Nervous System Physiology FINAL EXAM GUIDE
2025
|MOST COMMON QUESTIONS WITH CORRECTLY
VERIFIED ANSWERS|ALREADY A+
GRADED|GUARANTEED PASS
spinal cord - a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends
from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column
cerebellum - a major feature of the hindbrain responsible for body movements and
balance
cerebrum - the principal and most anterior part of the brain in vertebrates, located in the
front area of the skull and consisting of two hemispheres, left and right, separated by a fissure
midbrain - relays sensory and motor impulses; serves important functions in motor
movement, particularly movements of the eye, and in auditory and visual processing.
pons - part of the brain stem, assists with regulation of breathing
medulla oblongata - part of brain stem, regulates heart rate, blood pressure, and
breathing, and controls the reflexes of coughing, sneezing, and vomiting
pituitary gland - a pea-sized structure located at the base of the brain, just below the
hypothalamus, to which it is attached via nerve fibers. It is part of the endocrine system and
produces critical hormones, which are chemical substances that control various bodily functions
hypothalamus - lower portion of diencephalon which acts as an autonomic center
regulating metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, thirst, hunger, energy level, and body
temperature
thalamus - middle portion of diencephalon which relays sensory impulses up to the
sensory cortex (aka the cerebrum); regulates sleep and consciousness
corpus callosum - a thick band of nerve fibers that divides the cerebral cortex lobes into
left and right hemispheres and acts as the connection between the two.
,meninges - three layers of protective tissue between the brain and skull
frontal lobe - cerebrum lobe responsible for memory, intelligence, behavior, emotions,
motor function, and smell
occipital lobe - cerebrum lobe responsible for vision and speech
parietal lobe - lobe responsible for somatic sensations (pain, touch, temperature
perception), and speech
temporal lobe - lobe responsible for hearing, smell, memory, speech, and emotion
brain stem - Portion of brain that contains the pons, medulla oblongata, and the
beginning of the spinal cord, controls the flow of messages between the brain and the rest of
the body, and it also controls basic body functions
Broca's area - area on left frontal lobe responsible for tongue and lip movements
primary motor cortex - area in frontal lobe responsible for sending impulses to muscles
primary somatic sensory cortex - area in parietal lobe responsible for interpreting
sensory impulses from the body
dura mater - outermost meninges layer
arachnoid mater - middle meninges layer
pia mater - inner meninges layer
sensory input - also known as the afferent pathway; the gathering information about
changes in the environment
integration - process of interpreting sensory input and deciding motor output
motor output - also known as the efferent pathway; the response sent from the CNS to
the rest of the body
CNS - composed of brain and spinal cord
PNS - composed of all other nerves and sensory receptors
autonomic NS - involuntary control of cardiac adn smooth muscles
Somatic NS - voluntary control of skeletal muscles
parasympathetic - part of autonomic N.S. responsible for involuntary daily functions
,sympathetic NS - part of the autonomic N.S. responsible for response to potential danger
neuroglia - neuron supporting cells of the nervous system
Astrocytes - neuroglia that protects neurons from harmful substances in the blood
Microglia - neuroglia that dispose of dead cells and bacteria
ependymal - neuroglia that form a protective covering around the spinal cord and
cavities of the brain
oligodendrocytes - neuroglia that produce myelin sheaths around nerve fibers in the CNS
Schwann cells - neuroglia that produce myelin sheaths around nerve fibers in the PNS
Satellite cells - neuroglia that cushion neurons of the PNS
dendrites - conduct impulses toward the cell body of a neuron
axons - conduct impulses away from the cell body of a neuron
myelin sheath - insulating material on axon fibers that increase the rate of impulse
transmission
neurotransmitter - a chemical messanger that sends a message from the axon terminals
to a muscle or nearby neuron
synaptic cleft - a gap between axon terminals and nearby muscles or neurons
Nodes of Ranvier - areas on an axon without a myelin sheath; also known as gray matter
action potential - another name for a nerve impulse
depolarization - the inflow of sodium ions resulting in a more positive environment inside
the neuron and the propagation of an action potential.
repolarization - the outflow of potassium ions resulting in the return of a more positive
environment outside the neuron.
refractory period - time between the start of an action potential and repolarization
fissure - a deep grove in the brain
Meningitis - inflammation of the meninges causing pin-point rashes, fever, photophobia,
etc.
