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Human Body Systems
Unit 2.2: Communication
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2.2.1 The Neuron
● Construct a labeled model of a neuron
● Create a flow chart that outlines what goes on in the body from an initial stimulus to a response
● Compare and contrast between unipolar, bipolar, and multipolar neurons
● Compare and contrast between motor, sensory, and Inner neurons
Video Notes:
Introduction Notes:
Sensory Neuron Motor Neuron Association Neuron (Interneuron)
Basic Structure- Dendrites on both Basic Structure- The stoma, the axon, Basic Structure- A cell body, several
ends and are connected by a long and the dendrites dendrites, and an axon
axon that has a cell body in the
middle
Function: Firing and sending off
signals to the rest of the nervous Function: Transmit impulses from the Function: Transport impulses from
system about the information they spinal cord to skeletal and smooth motor neurons to the Central Nervous
have received muscles (such as those in your System
stomach), and so directly control all of
our muscle movements
Location: Within sensory ganglia Location: In the central nervous
which may be in dorsal root of the system
spinal cord or along cranial nerves Location: Within the spinal cord and
the brain
Polarity: Refers to the fact that
Polarity: Pseudounipolar neurons elaborate two distinct types
Polarity: Refers to the fact that of processes, namely, axons and
neurons elaborate two distinct types dendrites
of processes, namely, axons, and
dendrites
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1. Label each part on the neuron below and give a brief description of each part’s function
Cell body Axon
Nucleus
Dendrites Myelin sheath Axon terminal
Think about the neurons you created on your poster. Do you think they would
be classified as unipolar, bipolar, multipolar, or a combination of types? I think
they would be classified as multipolar neurons because they have many
dendrites and one axon
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In this activity, you read that there are billions of neurons in the human body
that vary in size and somewhat in structure. Suggest and then support a
reason the body needs so many neurons. The body needs billions of neurons
because the body has lots of senses and nerves are needed to transmit signals
for all those sensations
Relaying the Message
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Imagine that you just spotted a huge cockroach. Depending on your personal feelings about insects, your
first thought might be to run away, to step on it, or to pick it up and set it free. Either way you need to get the
message to travel to your foot or hand.
Create a flow chart showing what happens in the body and the nervous system from the moment you first
see the bug. Include the following terms: Motor neurons, sensory neurons, association neurons, an eye, A
cockroach, a leg or arm, the brain and central nervous system
The eyes see a cockroach-
The image of the bug is
carried to the occipital lobe of
the brain by the sensory
neurons
Occipital lobe to the motor Bye bye bug- The motor
cortex- The message is then cortex tells you to step on it
sent to the motor cortex by and the motor neurons
receive the message from
your association neurons from the CNS to lift your leg and
the sensory neurons step on the bug
You’re finally safe
and can relax your
nerves
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Describe what is happening in your flow chart pictured above: In the flowchart below it is saying how our
brain tells us what is seen and how to react
How do you think your reaction to the bug would change if the myelin on your neurons was damaged or
destroyed? The speed of impulses transmission would be slowed causing decreased function of the affected
area.
2.2.2 The Secret to Signals
● Use an interactive website to manipulate ions in a membrane and generate an action potential in a neuron
● Describe what a neurotransmitter is and how it works
● Compare and contrast various types of neurotransmitters (excitatory and inhibitory in particular)
● Describe what an action potential is, how it works, and what it does
Introduction Notes:
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Activity 2.2.2: Student Response Sheet
Complete the following as you watch the Secret to Signals videos. You may need to watch the videos
a few times to help you answer the questions and complete the activities.
1. In one sentence, describe how the electricity in an action potential is generated. Through the
flow of positively charged ions across the neuronal membrane
2. Draw a diagram of the cell membrane of the axon. Label the following on your drawing: cell
interior, cell exterior, Na+ channels, K+ channels, Na+/K+ pump. NOTE: Use Google Draw or draw
on paper and insert a pic here. You will add to this drawing as you continue with 2.2.2.
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3. The main component of cell membranes are fats called phospholipids. Use the Internet to
research the structure of a phospholipid.
a. Label a phospholipid on your diagram.
b. What do these terms hydrophilic and hydrophobic mean and how do they relate
to the structure of a cell membrane? (water loving) while the tails that face the interior of
the cell membrane are “hydrophobic” (water fearing)
c. Return to your cell membrane diagram. Use a blue to color the parts of a
phospholipid that are hydrophilic. Use a red to color in the parts of the molecules that are
hydrophobic.
4. Add Na+ and K+ ions to your cell membrane drawing to show the placement of ions when
the cell is at rest. Think about which side will have more K + and which side will have more Na+.
5. How does the location of these ions relate to the overall membrane potential (charge) at
this point? Place (-) signs on the side that is now negative and (+) signs on the side that
is now positive. The Na+/K+ pump pumps 3 Na+ ions out of the cell for every 2 K+ ions it
brings into the cell
6. The Na+/K+ pump pumps 3 Na+ ions out of the cell for every 2 K+ ions it brings into the cell.
Is this specialized protein working via active or passive transport? Explain your reasoning.
