Extra Questions for the Brain Neurons & Chemicals PART TWO

  1. What does it mean to say that the brain has 2 cerebral hemispheres?
  2. What are contralateral connections?
  3. Each hemisphere is specialized for specific functions. This specialization is called what?
  4. What connects the two hemispheres?
  5. What happens when this connection is cut? Why might doctors decide to cut it?
  6. The left hemisphere controls speech. If something is presented on the left side of a split brain patient, what will the speaking brain say that it saw? What will the person draw with the left hand if asked?
  7. The nervous system (including the brain) is made up of a network of specialized cells that specialize in communicating with each other. What are these cells called? What are their “helper” cells called?
  8. What type of cell comprises 90% of the nervous system? What do these cells do?
  9. What are the three types of neurons?
  10. What is the role of sensory neurons?
  11. What is the role of motor neurons?
  12. What is the role of interneurons?
  13. How do neurons transmit signals within themselves (from one end to another)?
  14. How do neurons communicate with each other?
  15. Draw a neuron and label the axon, dendrites, terminal buttons, myelin sheath, cell body
  16. What is a synapse?
  17. Neurons receive 2 kinds of signals from other neurons. What are they?
  18. If the total excitatory signals outweigh the total inhibitory signals, what will the neuron decide to do?
  19. What are action potentials & how are they related to neurotransmitters?
  20. What helps action potentials travel faster down the axon?
  21. How does myelin relate to multiple sclerosis?
  22. What is meant by the terms presynaptic and postsynaptic?
  23. How does the analogy of a “lock and key” relate to neurotransmitters and their receptors?
  24. After action potential happens and the post-synaptic neuron “fires,” what happens to all the leftover neurotransmiter that is still in the synapse?
  25. What is reuptake? How does this relate to the antidepressant drugs called SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)?
  26. Agonists are neurotransmitters that do what?
  27. Antagonists are the type of neurotransmitter that do what?
  28. Black widow spider bites flood your synapses with ACh, which causes too much firing of the neurons in muscle cells. If it causes too much firing, then this means black widow venom is what type of neurotransmitter (agonist or antagonist)? What happens when the motor neurons fire too much?
  29. Botulin blocks the release of ACh from the synaptic terminal, causing paralysis. If botulin is blocking the release of this neurotransmitter, this means that it is what type of neurotransmitter?
  30. What happens if you get too much serotonin?
  31. What happens if you have too little serotonin?
  32. Drugs like LSD mimic which neurotransmitter, which explains why they make you feel so good? What happens if you take these drugs for too long?