Ch 7: NERVOUS SYSTEM Name (in ink)

1. Divisions: Nervous System (2 major divisions)

Structures of CNS: Subdivisions of PNS:

1. 2. 1. 2.

Subdivisions of motor: 1. 2.
(voluntary) (involuntary)
Voluntary structures:

Subdivisions of ANS:

Also called:

Involuntary structures:

2. Choose the responses that best correspond to the descriptions provided in the following statements.
Key Choices
A. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) C. Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
B. Central nervous system (CNS) D. Somatic nervous system

____________________ 1. Nervous system subdivision that is composed of the brain and spinal cord

____________________ 2. Subdivision of the PNS that controls voluntary activities such as the activation
of skeletal muscles
____________________ 3. Nervous system subdivision that is composed of the cranial and spinal nerves
and all nerves throughout the body
____________________ 4. Subdivision of the PNS, regulates the activity of the cardiac and smooth
muscle, and of glands; it is also called the involuntary nervous system
____________________ 5. A major division of the nervous system that interprets incoming information
and issues orders
____________________ 6. A major division of the nervous system that serves as communication lines,
linking all parts of the body to the CNS

3. The following table indicates a number of conditions. Use a check (/) to show which division of the
autonomic nervous system is involved in each condition.
Condition Sympathetic Parasympathetic

1. Adrenaline – increases blood flow to brain, heart, lungs, skeletal muscles, increased
heart rate, breathing (more oxygen in and carried to cells), BP

2. Digestion – increased blood flow to digestive organs, increased peristalsis

3. Normally in control
4. Fight or flight system – increased blood pressure and blood to skeletal muscles
5. Liver releases stored glycogen – muscle cells need glucose to make energy
6. Causes a dry mouth, dilates bronchioles, dilates pupils, increased perspiration
7. Constricts eye pupils, decreases heart rate and respiration (breathing)
4. You are alone in your bedroom late at night, and you hear an unfamiliar sound in the backyard. List four
reactions promoted by the sympathetic nervous system that help you to cope with this frightening situation.
1.

2.

3.

4.

NEURON
5. Label the parts of the neuron on Figure 7-1 below. Then color the coding circles and corresponding
structures on the diagram. Finally, draw arrows on the figure to indicate the direction of impulse
transmission along the neuron’s membrane.

⃝ Axon

⃝ Dendrites

⃝ Cell body

⃝ Myelin sheath

⃝ Axon

terminals
Figure 7-1
6. Relative to neuron anatomy, match the anatomical terms given in Column B with the appropriate
descriptions of functions in Column A.

Column A Column B

____________________ 1. Releases neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft A. Axon

____________________ 2. Branches that conduct electrical currents toward the B. Axon terminal
cell body (receives the stimulus) C. Dendrite
____________________ 3. Fatty insulation around axon, formed by neuroglia, D. Myelin sheath
increases the speed of nerve impulse transmission
E. Cell body
____________________ 4. Location of the nucleus

____________________ 5. Generally conducts impulses away from the cell body

RECEPTORS
7. Using key choices, select the specific receptor type(s) described or activated by the activity . Terms
will be used more than once.

Key Choices
A. Bare nerve endings C. Meissner’s corpuscles
B. Proprioceptors D. Pacinian corpuscles

____________________ 1. Cutaneous receptors (remember: cutaneo = )

____________________ 2. Deep pressure receptors of the skin

____________________ 3. Detect the amount of stretch or tension in skeletal muscles and tendons

____________________ 4. Pain receptors of the skin

____________________ 5. Light touch receptors of the skin

____________________ 6. Send information to the brain to maintain posture

____________________ 7. Warn us that some type of body damage is occurring

____________________ 8. Constantly advise our brain of our own body movements

____________________ 9. Someone pinches you (a strong stimulation may be interpreted as pain)

____________________ 10. You cut your finger while slicing a carrot

____________________ 11. You gently touch a rose petal

____________________ 12. You try to balance on one foot

NERVE CELLS
8. Indicate the cell type described in each of the following statements.
Key Choices A. Neurons B. Neuroglia
________ 1. Support, insulate (myelin), and protect nerve cells