, describe the major functions of the pons... - connects the upper and lower parts of the
brain
temporal lobe - responsible for processing auditory information from the ears
parietal lobe - processes sensory things that have to do with temperature, touch, and
taste
frontal lobe - carries out higher mental processes such as thinking, decision making, and
planning. (This is where our personality is formed
occipital lobe - responsible for processing visual information from the eyes. It helps you
correctly understand what you are seeing
describe the major functions of the cerebral cortex - the cerebral cortex is where the four
lobes are located
pituitary gland - it is referred to as the body's "master gland" because it controls the
activity of most other hormone-secreting glands
what is the job of the spinal cord? - the spinal cord functions primarily in the
transmission of the neural signals between the brain and the rest of the body
the cerebrum cortex is... - associated with higher brain function such as thought and
action
what is a thalamus gland? - the thalamus serves as a relay station for impulses traveling
to and from the spinal cord, brain stem, cerebellum, and cerebrum
describe the major functions of the cerebellum... - responsible for balance and
coordination of muscles and the body. It is extremely important for being able to preform
everyday voluntary things
Central Nervous system - Consists of the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system - Extends from the spinal cord out to the entire body. Touch
and feeling travels through neurons in the peripheral nerves through the afferent pathway to
the spinal cord/brain
Afferent pathway - Input. Away from the periphery to the CNS. Brain functions as the
integrator. Includes somatic, special, and visceral senses
Efferent pathway - Output. Leaves the CNS and travels to the periphery. Includes somatic
and automatic nervous systems and sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways
2025
|MOST COMMON QUESTIONS WITH CORRECTLY
VERIFIED ANSWERS|ALREADY A+
GRADED|GUARANTEED PASS
spinal cord - a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends
from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column
cerebellum - a major feature of the hindbrain responsible for body movements and
balance
cerebrum - the principal and most anterior part of the brain in vertebrates, located in the
front area of the skull and consisting of two hemispheres, left and right, separated by a fissure
midbrain - relays sensory and motor impulses; serves important functions in motor
movement, particularly movements of the eye, and in auditory and visual processing.
pons - part of the brain stem, assists with regulation of breathing
medulla oblongata - part of brain stem, regulates heart rate, blood pressure, and
breathing, and controls the reflexes of coughing, sneezing, and vomiting
pituitary gland - a pea-sized structure located at the base of the brain, just below the
hypothalamus, to which it is attached via nerve fibers. It is part of the endocrine system and
produces critical hormones, which are chemical substances that control various bodily functions
hypothalamus - lower portion of diencephalon which acts as an autonomic center
regulating metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, thirst, hunger, energy level, and body
temperature
thalamus - middle portion of diencephalon which relays sensory impulses up to the
sensory cortex (aka the cerebrum); regulates sleep and consciousness
corpus callosum - a thick band of nerve fibers that divides the cerebral cortex lobes into
left and right hemispheres and acts as the connection between the two.
