NSCI 111 Exam 1 Questions & Answers 2024/2025
Neural Doctrine - ANSWERSThe nervous system is made up of separate cells, by Ramon y Cajal
Golgi silver stain - ANSWERS"black reaction" based on nervous tissue hardening in potassium bichromate and impregnation with silver nitrate
Dendrites -...
Neural Doctrine - ANSWERSThe nervous system is made up of separate cells, by Ramon y Cajal
Golgi silver stain - ANSWERS"black reaction" based on nervous tissue hardening in potassium bichromate
and impregnation with silver nitrate
Dendrites - ANSWERSreceive most contacts from other neurons
Dendritic Spines - ANSWERSProtrusions in dendrites that make connections with other neurons
Estradiol - ANSWERSRegulates spine synapses on hippocampal pyramidal neurons, which are sites of
excitatory neurotransmission important for learning and memory, in the diestrus phase, which is the
beginning of the estrus cycle when estradiol levels are low, spine densities are also low. During proestrus
when ovulation occurs, estrogen levels peak and spine densities increase in parallel. In the estrus phase,
the day after proestrus, the system begins to reset itself for the next cycle and spine densities return to
baseline.
Axon - ANSWERSCarries the signal from the soma to the axon terminal
Axon terminal - ANSWERSThe end of the axon where the NT is released
Blast exposure experiment with rats - ANSWERSblast causes significant cognitive impairment and
decrease in the length of the axon initial segment in the hippocampus and cortex suggesting altered
neuronal excitability, this increases threshold and interspike interval of repetitively firing neurons, rats
exposed to blast wave spent less time exploring a novel object
Types of neurons - ANSWERSUnipolar neuron: near spinal cord, extends to the skin, somatosenses and
direct glands and organs, Bipolar neuron: in retina, cochlea, olfactory bulb, tongue, sensory systems,
Multipolar: interneuron, thalamus, cerebral cortex, acts as a bridge between sensory and mother
neurons
,Cell membrane structure - ANSWERSphospholipid bilayer that is impermeable to ions
Voltage (V) - ANSWERSseparation of unlike charge (+ vs. -) in space (unit = volt) voltage is the difference
in electrical potential between two points. its the push required for current to move
Current (I) - ANSWERSflow of electrical charges (unit = ampere or amp)
Resistance (R) - ANSWERSdifficulty with which current flows in a circuit (unit = ohm) (reciprocal of
resistance is conduction, unit = siemens)
Ohms Law - ANSWERSI = V / R
Electrical current - ANSWERSthe flow of electric charge, in neurons the current is created by the flow of
ions
Ions that flow in neurons - ANSWERSNa, K, Cl, Ca
Gated channels - ANSWERSopen in response to a particular event
voltage gated (K), ligand gated extracellular (nicotinic cholinergic receptor) and intracellular (cAMP or G
protein bound to GTP) and mechanically gated, phosphorylation can regulate c
Voltage gated channels - ANSWERSopen in response to change in membrane voltage potential
Ligand gated channels - ANSWERSopen in response to binding of a chemical messenger such as a NT
from another neuron (like ionotropic receptors)
Ion distribution at rest - ANSWERSextracellular: Na+ and Cl-
intracellular: K+ and Proteins-
, Forces that move ions - ANSWERSelectrostatic force (+ attracted to -)
Chemical concentration gradient
Equilibrium Potential - ANSWERSthe potential at which the chemical concentration gradient and the
electrostatic force are at equilibrium
Resting membrane potential - ANSWERSnet voltage difference is around -70mV, net movement is zero,
potassium has highest permeability at rest so has most influence on resting membrane potential
Goldman Equation - ANSWERStakes into account permeability of each ion in the solution
Forces at rest across membrane - ANSWERSinside fluid negatively charged, outside fluid positively
charged, K diffusion gradient out, electrical force in, Cl diffusion gradient in and electrical force out, Na
diffusion and electrical force in
Abnormal concentrations of K and Na - ANSWERSAcutely abnormal: can occur due to dehydration or
super hydration experienced during extreme physical activity
Chronically abnormal: in kidney disease
Normal K outside is 4.8-5.0 mM
Excitatory postsynaptic potential - ANSWERSincreases likelihood of action potential, moves membrane
potential toward the threshold
Inhibitory postsynaptic potential - ANSWERSdecreases likelihood of action potential, moves membrane
potential away from threshold
Summation of postsynaptic potentials - ANSWERSA neuron in the CNS is typically innervated by
thousands of synapses, all the postsynaptic potentials produced by each active synapse can sum
together which can increase or decrease likelihood of action potential generation
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