A&P Chapter 11 Flashcards
What is the nervous system?
Master controlling and communicating system of the body
What are the three overlapping functions of the nervous system?
Sensory input, integration, and motor output
What is sensory input?
Information gathered by sensory receptors about internal and external changes
What is integration?
Processing and interpretation of sensory input
What is motor output?
Activation of effector organs (muscles and glands) produces a response
What are the parts of the central nervous system (CNS)?
Brain and spinal cord
What are the parts of the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?
Cranial nerves, spinal nerves, and ganglia
What is the brain?
Receives and processes sensory information, initiates responses, stores memories, generates thoughts and emotions
What is the spinal cord?
Conducts signals to and from the brain, controls reflex activities
Where does the impulse go in motor neurons?
CNS to muscles and glands
Where does the impulse go in sensory neurons?
Sensory organs to CNS
What is the somatic nervous system?
Controls voluntary movements
What is the autonomic nervous system?
Controls involuntary responses
What is the sympathetic division?
Fight or flight
What is the parasympathetic division?
Rest or digest
How is the peripheral nervous system broken down?
Motor neurons and sensory neurons
How are motor neurons broken down?
Somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system
How is the autonomic nervous system broken down?
Sympathetic division and parasympathetic division
What are the two cell types in nervous tissue?
Neuroglia (glial cells) and neurons (nerve cells)
What are neuroglia (glial cells)?
Small cells that surround and wrap delicate neurons
What are neurons (nerve cells)?
Excitable cells that transmit electrical signals
What are the functions of a oligodendrocyte?
- Myelinates and insulates CNS axons
- Allows faster action potential propagation along axons in the CNS
What are the functions of an astrocyte?
- Helps form the blood-brain barrier
- Regulates interstitial fluid composition
- Provides structural support and organization to the CNS
- Assists with neuronal development
- Replicates to occupy space of dying neurons
What are the functions of an ependymal cell?
- Lines ventricles of brain and central canal of spinal cord
- Assists in production and circulation of cerebrospinal fluid