Objective: Before you start reading the chapter/notes for the following topics, focus on the following

concepts/questions and check whether they are obtained after doing your reading assignment.

GUIDE QUESTIONS: NERVOUS SYSTEM

These guide questions will enable you to identify important concepts of the nervous system and will
serve as a foundation for advance study of the nervous system pathology and other clinical sciences.

What are the functions of the nervous system? Describe each (3).

How is the nervous system organized according to the location of the organs? (structural classification)

Name the organs associated with each kind.

What is the functional classification of the nervous system? (2)

What are the subdivisions of the efferent peripheral nervous system?

What are the cells that compose the neuroglia? Give their functions.

Describe the nerve cell.

Describe the following and their functions: cell body, cell processes, nucleus, neurofibrils, nissl
substance, axon, dendrites, myelin sheath, Schwann cells, nodes of Ranvier, nucleus, ganglia

What are the different classes of neurons according to their functions?

What are the different classes of neurons according to their structure? Give examples.

What is irritability and conductivity?

Describe the terms: resting potential, action potential, depolarization, repolarization.

What are the factors/conditions needed for depolarization to occur? What is its significance?

What are the factors/conditions needed for repolarization to occur? What is its significance?

What is a reflex?

What are the components of a reflex arc?

What are the types of reflexes? How are they regulated?

What is the origin of the central nervous system?

What are the regions of the brain? Describe their structure and function.

Take note of the specialized areas of the cerebrum and their functions.

What are the regions of the diencephalon? Name their functions.

What are the regions of the brain stem? What are their functions?

What are the functions of the reticular activating system; cerebellum?

What structures protect the nervous system? Describe each.

Describe the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

What is the abnormality in the circulation of the CSF

Describe contusion and concussion.

What is cerebrovascular accident (CVA); Alzheimers disease

Describe the location of spinal cord.

Describe the histological organization of the spinal cord.

Describe the structure of a nerve.

How are nerves classified according to their function.

Name the 12 pairs of cranial nerve. Classify each as to sensory, motor or mixed and identify their
function.

Differentiate somatic from autonomic nervous system.

Differentiate sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic nervous system.