Click here and answer the first few quetions:
1. What part of a nerve cell conducts impulses toward the cell body? What part conducts impulses away from the cell body?
2. How many millivolts is the normal resting membrane potential for a neuron?
3. What does this membrane potential tell us about the ions around a neuron membrane?
4. Click on the "SODIUM - POTASSIUM PUMP" link and read through. Pay special attention to the animations. Since Na and K are both positive ions, how does this pump cause the inside of the cell to be partially negative? (Not sure? Watch that animation again, then ask me if you still don't get it.)
5. Define "threshold stimulus" and "all-or-none" in your own words. Now explain how nerve cells and muscle cells are similar in this respect.
6. Scroll down to the "Basic Neural Processes" animation. What are those blue dots that come into the neuron supposed to represent?
7. What affects the rate of nerve impulse conduction? What would you expect a nerve to look like if it needed to conduct impulses very quickly? Where would such a nerve be located in the body?
8. Describe saltatory conduction in your own words.
9. Name and give the locations of the three types of neurons.
10. List the two types of neurotransmitters. What does beta-endorphin do? How would it make you feel if a doctor gave you an injection of it?
Go here. Then to "Other subjects in the body" and click on "nervous system". Then click on "Brain map" Follow the directions for the "structure" and the "function" parts of the tutorial.
For the structure part, make a table to list the location and major function of all the regions of the brain that are shown. You will need to click on the yellow dots. You should include the following regions:
-The cerebrum and all nine dots accociated with it.
-The limbic system and all nine dots associated with it.
-The brain stem and the three dots associated with it.
-The cerebellum.
For the function, click on the words on the left to read about how the brain controls various activities of the body. Use this information to answer the questions below:
1. Why do certain smells bring back stong memories or emotions? How do you think advertisers use this information?
2. If you're feeling sad, why should you keep yourself busy instead of dwelling on the sadness?
3. How old are humans before they develop self awareness?
4. What activities does the brain stem control? Why is the location of the brain stem good?
5. What might be the result of damage to the part of the rbain known as Broca's area?
6. What might happen if you fell backward while ice skating and hit the back of your head very hard? What would you notice?
7. What neurotransmitter causes feelings of happiness?
8. Briefly explain how something gets stored in your long term memory? How will you use this information to store important study material before your next anatomy test?
9. Write a conversation that might occur between someone with recent damage to Wernicke's area and their friend who has no brain damage.
10. Human brains differ from those of other animals mainly because of their enlarged cerebral cortex. What activities are controlled by the cerebral cortex? What evidence can you offer that shows that humans are better at these activities than other animals?
For the rest of the period, use the websites below and write ten questions and answers that could be used on a test. If you write more than ten questions, you will receive one point of extra credit for each, up to five maximum. If you run out of time, the five extra credit questions may be turned in at the start of the next class period.
Facts and Figures about the nervous system