body movement, Physiology of muscles – Skeletal &
Smooth, Sensory Physiology, Sensory modalities –general, somatic, chemo, smell, taste,
hearing, equilibrium, vision, Autonomic vs. Somatic NS, Homeostasis & Reflexes , Types of
reflexes, Neurotransmitter types, receptor types, types of synapses, CNS organization,
integration, and signaling pathways.
Chapter 10: Sensory Physiology pg 128-367 (Skip 368-370 but do study figure 10-41)
Study on your own
1. Review the anatomy of the taste bud, nasal cavity, ear, and eye
2. Go over the tables in the chapter 10-1-10.5
3. Go over the touch receptors in skin (table 10-4) and sensory pathways (table 10-3)
4. For all five senses write out the pathways for the afferent signal as it travels from the receptor until it
reaches the corresponding integrating site in the brain (ascending tracts).
Information covered in lecture
1. Understand the general information on properties of sensory systems. This includes receptor types,
signal transduction, receptive fields, localization, modality, tonic and phasic receptors, and integration.
2. How do the following terms relate: coding, sensory unit, receptive field, stimulus intensity, acuity
to locate a stimulus, lateral inhibition.
3. What is adaptation and why do some receptors adapt faster than others? Howcome some don’t
adapt at all?
4. Explain how the brain knows precisely where a stimulus is located. Include pathways and brain
regions. Explain how the following terms relate to the sensory signals and afferent division of the
nervous system- adequate stimulus, threshold, receptive field, and perceptual threshold, modality,
localization, intensity, and duration, second sensory neurons, and somatosensory cortex
5. Explain how the nervous system codes for stimulus intensity and duration. How does the brain
differentiate between different types of stimulus?
6. Explain how pain is different from other senses. How is it signaled and perceived? How is it
managed? What is referred pain and why does it occur?
7. Explain how taste and smell work.
8. Review all the information on hearing in balance. How do sound waves get translated into action
potentials? How and where is position & movement detected? What is the vestibular system and what
does it control?
9. Review all the information on the eye and vision. Do not go in depth the activation and signaling of
rods and cones.
10. Explain how are you able to focus on objects near and far? Where do you find rods and cones and
how do they work? How does light reach the retina and stimulate an action potential?
Chapter 11: Efferent Division pg377-391
Study on your own
1. Review the cranial nerves that carry visceral motor and visceral sensory signals.
2. Review the parts of the brain that integrate visceral motor and visceral sensory signals. What CNS
control centers are involved in autonomic NS?
3. Review the information on the tables throughout the chapter 11-1 to 11-5
Information covered in lecture
1. Explain the anatomical differences between sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons. What is the
sympathetic chain and ganglion?
2. Explain the differences between receptors and neurotransmitter released by sympathetic and
parasympathetic neurons. Use figure 11-11 to help you out.
3. How is motor signaling to smooth muscle different from neuron signaling of skeletal muscle?
4. How is the neuron arrangement for somatic neurons different from the neuron arrangement for
visceral neurons? How is the somatic division of the PNS different from the autonomic division of the
PNS?
5. How does endocrine system compliment/enhance autonomic nervous system?
6. How does signaling happen at the neuromuscular junction of skeletal muscle?
Chapter 12: Muscles pg397-430 (skip details on levers, smooth muscle contraction steps pg 425-428)
Study on your own
1. Review the difference between the three types of muscle and the various skeletal muscle fibers
2. Review antagonist, agonist, and synergist muscles, the definition of origin and insertion, and the
difference between tendons and ligaments.
Information covered in lecture
1. Review the organization of muscle from the whole muscle down to the myofibrils. Include the
connective tissue layers that surrounds bundles and all the organelles within the muscle cell.
2. Label a sarcomere and explain how it changes with a muscle contract. Define the components
involved in contraction of a sarcomere.
3. Explain step by step the events described in the sliding filament theory. Know the importance of
each component. Study figure 12-9 and 12-11. How is calcium concentration increased and decreased?
4. What roles do the following play in a contraction: a motor unit, summation, and acetylcholine.
5. Study the graphs relating to membrane potential, muscle contraction strength, summation of
contractions, tension-time relationships,
6. What are the different types of skeletal muscle contractions and summation?
7. How is the muscle contraction of smooth muscle different from skeletal muscle contration?
Chapter 13: Control of body movement pg436-452
Study on your own
1. Review the various reflex test you did during lab match them to the types of reflexes you learned in
this chapter.
2. Review the tables throughout the chapter. Give examples for each type of reflex classification given
on table 13-1
3. Review the pathway a signal travels as it is sent from the brain to the skeletal muscle (descending
tracts) and compare that to the sensory pathway (ascending tracts).
Information covered in lecture
1. What role do the following muscle tissue components or characteristics play in movement and
reflexes: Extrafusal muscle fibers, alpha motor neurons, muscle spindles, intrafusal fibers, gamma
motor neurons, muscle tone, Alpha-gamma coactivation, golgi tendon organs, myotatic unit,
reciprocal inhibitions, and central pattern generator
2.. How is viscera controlled? What visceral reflexes are not consciously perceived? What visceral
reflexes cannot be ignored by the conscious person?
3. How is voluntary movement processed? What is the difference between reflexive, controlled, and
rhythmic movement? How can one type become another?