Neuropsychology

Question 1

What are the functions of the nervous system?

Answer 1

The nervous system has three main functions,

1. Receive (senses: fingers, eyes, nose, mouth, ears)
2. Process information in the brain
3. Coordinate a response through muscles, hormones and internal organs.

Question 2

What are the branches of the Peripheral Nervous System? and what do they do?

Answer 2

• Sensory Division: is composed of sensory neurons and conducts signals from receptors to CNS.
• Motor Division: is composed of motor neurons and conducts signals from the CNS to effectors.
  Branching from the motor division there is the,
• Somatic Nervous System: which controls voluntary movement.
• Autonomic Nervous System: which controls involuntary response.
  From that, there is the,
• Sympathetic Nervous System: it mobilises body systems, ‘Flight or Fight’ responses.
• Parasympathetic Nervous System: it conserves energy, ‘Rest and Digest’ responses, returns body to HOMEOSTASIS.

Question 3

What is a disorder of the nervous system and what does it do?

Answer 3

Shingles is a

Question 4

What are the classifications of neurons?

Answer 4

Neurons have three classifications,
1) Sensory Neurons: Send information from sensory receptors TOWARDS the CNS.

2) Motor Neurons: Send information AWAY from the CNS to muscles/glands; enables movement of muscles, secretion of hormones & activation of internal organs
3) Interneurons: Send information BETWEEN sensory neurons and motor neurons in the CNS

Question 5

What are the parts of the neuron structure and what do they do?

Answer 5

• Dendrites: Detect and receive information which is then transmitted to the Soma.
• Soma (+nucleus): contains the nucleus which controls the metabolic functions and maintenance.
• Axon: is a long thin fibre that carries information AWAY from the soma towards the other neurons.
• Myelin Sheath (produced by Schwann cells): Insulates the axon from electrical activity and increases the speed of signal transmission.
• Axon Terminals: are the branches located at the end of the axon near the dendrites of other neurons to easily transmit information. It has the synaptic button which stores neurotransmitters
• Synaptic gap: is the gap between neurons

Question 6

How does neurotransmission happen between neurons?