Active transport, the pumps uses energy to change the shape of the protein so Na+ can get in.
7. What causes the inside of the membrane to reverse charge and begin the action
potential? The movement of Na+ into the cell and K+ out of the cell
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8. What happens in the membrane during repolarization? The potassium channels open to
allow the potassium ions to move out of the membrane
9. What happens when the action potential reaches the end of the axon at the axon
terminal? How does one neuron communicate with another neuron and complete the circuit?
Use information from the animation and the website to write a list of five trivia questions about
neurotransmitters. Type the question in one color and the answer in a different color. You may need
to do additional research to find out the specific function of these chemical signals.
Trivia Question 1: What qualifies a chemical as a neurotransmitter?
Answer 1: The chemical must be produced and found in the neuron, at stimulus be produced, have a
biological effect after receiving, stop after being fired, be able to be applied separately from a neuron
and have the same effects.
Trivia Question 2: What is the largest category of neurotransmitters?
Answer 2: Neuroactive peptides
Trivia Question 3: What three neurotransmitters are found in the catecholamines?
Answer 3: Dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine
Trivia Question 4: What is another name for epinephrine?
Answer 4: Adrenaline
Trivia Question 5: Where are neurotransmitters made?
Answer 5: In the cell body
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“Crossing the Divide” How does electrical information go from cell to cell? Electrical signals are conveyed
along the cell membrane
Summarize how neurons communicate at the synapse in one -two, well crafted paragraphs. Your paragraph
must contain the following terms; synapse, action potential, neurotransmitters, vesicles, axon, dendrites,
axon terminal, receptors, second messengers - BOLD or HIGHLIGHT each key term in your paragraph.
First, dendrites receive the electrical signals from other neurons, then an action potential will be sent down
the axon until it reaches the axon terminal. Then the neurotransmitters are set in motion by the vesicles.
Neurotransmitters will then travel to the synapse, this initiates receptors to pass on the signal.
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2.2.3 It’s All in the Reflexes
● Draw a diagram of knee reflex and describe the process
● Analyze experimental data to compare and contrast reaction time of voluntary and involuntary reflexes
Introduction Notes:
Table 1
Kick 1 Kick 2 Kick 3 Kick 4 Kick 5 Average
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Time of 6.05s 8.90s 16.57s 19.19s 27.91
muscle
Contraction
(s)
Time of 5.58s 8.26s 16.28s 18.72s 27.62s
Stimulus (s)
Δt (s) 0.47(s) 0.64(s) 0.29(s) 0.47(s) 0.29(s) 0.43(s)
Table 2
Reflex 1 Reflex 2 Reflex 3 Reflex 4 Reflex 5 Average
Time of 6.25s 8.79s 11.46s 25.14s 20.12s
muscle
Contraction
(s)
Time of 6.16s 8.72s 11.40s 25.08s 20.06s
Stimulus (s)
Δt (s) 0.09s 0.07s 0.06s 0.06s 0.06s 0.068s
1. Compare the reaction times for voluntary vs involuntary activation of the quadriceps muscles. The
involuntary reactions were faster than the voluntary because it goes straight to the motor neurons not
the brain.
2. What might account for the difference in average times? Being distracted and how hard you hit could
be differences in reaction times.
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Use the internet to research the flow of information in a “reflex arc” as seen in the patellar reflex. Determine
how the nervous system works to provide you such a speedy response. Be sure to indicate how the 3 types of
neurons are involved. Is the brain involved in this pathway? Why or Why not? A reflex arc is a neural
pathway that controls a reflex. Most of these reflexes do not pass directly into the brain for integration. They
go through a synapse in the spinal cord. Receptor in the skin detects a stimulus. Sensory neuron sends
electrical impulses to a relay neuron, which is located in the spinal cord of the CNS. This allows for faster
reflex actions to occur by activating spinal motor neurons without the delay of routing signals through the
brain.
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Arrival of Activation of a
stimulus and sensory neuron
activation of
receptor
Information
processing
in CNS
Response Activation of a
by effector motor neuron
Sensory neuron
(stimulated)
Excitatory interneuron
Motor neuron (stimulated)
Describe what has to occur in the body for a reflex and a voluntary action to occur. An impulse must be sent
out and the synapses have to cross all of the pathways
2.2.4 Reaction Time
● Describe reaction time
● Analyze reaction time experiments to determine factors affecting reaction time.
