NEURAL CONTROL AND COORDINATION
Chapter-21
1. Name the structural and functional unit of nervous system. 1 Mk
Neurons
2. Define synapse. 1 Mk
A nerve impulse is transmitted from one neuron to another through junctions called
synapses.
3. What is corpus callosum? 1 Mk
The right and left cerebral hemispheres of brain are connected by a tract of nerve
fibres called corpus callosum.
4. What is brain stem? 1 Mk
The three major regions that make up the brain stem are mid brain, pons varolli and
medulla oblongata.
5. Define reflex arc. 1 Mk
The afferent neuron receives signal from a sensory organ and transmits the impulse
via a dorsal nerve root into the CNS(at the level of spinal cord).
6. Name the two types of photoreceptor cells of retina. 2 Mks
Rods and cones
7. What is blind spot? 2 Mks
The optic nerves leaves the eye and the retinal blood vessels enter it at a point medial
to and slightly above the posterior pole of the eye ball. Photoreceptor cells are not
present in that region and hence called as blind spot.
8. What is the function of ossicles in middle ear? 2 Mks
The function of ear ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes) increase the efficiency of
transmission of sound waves to the inner ear.
9. Which cells of retina enable us to see colored objects? 1 Mk
Cones
10. What is Eustachian tube and its function? 2 Mk
The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear cavity with the pharynx. It helps in
equalizing the pressures on either sides of the ear drum.
11. What are fibres that transmit impulses towards cell body? 1 Mk
Dendrites
12. Name two types of synapse. 2 Mks
Electrical synapses and chemical synapses.
13. What is photopic and scotopic vision? 2 Mks
The daylight and color visions are functions of cones, known as photopic vision and
the twilight vision is the function of rods, known as scotopic vision.
14. Write a short note on organ of corti. 3 Mks
The organ of corti is a structure located on the basilar membrane which contains hair
cells that act as auditory receptors. The hair cells are present in rows on the internal
side of the organ of corti. The basal end of the hair cell is in close contact with the
afferent nerve fibres. A large number of processes called stereo cilia are projected
from the apical part of each hair cell. Above the rows of the hair cells is a thin elastic
membrane called tectorial membrane.
15. Name the three cranial meninges. 3 Mks
The human brain is well protected by the skull. Inside the skull, the brain is covered
by cranial meninges consisting of an outer layer called duramater, a very thin middle
layer called arachnoid and an inner layer called piamater.
16. Name the region of retina where photoreceptor cells are absent. 2 Mks
The optic nerves leave the eye and the retinal blood vessels enter it at a point medial
to and slightly above the posterior pole of the eye ball. Photoreceptor cells are not
present in that region and hence it called the blind spot.
17. Differentiate between neural and endocrine system. 2 Mks
Neural system Endocrine system
Provides point-to-point Provides chemical integration
connections for quick through hormones.
coordination
Communication is fast Communication is slow
18. Distinguish between afferent and efferent fibres. 2 Mks
Afferent fibres Efferent fibres
Transmit impulses from tissues or Transmit impulses from the CNS
organs to the CNS to the peripheral tissues or organs.
19. Draw a neat, labelled diagram of a structure of a neuron. 5 Mks
(Source: http://cbsenotes.weebly.com/21-neural-control-and-coordination.html)
20. Differentiate between somatic and autonomic neural systems. 2 Mks
Somatic neural system Autonomic neural system
Relays impulses from CNS to the Relays impulses from the CNS to
skeletal muscles. the involuntary organs and
smooth muscles.
21. Explain the structure of neuron. 5 Mks
A neuron consists of three parts, cell body, dendrites and axon.
The cell body contains cytoplasm, cell organelles and granular bodies called
Nissl’s granules.
Dendrites are short fibres projecting out of cell body. These branch repeatedly
and contain Nissl’s granules. Dendrites bring impulses towards the cell body.
Axon is long, the terminal end of which is branched.
Each branch ends in a bulb-like structure called synaptic knob. Synaptic knob
has synaptic vesicles which contain neurotransmitters.
Axon takes nerve impulses away from the cell body.
22. Classify neurons based on the number of axon and dendrites. 3 Mks
Based on the number of axon and dendrites, neurons are classified into three types:
Multipolar neuron – It has one axon and two or more dendrites. E.g. cerebral
cortex.
Bipolar neuron – it has one axon and one dendrite. E.g. retina.
Unipolar neuron – Cell body has only one axon. E.g. embryonic stage.
23. Differentiate between myelinated and non-myelinated nerve fibres with an
example each. 2 Mks
Myelinated nerve fibre Non-myelinated nerve fibre
Myelinated nerve fibre has Non-myelinated nerve fibre has
Schwann cells, which form myelin Schwann cells, which does not
sheath. form myelin sheath.
E.g. spinal and cranial nerves E.g. autonomic and somatic
neural systems.