________ 2. Demonstrate irritability and conductivity, transmits electrical messages

________ 3. Release chemicals called neurotransmitters that diffuse across the synapse and generate an
impulse in the subsequent neuron (the action of most drugs is occurs at the synapse)
________ 4. Unable to transmit nerve impulses

________ 5. Are unable to go through mitosis, amitotic

________ 6. Responsible for most brain neoplasms (cancer), called gliomas, because they are mitotic

________ 7. Form the blood brain barrier which inhibits passage of harmful materials into brain tissue,
formed by star-shaped cells called astrocytes
________ 8. Are affected with multiple sclerosis – hardening of the myelin sheath, or demyelination

9. Using key choices, select the terms identified in the following descriptions by inserting the appropriate
letter in the spaces provided.
A. Afferent neuron E. Neuroglia I. Proprioceptors
B. Association neuron F. Neurotransmitters J. Dendrites
C. Cutaneous sense organs G. Myelin K. Synapse
D. Efferent neuron H. Nodes of Ranvier L. Stimuli
_________ 1. Changes within or outside the body that affect nervous system functioning

_________ 2. Sensory receptors found in the skin, which are specialized to detect temperature, pressure
changes (Meissner’s, Pacinian corpuscles), and pain (free nerve endings)
_________ 3. The type of nerve cells that myelinate the neurons found in the PNS

_________ 4. Junction or point of close contact between neurons where chemicals are released

_________ 5. Chemicals released at axon endings that stimulate other neurons, muscles, or glands

_________ 6. Branches of the neuron cell body that conduct impulses toward the cell body

_________ 7. Sensory neuron that conducts impulses toward the CNS from the body periphery

_________ 8. Motor neuron that conducts impulses away from the CNS to muscles and glands

_________ 9. Neuron, serving as part of the conduction pathway between sensory and motor neurons (also
called interneuron)
_________ 10. Fatty insulation that speeds impulse transmission

_________ 11. Gaps in a myelin sheath

_________ 12. Sensory receptors found in muscle and tendons that detect their degree of stretch

_________ 13. The actions of most drugs and medications affect these chemicals at the synapse
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: Brain

10. Figure 7-3 is a diagram of the right lateral view of the human brain. Match the letters on the diagram
with the following list of terms and insert the appropriate letters in the answer blanks. Color in the
corresponding structures in the diagram. If an identified area is part of a lobe, use the color you
selected for the lobe but use stripes for that area.
______ 1. ⃝ frontal lobe ______ 8. ⃝ lateral sulcus

______ 2. ⃝ parietal lobe ______ 9. ⃝ cerebellum

______ 3. ⃝ temporal lobe ______10. ⃝ parieto-occipital fissure

______ 4. ⃝ occipital lobe ______11. ⃝ medulla

______ 5. ⃝ central sulcus ______12. ⃝ pons

______ 6. ⃝ postcentral gyrus ______13. longitudinal fissure

______ 7. ⃝ precentral gyrus _______________ 14. cerebrum (four lobes)

A B

H
spinal cord
11. Figure 7-4 is a diagram of the sagittal view of the human brain. First, match the letters on the
diagram with the list of terms and insert the appropriate letter in each answer blank. Then, color the
brain-stem areas blue and the areas where cerebrospinal fluid is found yellow.

_______ 1. Cerebrum ______8. Pituitary gland (Endocrine gland called Master Gland)

_______ 2. Cerebellum ______9. Thalamus

_______ 3. Midbrain ______10. Hypothalamus

_______ 4. Pons ______11. Dura mater

_______ 5. Medulla oblongata ______12. Arachnoid mater

_______ 6. Corpus callosum ______13. Pia mater

_______ 7. Pineal body

A B C
O

K
12. Complete the following statements by inserting your answers in the answer blanks.

