Chapter 3 Flashcards
What are the two basic divisions of the nervous system?
- Central nervous system (CNS)
- Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Where is the central nervous system located?
- Brain
- Spinal cord
What does the central nervous system do?
Controls most functions of the body and mind
What are the two divisions of the peripheral nervous system?
- Somatic nervous system
- Autonomic nervous system
What does the somatic aspect of the peripheral nervous system control?
- Controls voluntary muscles
- Conveys sensory information to CNS
- Interacts with the external environment
What does the afferent nerves of the somatic aspect of the peripheral nervous system do?
- Carry sensory signals from the skin, skeletal muscles, joints, eyes, ears, etc., to the CNS
- Going towards the CNS; arrive
What does the efferent nerves of the somatic aspect of the peripheral nervous system do?
- Carry motor signals from the CNS to the skeletal muscles
- Going away from the CNS; exit
What does the autonomic aspect of the peripheral nervous system control?
- Controls involuntary muscles
- Fight or flight (sympathetic)
- Rest and digest (parasympathetic)
What is an example of an autonomic aspect of the peripheral nervous system function?
Regulating the body’s internal environment
What does the efferent nerves of the autonomic aspect of the peripheral nervous system do?
- Carry motor signals from the CNS to internal organs
- Two types: Sympathetic/parasympathetic
What does the sympathetic efferent nerves of the autonomic aspect of the peripheral nervous system do?
- Fight or flight
- Energy expanding
- Fires less since you aren’t in a constant state of fear/nervousness
What does the parasympathetic efferent nerves of the autonomic aspect of the peripheral nervous system do?
- Rest and digest
- Energy conserving
- Fires more since you aren’t in a constant state of fear/nervousness
What does the afferent nerves of the autonomic aspect of the peripheral nervous system do?
Carry sensory signals from internal organs to the CNS
Which nervous system is more protected than the other?
Central nervous system
What makes the CNS better protected than the PNS?
- Mechanical protection: Skull and meninges (dura mater, arachnoid, pia mater layers), vertebrae, cerebrospinal fluid (buffer/shock absorber)
- Immunological protection: Blood-brain barrier
Which nervous system can regenerate while the other cannot?
The peripheral nervous system can
How does the PNS regenerate itself?
- Schwann cells form lines and reconnect
- Axons regrow as long as the soma is intact
What is the blood brain barrier (BBB), physically?
A highly selective permeable border made of tightly packed cells
What purpose does the blood brain barrier (BBB) serve?
Protects the brain from circulating pathogens
Dorsal (posterior)
Toward or at the back of the body
Ventral (anterior)
Toward or at the front of the body
Lateral
Away from the midline of the body
Medial
Toward or at the midline of the body
Caudal (inferior)
Away from the head or toward the lower part of a structure or the body (below)