24. Explain the mechanism of generation and conduction of nerve impulse. 5 Mks
Following events occur during conduction of an impulse:
Resting potential
o When the neuron is at rest, the inside of the cell has more of potassium
ions and negatively charged proteins.
o The membrane is more permeable to potassium ions and impermeable
to sodium ions and negatively charged proteins.
o The outside of the cell has more of sodium ions and hence has a net
positive charge.
o A concentration gradient is maintained by active transport of sodium
and potassium ions by the sodium-potassium pump.
o Such a membrane is said to be polarized. The electrical potential
difference across the membrane of a resting neuron is called resting
potential.
Depolarization and action potential
o When a neuron is stimulated, the permeability properties changes
locally. Sodium-potassium pump is temporarily suspended.
o This causes opening of sodium channel leading to the influx of sodium
ions.
o Sodium ions accumulate along with potassium ions for a short period.
This gives positive charge inside and negative charge outside.
o There is a reversal of membrane polarity at the region of stimulation
which causes depolarization. This will be transmitted to the adjacent
region.
Repolarization
o Depolarization at site A results in negative charge on the outside and
positive charge on the inside.
o Site B, adjacent to site A has positive charge on the outside and
negative charge on the inside.
o This causes current flow from B to A on the outside and A to B on the
inside to complete the circuit.
o Site A is now said to be repolarized.
(Source: https://schools.aglasem.com/14895)
25. Explain transmission of nerve impulse through chemical synapse. 5 Mks
The membranes of the pre-synaptic and post-synaptic neuron are separated by
a fluid-filled synaptic cleft.
Transmission occurs through neurotransmitters present in synaptic vesicles.
When an action potential reaches the membrane of the pre-synaptic neuron,
its voltage-gated calcium channels open.
Calcium ions enter and induces synaptic vesicles to reach the pre-synaptic
membrane, fuse with it and release the neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft
by exocytosis.
Neurotransmitter binds to the receptors on the post-synaptic membrane. This
induces sodium channels to open and generated action potential.
(Source: https://schools.aglasem.com/14895)
26. Draw a neat, labelled diagram of sagittal section of human brain. 5 Mks
(Source: http://www.6aming.com/private/brain-diagram/)
27. List the functions of brain. 5 Mks
The functions of brain are:
Voluntary functions of the body.
Balance of the body.
Functioning of vital involuntary organs.
Thermoregulation.
Human behavior.
Hunger and thirst.
Circadian rhythms of our body.
Activities of endocrine glands.
Site for processing of vision, speech, hearing, emotions, memory, intelligence
and thoughts.
28. What is reflex action? Briefly explain knee-jerk reflex action. 5 Mks
An involuntary response to peripheral nervous stimulation involving a part of
central nervous system is called reflex action.
Reflex pathway in a knee-jerk reflex involves:
Receptor – receives the stimulus
Afferent neuron – carries the stimulus to the CNS
Association neuron/CNS – processes information
Efferent neuron – carries the response to the effector
Effector – elicits the response
29. Draw a neat, labelled diagram of a knee-jerk reflex. 5 Mks
(Source: https://www.codeproject.com/articles/1035958/neuro-sim)
30. Draw a neat, labelled diagram of human eye. 5 Mks
(Source: https://schools.aglasem.com/14895)
31. Distinguish between aqueous and vitreous humours. 2 Mks
Aqueous humour Vitreous humour
The space between cornea and The space between lens and retina
lens is called aqueous humour is called vitreous humour
It contains thin watery fluid It contains transparent gel
32. Distinguish between rods and cones. 2 Mks
Rods Cones
Rods are responsible for scotopic Cone are responsible for photopic
(twilight) vision (daylight) and colour vision
Rods are of one type Cones are of three types
33. Explain the mechanism of vision. 5
Mks
Light rays in visible wavelength focused on the retina through the cornea and
lens generate impulses in rods and cones.
Photopigments are composed of retinal and opsin. Light dissociates retinal
from opsin resulting in the changes in the structure of opsin.
This causes changes in the membrane permeability. As a result, potential
differences are generated in the photoreceptor cells.
This signal generates action potentials in the ganglion cells through bipolar
cells.
These are transmitted by the optic nerves to the visual cortex of the brain. The
neural impulses are analysed and the image formed on the retina is recognized
based on earlier memory and experience.
34. Explain the mechanism of hearing. 5 Mks
The sound waves received by the external ear are directed to the ear drum.
Ear drum vibrates in response to sound waves. Vibrations are transmitted
through ear ossicles to the oval window on to the fluid of cochlea. These
vibrations generate waves in the lymphs.
These waves induce a ripple in the basilar membrane.
The movements in the basilar movements bend the hair cells pressing them
against the tectorial membrane.
As a result, neural impulses are generated in the afferent neruorn.
These impulses are transmitted through auditory nerve to the auditory cortex
where the impulses are analyzed and sound recognized.