,meninges - three layers of protective tissue between the brain and skull
frontal lobe - cerebrum lobe responsible for memory, intelligence, behavior, emotions,
motor function, and smell
occipital lobe - cerebrum lobe responsible for vision and speech
parietal lobe - lobe responsible for somatic sensations (pain, touch, temperature
perception), and speech
temporal lobe - lobe responsible for hearing, smell, memory, speech, and emotion
brain stem - Portion of brain that contains the pons, medulla oblongata, and the
beginning of the spinal cord, controls the flow of messages between the brain and the rest of
the body, and it also controls basic body functions
Broca's area - area on left frontal lobe responsible for tongue and lip movements
primary motor cortex - area in frontal lobe responsible for sending impulses to muscles
primary somatic sensory cortex - area in parietal lobe responsible for interpreting
sensory impulses from the body
dura mater - outermost meninges layer
arachnoid mater - middle meninges layer
pia mater - inner meninges layer
sensory input - also known as the afferent pathway; the gathering information about
changes in the environment
integration - process of interpreting sensory input and deciding motor output
motor output - also known as the efferent pathway; the response sent from the CNS to
the rest of the body
CNS - composed of brain and spinal cord
PNS - composed of all other nerves and sensory receptors
autonomic NS - involuntary control of cardiac adn smooth muscles
Somatic NS - voluntary control of skeletal muscles
parasympathetic - part of autonomic N.S. responsible for involuntary daily functions
,sympathetic NS - part of the autonomic N.S. responsible for response to potential danger
neuroglia - neuron supporting cells of the nervous system
Astrocytes - neuroglia that protects neurons from harmful substances in the blood
Microglia - neuroglia that dispose of dead cells and bacteria
ependymal - neuroglia that form a protective covering around the spinal cord and
cavities of the brain
oligodendrocytes - neuroglia that produce myelin sheaths around nerve fibers in the CNS
Schwann cells - neuroglia that produce myelin sheaths around nerve fibers in the PNS
Satellite cells - neuroglia that cushion neurons of the PNS
dendrites - conduct impulses toward the cell body of a neuron
axons - conduct impulses away from the cell body of a neuron
myelin sheath - insulating material on axon fibers that increase the rate of impulse
transmission
neurotransmitter - a chemical messanger that sends a message from the axon terminals
to a muscle or nearby neuron
synaptic cleft - a gap between axon terminals and nearby muscles or neurons
Nodes of Ranvier - areas on an axon without a myelin sheath; also known as gray matter
action potential - another name for a nerve impulse
depolarization - the inflow of sodium ions resulting in a more positive environment inside
the neuron and the propagation of an action potential.
repolarization - the outflow of potassium ions resulting in the return of a more positive
environment outside the neuron.
refractory period - time between the start of an action potential and repolarization
fissure - a deep grove in the brain
Meningitis - inflammation of the meninges causing pin-point rashes, fever, photophobia,
etc.
, describe the major functions of the pons... - connects the upper and lower parts of the
brain
temporal lobe - responsible for processing auditory information from the ears
parietal lobe - processes sensory things that have to do with temperature, touch, and
taste
frontal lobe - carries out higher mental processes such as thinking, decision making, and
planning. (This is where our personality is formed
occipital lobe - responsible for processing visual information from the eyes. It helps you
correctly understand what you are seeing
describe the major functions of the cerebral cortex - the cerebral cortex is where the four
lobes are located
pituitary gland - it is referred to as the body's "master gland" because it controls the
activity of most other hormone-secreting glands
what is the job of the spinal cord? - the spinal cord functions primarily in the
transmission of the neural signals between the brain and the rest of the body
the cerebrum cortex is... - associated with higher brain function such as thought and
action
what is a thalamus gland? - the thalamus serves as a relay station for impulses traveling
to and from the spinal cord, brain stem, cerebellum, and cerebrum
describe the major functions of the cerebellum... - responsible for balance and
coordination of muscles and the body. It is extremely important for being able to preform
everyday voluntary things
Central Nervous system - Consists of the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system - Extends from the spinal cord out to the entire body. Touch
and feeling travels through neurons in the peripheral nerves through the afferent pathway to
the spinal cord/brain
Afferent pathway - Input. Away from the periphery to the CNS. Brain functions as the
integrator. Includes somatic, special, and visceral senses
Efferent pathway - Output. Leaves the CNS and travels to the periphery. Includes somatic
and automatic nervous systems and sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways
