nervous system Flashcards
1
Q
central nervous system (CNS)
A
- composed of brain and spinal cord
- integrates and coordinates all incoming sensory information
- initiates outgoing motor messages to send to body
- include messages that carry out voluntary functions
2
Q
the brain
A
- the control and decision making centre of the CNS
- communicates through spinal cord and 12 cranial nerves running between the brain stem and organs in head, such as eyes and ears
3
Q
spinal cord
A
- approx 45cm long and protected by vertebrae
- dense bundle of nerves, linked to PNS by 31 pairs of spinal nerve
- has 2 main roles, channels sensory and motor info as nerve signal’s between brain and PNS to coordinate responses
4
Q
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
A
- includes all other parts of the nervous system that are outside of the CNS
- divided into two subdivisions, somatic NS and autonomic NS
5
Q
somatic nervous system
A
links body to CNS by carrying sensory info towards the brain ( through afferent neurons) and motor movement into back to the body ( via efferent neurons)
- controls voluntary movement
6
Q
autonomic nervous system
A
- concerned with the bodies internal environment, helps to regulate basic functions
- conveys info to and from organs that carry out basic life functions, which remain active without conscious thought, provides feedback to CNS about these processes
- divides into three systems, sympathetic, parasympathetic, enteric
7
Q
parasympathetic nervous system
A
- usually the dominant system, maintains steady state of balanced, normal functioning called homeostasis
- includes regulation of blood sugars, saliva secretion and waste elimination
- counterbalances the energising function of the sympathetic NS, by restoring the body to calmness after threat
- calms back down, keeps stable
8
Q
enteric nervous system
A
-controls activity of digestive system
- “second brain”
9
Q
monosynaptic reflex arc
A
- involves one synapse
- motor messages to muscles of body
