Study Questions – Modules 3 and 4
Neural and Hormonal Systems and the Brain
1. Draw a diagram of a neuron and label the parts. Indicate with
arrows the direction that the message travels through the
neuron. Indicate where the message is electrical and where it is
chemical.
2. What is an action potential? Explain, in your own words, why and
how a particular neuron fires.
3. Explain what is meant by the phrase "all or none response."
Given the "all or none" nature of a neuron's firing, how can we
distinguish between a loud sound and a soft sound, or a bright
light and a dim one?
4. How do neurons communicate with other neurons? Briefly,
explain where and how this communication takes place.
5. What are neurotransmitters? Explain the relationship between
drugs and neurotransmitters (be sure to use the terms agonist
and antagonist in your answer).
6. Why do people addicted to drugs experience “withdrawal” when
they try to stop using them?
7. Diagram the nervous system (central and peripheral), explaining
briefly what each functional division does.
8. What are nerves and what do they do?
9. Information travels through the nervous system through three
types of neurons. List and describe each.
10. What are reflexes and why are they important to us? What is the
role of interneurons in reflexes?
11. What are neural networks and why are they important to us?
12. Describe the endocrine system and compare and contrast it to
the nervous system.
13. List and briefly describe the tools and techniques used to study
the brain.