_________________________ 1. The largest part of the human brain is the

_________________________ 2. This major subdivision is divided into two halves called

_________________________ 3. The other two major subdivisions of the brain are the

_________________________ 4.

_________________________ 5. The cavities found in the brain are called

_________________________ 6. The fluid found in these cavities and around the spinal cord is called

_________________________ 7. The outermost cerebrum is called the

_________________________ 8. An elevated ridge of the cerebral cortex is a

_________________________ 9. These convolutions increase

_________________________ 10. A progressive degeneration of brain tissue in which abnormal

plaque deposits form, gyri shrink, and the brain atrophies
_________________________ 11. The grooves between the ridges are

_________________________ 12. The three parts of the brain stem are the

_________________________ 13.

_________________________ 14.

13. Complete the statements regarding the brain structures and their functions.

__________________________ 1. Site of regulation of the body’s water balance (thirst), body

temperature; part of the limbic system which contains centers drives
such as rage, pleasure, hunger, sex, etc.
__________________________ 2. Responsible for the regulation of posture and coordination of
skeletal muscle movements and balance
__________________________ 3. Important relay station for information traveling to the sensory cortex
for interpretation; encloses the third ventricle
__________________________ 4. Part of the brain stem that contains reflex centers involved in
regulating respiratory rhythm
__________________________ 5. Contains autonomic centers for vital (life) reflexes such as blood
pressure, breathing, heart rate, and other reflexes such as coughing,
sneezing, vomiting
__________________________ 6. The sympathetic nervous system becomes less efficient as aging
occurs, resulting in an inability to prevent sudden changes in ____ when
abrupt changes in position are made.
__________________________ 7. A type of low blood pressure resulting from standing up quickly after
sitting or lying down.
__________________________ 8. The large fiber tract connecting the cerebral hemispheres
 __________________________ 9. Outer portion (gray matter) of the cerebrum that functions in speech,
memory, logical and emotional response, and voluntary movement
__________________________ 10._The primary sensory area of the parietal lobes is in the gyrus.

__________________________ 11._The primary motor area of the frontal lobe is in the gyrus.

__________________________ 12._Cortical areas involved in audition are found in the lobe.

__________________________ 13._The visual cortex is located in the lobe.

__________________________ 14._The primary motor area in the frontal lobe is involved in the
initiation of movements.
__________________________ 15._A specialized motor speech area called Broca’s area is located at the
base of the gyrus.
__________________________ 16._The right cerebral hemisphere receives sensory input from the
side of the body.
__________________________ 17._A flat EEG is evidence of clinical death. An EEG is a recording of the
electrical activity of the brain. EEG is an abbreviation for .
__________________________ 18._When a region of the brain is deprived of blood (ischemia) so brain tissue
does not get oxygen, the cells die. This is called a stroke, or .
Protection of the CNS—Meninges and Cerebrospinal Fluid
14. Figure 7-5 shows a frontal view of the meninges of the brain at the level of the superior sagittal (dural)
sinus. First, label the arachnoid villi on the figure. Then, select different colors for each of the following
structures and use them to color the coding circles and corresponding structures in the diagram.
⃝ Dura mater ⃝ Pia mater ⃝ Subarachnoid space
⃝ Arachnoid mater ⃝ Subdural space

Scalp

Bone of skull

Superior
sagittal sinus

Gray matter
of cerebral cortex

Figure 7-5
15. Complete the statements regarding the meninges.

_________________________ 1. The outermost covering of the brain, composed of tough fibrous

connective tissue, fused with the periosteum of the skull, is the
_________________________ 2. The delicate and vascular innermost covering of the brain is the

_________________________ 3. The middle meningeal layer that resembles a spider’s web

_________________________ 4. Structures that return cerebrospinal fluid to the venous blood in the sagittal
sinus are the
_________________________ 5. Inflammation of the meninges is called

CNS: Spinal Cord

16. Complete the following statements regarding the spinal cord by inserting your responses in the answer blanks.

_________________________ 1. The spinal cord extends from the large hole in the skull called the

_________________________ 2. down to the ___ region of the vertebral column.

_________________________ 3. The meninges cover the spinal cord and extend downward to form an
inferior meningeal sac from which cerebrospinal fluid can be withdrawn
without damage to the spinal cord. This procedure is called a
_________________________ 4. There are ____ pairs of spinal nerves that arise from the spinal cord.

