PSL300 Summer Term Test 2 (UofT PSL300 2025)
Questions With Complete Solutions
Motor field
When one corticospinal axon synapses with a set of motor
nuclei, providing potential for plasticity when changing which
nuclei are active or silent
Somatosensory inputs
Have direct access to motor cortex from thalamus (not from
association areas, unlike cutaneous input)
Premotor areas
Regions that project into the cortex that select which synergies
happen in the proper sequence for a given movement using
information from other senses. Includes Broca's area (language
action sequencing). Only involved in preparatory activity, not
active during actual movement
Supplementary motor area (SMA)
Somatotopic representation of the body (less detail than cortex)
on medial wall, controls bilateral coordination, posture, etc.
Processes internal 'volitional' signals that drive movements.
Cingulate motor areas
Two small areas of secondary motor cortex located in the cortex
of the cingulate gyrus of each hemisphere, mediates emotional
movements and processes motivation
,Automatic Nervous System (ANS)
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls internal
biological functions that are involuntary
Sympathetic nervous system
The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the
body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations: fight/flight
response, increases heart rate, dilates pupils, releases adrenaline
Parasympathetic nervous system
The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the
body, conserving its energy: Rest and digested, increases GI
activity, decreases heart rate and blood pressure
Preganglionic neuron
In the autonomic nervous system of the PNS, a neuron that has
its cell body located in the CNS and whose axon extends into the
PNS to synapse with a second neuron at an autonomic ganglion,
releasing ACh onto nicotonic receptors. Sympathetic originate in
thoracolumbar spinal cord and link through sympathetic chain
(branches off the spinal cord running parallel to each other).
Parasympathetic originate in brainstem or sacral spinal cord,
longer than postganglionic.
Postganglionic neuron
in the autonomic division of the PNS, a neuron that has its cell
body located in an autonomic ganglion (where a pre-ganglionic
neuron synapses with it) and whose axon synapses with the
, target organ. Uses divergence. Sympathetic secrete
norepinephrine, para releases ACh onto a muscarinic receptor
Sympathetic efferents
Synapse in a chain of ganglia running parallel to the spinal cord
using norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline). Have a diffuse effect
due to widespread an interconnected innervations.
Adrenal medulla
Secretes neurotransmitters involved in sympathetic responses
(norepinephrine and adrenaline)
Parasympathetic efferents
Originate in cranial motor nuclei and sacral cord, project to
ganglia embedded in the target organ and use ACh as transmitter
(except NO for erections)
Neuroeffector junction
The synapse between a postganglionic autonomic neuron and its
target cell. Don't include dicrete axon terminals, only
varicosities
Varicosities
Swollen parts of an axon filled with neurotransmitters used in
neuroeffector junctions to communicate and action potential to
the target tissue cells
Pupillary light reflex
Normal constriction of pupils when bright light shines on retina:
acts via 3rd cranial nerve and ON afferents to constrict pupils.
Questions With Complete Solutions
Motor field
When one corticospinal axon synapses with a set of motor
nuclei, providing potential for plasticity when changing which
nuclei are active or silent
Somatosensory inputs
Have direct access to motor cortex from thalamus (not from
association areas, unlike cutaneous input)
Premotor areas
Regions that project into the cortex that select which synergies
happen in the proper sequence for a given movement using
information from other senses. Includes Broca's area (language
action sequencing). Only involved in preparatory activity, not
active during actual movement
Supplementary motor area (SMA)
Somatotopic representation of the body (less detail than cortex)
on medial wall, controls bilateral coordination, posture, etc.
Processes internal 'volitional' signals that drive movements.
Cingulate motor areas
Two small areas of secondary motor cortex located in the cortex
of the cingulate gyrus of each hemisphere, mediates emotional
movements and processes motivation
,Automatic Nervous System (ANS)
The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls internal
biological functions that are involuntary
Sympathetic nervous system
The division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the
body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations: fight/flight
response, increases heart rate, dilates pupils, releases adrenaline
Parasympathetic nervous system
The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the
body, conserving its energy: Rest and digested, increases GI
activity, decreases heart rate and blood pressure
Preganglionic neuron
In the autonomic nervous system of the PNS, a neuron that has
its cell body located in the CNS and whose axon extends into the
PNS to synapse with a second neuron at an autonomic ganglion,
releasing ACh onto nicotonic receptors. Sympathetic originate in
thoracolumbar spinal cord and link through sympathetic chain
(branches off the spinal cord running parallel to each other).
Parasympathetic originate in brainstem or sacral spinal cord,
longer than postganglionic.
Postganglionic neuron
in the autonomic division of the PNS, a neuron that has its cell
body located in an autonomic ganglion (where a pre-ganglionic
neuron synapses with it) and whose axon synapses with the
, target organ. Uses divergence. Sympathetic secrete
norepinephrine, para releases ACh onto a muscarinic receptor
Sympathetic efferents
Synapse in a chain of ganglia running parallel to the spinal cord
using norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline). Have a diffuse effect
due to widespread an interconnected innervations.
Adrenal medulla
Secretes neurotransmitters involved in sympathetic responses
(norepinephrine and adrenaline)
Parasympathetic efferents
Originate in cranial motor nuclei and sacral cord, project to
ganglia embedded in the target organ and use ACh as transmitter
(except NO for erections)
Neuroeffector junction
The synapse between a postganglionic autonomic neuron and its
target cell. Don't include dicrete axon terminals, only
varicosities
Varicosities
Swollen parts of an axon filled with neurotransmitters used in
neuroeffector junctions to communicate and action potential to
the target tissue cells
Pupillary light reflex
Normal constriction of pupils when bright light shines on retina:
acts via 3rd cranial nerve and ON afferents to constrict pupils.