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Introduction Notes:
Fast Ball Reaction
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6 Trial 7 Trial 8 Trial 9 Trial 10
0.51 sec 0.31 sec 0.36 sec 0.33 sec 0.40 sec 0.40 sec 0.41 sec 0.24 sec 0.37 sec 0.26 sec
What factors might impact reaction time to simple tasks? A few factors that might impact the reaction time to
simple tasks could be obstacles, focus, age, physical fitness, and gender
University of Washington Reaction Time Tests - Do
all 4 tasks, but only record results for Task 4
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
0.223 4.531 0.077 2.12575
Describe any trends in your reaction data—either in
the fastball simulation or the stoplight test. What
factors may have attributed to the variation you
see over the 10 trials? The case 1 data and
reactions seemed to get faster and faster each
time mainly because the neurons got used to this
process and it didn’t take long for them to be able
to process. The same thing was happening each
time.
How does the reaction time for each case relate to
cognitive processing and brain function? Because it
shows the way your brain functions depending on
the ask.
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2.2.5 Communication Breakdown
● Analyze a patient case study to determine neurologist dysfunction
● Determine professionals needed for particular neurological dysfunction
● Design a Google Slides presentation to summarize process of determining
a neurological dysfunction
Patient Notes
Patient 1-
● Has strange feeling of pins and needles
● Has multiple sclerosis
● Lifespan being shorter
Patient 2-
● Has alzheimers
● Gets worse with experience
● People live 3 to 11 years after diagnosis
Patient 3
Patient 4-
● Taking longer to get ready
● Shaking when passing an item
● Tiny words
● Parkinson’s disease
● Daily routine may be affected
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Patient 5-
● Muscles in feet and hand have gone weak
● Twitching and cramping
● Lou Gehrig’s symptoms
● There is no cure
● Cant eat, barely walk, and barely speak
Patient 6-
● Suffering from depression and mild mood swing
● Clumsy
● Forgetting details
● Huntington's disease
● Starts at 30 to 50 years of age
● Live about 10-30 years after symptoms onset
● There is no treatment
What is the What are the Info to go into Table (cut & Paste)
Cause Effects/
Huntington’s Inherited Protein build-up
disorder, kills cells in basal Neurons in the substantia Cause is unknown—
nigra die and cannot partly genetic—motor
dominant, found ganglia, affecting produce dopamine or neurons deteriorate and
on the 4th thinking, emotion norepinephrine. This muscles (voluntary and
chromosome, and movement- may be inherited or involuntary) waste away
CAG repeat striking at the age caused by toxins or
stress (or some
causes of 30-50 then combination of factors).N
overproduction of worsening
a protein that
builds up until it
becomes toxic
Parkinson’s Neurons in the Lack of dopamine
substantia nigra reduces signals Memory, thinking, The immune system
language and reasoning attacks the myelin sheath
die and cannot between the deteriorate as a result of of nerves in the CNS,
produce substantia nigra nerve cell death and leaving scar tissue
dopamine or and corpus tissue loss—the brain (plaque).
norepinephrine. striatum literally
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This may be
inherited or
caused by toxins
or stress
ALS Cause is Person becomes
(Lou Gehrig’s) unknown- partly weaker and Protein build-up kills cells Cause unknown, may be
in basal ganglia, affecting low O2 at birth, head
genetic- motor weaker as thinking, emotion and trauma, infection—
neurons muscles waste movement—striking at resulting high level of
deteriorate and away and limbs age 30-50 and then excitatory
muscles waste shrink. Voluntary worsening neurotransmitters leads
to uncontrolled
away movement
becomes more
difficult and
eventually
involuntary
movement too.
Alzheimer’s Possibly linked to Memory, thinking,
lack of language and Lack of dopamine Possibly linked to lack of
reduces signals between acetylcholine, cause
acetylcholine, reasoning the substantia nigra and largely unknown, age
cause largely deteriorate as a corpus striatum worsens, somewhat
unknown, age result of nerve (preventing smooth, genetic, brain cells
worsens, cell death and purposeful movement). deteriorate and brain
shrinks
somewhat tissue loss- the
genetic brain brain literally
cells deteriorate shrinks and the
and brain shrinks functions decline
Multiple The immune Nerves do not
Sclerosis system attacks conduct as well, Sudden bursts of Inherited disorder,
uncontrollable neural dominant, found on 4th
the myelin sheath leading to firing lead to uncontrolled chromosome, CAG
of nerves in the numbness, muscle movements, falls, repeat causes
CNS, leaving difficulty walking, distorted vision—affects overproduction of a
scar tissue weakness, and function of whole brain. protein that builds up until
it becomes toxic
worsening
overtime
Epilepsy Cause is Sudden burst of
unknown, may be uncontrollable Person becomes weaker Nerves do not conduct as
and weaker as muscles well, leading to
low 02 at birth, neural firing lead waste away and limbs numbness, difficulty
head trauma, to uncontrolled shrink. Voluntary walking, weakness, and
infection- muscle movement becomes worsening over time.
resulting high movements, falls, more difficult and
eventually involuntary
levels of distorted vision- movement too
excitatory affects function of
neurotransmitters whole brain
leads to
uncontrolled
neural firing
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