_________________________ 5. Of these, ____ pairs are cervical nerves.

_________________________ 6. There are ____ pairs of thoracic nerves.

_________________________ 7. There are ____ pairs of lumbar nerves.

_________________________ 8. There are ____ pairs of sacral nerves.

_________________________ 9. The tail-like collection of spinal nerves at the inferior end of the spinal cord
is called the
_________________________ 10. Damage to the spinal cord in the cervical area would result in paralysis to
all four limbs, called .
_________________________ 11. Damage to the spinal cord in the lumbar area would result in paralysis of
the lower body and legs, called .

REFLEXES

17. List in order the minimum elements in a reflex arc from the stimulus to the activity of the effector. Place
your responses in the answer blanks.
Stimulus – initiates impulse

1. 4.

2. 5.

3.
18. A rapid, predictable and involuntary response to a stimulus is a =

19. Using the key choices, identify the types of reflexes involved in each of the following situations.

Key Choices A. Somatic reflex(es) B. Autonomic reflex(es)

______________________ 1. Patellar (knee-jerk) reflex

______________________ 2. Pupillary light reflex (constriction of pupils, requires brain function – protects retina
from too much light.)
______________________ 3. Effectors are skeletal muscles

______________________ 4. Effectors are smooth muscle and glands

______________________ 5. Flexor reflex (pulling arms away)

______________________ 6. Regulation of blood pressure (vasodilation, vasoconstriction)

______________________ 7. Salivary reflex (secretion of saliva when smelling or thinking of food)

20. Refer to Figure 7-2, showing a reflex arc, as you complete this exercise. Answer the following questions by
inserting your responses in the spaces provided.

1. What is the stimulus?

2. What tissue is the effector?

3. How many synapses occur in this reflex arc?

Color the structures in the diagram. Draw arrows on the figure indicating the direction of impulse
transmission through this reflex pathway.
⃝ Receptor region ⃝ Association neuron (interneuron) ⃝ Effector

⃝ Afferent neuron ⃝ Efferent neuron

Figure 7-2
 Ch 7 At The Clinic

Use a separate sheet of paper to respond to the following scenarios.

1. Jed, a couch potato, likes to eat a very large meal in the evening. After the meal, his wife asks him to help
clean the dishes, but Jed explains that he is “too tired” and promptly goes to sleep. (p. 264-269)
a. Which nervous system division is most active while Jed is relaxing after dinner?
b. Explain why it is a good idea to relax after a heavy meal.

2. The right precentral gyrus of your patient’s brain has been destroyed by a stroke. (p. 240-244)
a. What is the name of this specific area of the cerebral cortex that controls skeletal muscles?
b. What are the possible side effects (at least two) this patient may experience from this damage?

3. Jamal, an elderly man with a history of TIAs, complained to his daughter that he had a severe headache.
Shortly thereafter, he lapsed into a coma. At the hospital, he was diagnosed as having a brain hemorrhage.
a. What does the abbreviation TIA stand for? (p. 251-252)
b. Based on the fact that he is in a coma, which specific area of the brain was damaged by the hemorrhage?
(p. 246-247)
c. This area is part of which major structure of the brain? (p. 246-247)
d. What is the name for a stroke, or CVA? (p. 251)

4. While working in the emergency room, you admit two patients who were in an auto collision. One has
sustained a severed (cut) spinal cord at the C6 level and the other patient suffered a similar injury at the level
of L2. (p. 254-255)
a. Explain the outcome for the patient with the C6 injury. (Identify the specific condition)
b. Explain the outcome for the patient with the L2 injury. (Identify the specific condition)

5. Stress-induced stomach ulcers are due to excessive sympathetic stimulation. For example, one suspected
cause of the ulcers is almost total lack of blood flow to the stomach wall. (p. 267-269)
a. How does the sympathetic nervous system affect the digestive system?
b. Why is blood flow constricted to the digestive system in “fight-or-flight” mode?

