Mod 10 Flashcards
Nervous system
the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
Nerves
bundled axons that form neural “cables” connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs
sensory (afferent) neurons
carry information from the sense organs to the CNS
interneurons
they process information between the sensory inputs and motor outputs
Motor (efferent) neurons
carry messages from the CNS to the muscles and glands
Central Nervous System (CNS)
consists of the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
the sensory and motor neurons
somatic nervous system
part of the PNS that controls the body’s skeletal muscles.
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart).
sympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy
parasympathetic nervous system
the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy
reflex
a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response
endocrine system
the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream
hormones
chemical messengers that are produced by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues
Adrenal glands
a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (adrenaline) that help arouse the body in times of stress.
