Flashcards on Biological Psychology Fundamentals
Biological Psychology Fundamentals: Brain & Behavior Guide
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Nervous System
80 cards
Card 1
Question: What is the primary function of the nervous system (NS)?
Answer: To receive information from both the external and internal environments, process it, and ensure an appropriate response.
Card 2
Question: From which germ layer does the nervous system develop during ontogenesis?
Answer: From the outer germ layer (ectoderm).
Card 3
Question: What are the main parts of the nervous system?
Answer: The Central Nervous System (CNS: brain and spinal cord) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS: cranial and spinal nerves, and autonomic nerves).
Card 4
Question: How did the nervous system evolve in animals from a phylogenetic perspective?
Answer: Originally, it consisted of scattered cells throughout the body; mammals developed the most complex form of the nervous system.
Card 5
Question: What is the fundamental and most important cell of the nervous system?
Answer: The neuron.
Card 6
Question: What do the terms 'nucleus' and 'ganglion' mean in the context of the nervous system?
Answer: Nucleus = a cluster of nerve cells in the CNS; Ganglion = a cluster of nerve cells in the PNS.
Card 7
Question: What is the difference between gray matter and white matter in the spinal cord and brain (briefly, according to the text)?
Answer: Gray matter is composed of neuron cell bodies; white matter is composed of nerve fibers (distinguished in the text as structures in a cross-section of
Card 8
Question: How many pairs of spinal segments does the spinal cord have, and where is it located?
Answer: The spinal cord has 31 pairs of spinal segments and is located in the vertebral canal, reaching a length of 40–45 cm.
Card 9
Question: What coverings (meninges) do both the spinal cord and brain have?
Answer: Three meninges: dura mater (spinalis/propria), arachnoidea (spinalis), pia mater (spinalis).
Card 10
Question: What basic structures can be identified in a cross-section of the spinal cord?
Answer: The spinal gray matter and white matter; anterior and posterior horns; anterior, posterior, and lateral funiculi.