6. An elderly patient in a nursing home has recurrent episodes of fainting when he stands. An alert nurse notes
that this occurs only when his room is fairly warm. On cold mornings, he has no difficulty. (p. 270-271)
a. What is the name of the condition of low blood pressure when standing up “straight”?
b. Why does this happen to elderly people?
c. Why is this patient fainting when the room is warm but not when it is cool? (Consider how blood vessels
react to hot/cold to maintain body temperature (p. 386) [see also p. 499, Heat-Promoting Mechanisms and
Heat Loss Mechanisms] and the need for blood flow to the brain.)

7. Amy was suddenly startled by a loud bang that sounded like a gunshot. Her heartbeat accelerated rapidly.
When she realized that the noise was only a car backfiring, she felt greatly relieved but her heart kept beating
heavily for several minutes more. (p. 264-268)
a. What subdivision of the autonomic nervous system was activated?
b. Why does it take a long time to calm down after being scared?

8. Following a train accident, Sharon Money, a woman with an obvious head injury, is observed stumbling
about the scene. An inability to walk properly and loss of balance are quite obvious. (p. 246-247)
a. What specific major brain structure was injured?
b. What is the term for the loss of muscle coordination?

(continued on back)
9. A woman was just brought into the clinic by her husband, who noticed that her speech is slurred, the right
side of her face is slack, and she has difficulty swallowing. She is able to understand verbal and written
language, but when she tries to speak, her words are garbled.
a. What is the term for inability to speak? (motor control) (p. 251)
b. What specific region of the primary motor cortex must have been damaged? (p.240-243)
c. What is the term for inability to understand speech? (sensory control) (p. 251)

10. A tumor is found on a CT scan of Mr. Johnson’s brain. The physician is assuming that it is not a secondary
tumor (i.e., it did not spread from another part of the body) because an exhaustive workup has revealed no
signs of cancer elsewhere in Mr. Johnson’s body. In other words, this tumor has developed from brain cells.
a. Is the brain tumor more likely to have developed from neurons or from neuroglia? (p. 227-229)
b. Explain why this type of nerve cell WOULD form brain tumors and the other would NOT.

11. (a) Which would likely be the result of an injury to the posterior column of the spinal cord—paralysis or
paresthesia? (p. 254-255)
(b) Based on the information carried by the fiber tracts in the three regions of the spinal cord white
matter, explain your answer to part A. (Explain the difference between sensory and motor tracts.)

12. A semiconscious young woman is brought to the hospital by friends after falling from a roof. She did not
lose consciousness immediately, and she was initially lucid (clear-headed). After a while, though, she
became confused and then unresponsive.
a. What are two likely explanations for her delayed condition? (p. 251)
b. What procedure will probably be done to gather information about her brain function? (p. 270-271)

13. Mrs. Tonegawa, a new mother, brings her infant to the clinic because he has suffered repeated seizures.
Upon questioning, she states that her labor was unusually long and difficult. (p. 269)
a. Based on this information, what condition do you suspect?
b. Describe the effects of this condition.

14. Mrs. Jones has had a progressive decline in her mental capabilities in the past 5 to 6 years. When examined,
Mrs. Jones was aware of her cognitive problems and was shown to have an IQ score of approximately 30
points lower than would be predicted by her work history. A CT scan showed diffuse cerebral atrophy.
The physician prescribed a mild tranquilizer for Mrs. Jones and told her family that there was little else he
could recommend. (p. 252-253)
a. What was Mrs. Jones’s condition?
b. Explain the structural changes occurring in her brain and what effect this will have on her behavior.

15. A child is brought into the emergency room with a high temperature. The doctor suggests there may be
infection in the connective tissue that covers and protects the brain. (p. 247-250)
a. What is the name of this condition?
b. What is the term for brain inflammation?
c. What diagnostic procedure will likely be performed to get a sample of CSF?