The Human Nervous System

Question 1

CNS

Answer 1

brain and spinal cord; mediates behaviour

Question 2

Somatic Nervous system - function

Answer 2

spinal and cranial nerves carrying sensory info to the CNS from muscles, joints and skin, transmits outgoing motor instructions for balance

Question 3

Autonomic Nervous system - function

Answer 3

maintenance and balance of internal organs

Sympathetic and Parasympathetic

Question 4

Medial

Answer 4

midline

Question 5

Dorsal

Answer 5

top of brain

Question 6

Posterior

Answer 6

towards the back

Question 7

lateral

Answer 7

at the sides

Question 8

Ventral

Answer 8

at the bottom

Question 9

Anterior

Answer 9

towards the front

Question 10

Cerebral blood supply

Answer 10

damage to cerebral artery - can predict impairments

Question 11

Grey matter

Answer 11

cell bodies and capillary blood vessels

neurons function to collect and modify info

Question 12

White matter

Answer 12

nerve fibres covered with myelin
function to form connections

Question 13

Spinal cord

Answer 13

• Long thin bundle of tissue extending from medulla oblongata in brain stem
• Main pathway for info connecting brain and PNS
• Produces most movements following instruction from the brain (motor cortex), can act independantly (reflexes)
• Segmented - each part receives info from discrete part of the body and sends commands to that area

Question 14

`Brain stem

Answer 14

Comprises of hindbrain, midbrain, diencephalon

Receives afferent nerves from all senses, sends efferent nerves to spinal cord

Question 15

Forebrain

Answer 15

comprises of neocortex, basal ganglia, limbic system

Question 16

Neocortex

Answer 16

regulates mental activities, personality, impulsivity, plannning, ordering info

Question 17

Basal ganglia

Answer 17

controls voluntary movement

Forms a voluntary movement control system (with substatia nigra, subthalamic nucleus, thalamas)

Question 18

Limbic system

Answer 18

Regulates emotions and behaviours that create/require memory

Question 19

Frontal lobe

Answer 19

motor and executive function

Question 20

Parietal lobe

Answer 20

tactile function

Question 21

Temporal lobe

Answer 21

visual, auditory, gustatory functions

Question 22

Occipital lobe

Answer 22

Visual functions

Question 23

Limbic system

Answer 23

Structures on both sides of the thalamus, under cerebrum
Emotion, sexual behaviour, memory, motivation
Interconnected with nuclus accumbens (pleasure centre)
Reward learning - depaminergic projections

Question 24

Role of the Somatic NS

Answer 24

Associated with the skeletal muscle control of body movements
Made up of afferent and efferent nerves
Spinal, cranial and association nerves

Question 25

Functions of the 12 cranial nerves

Answer 25

Emerges directly from the brain and brainstem Transmits info between brain and parts of head and neck Afferent functions - sensory innervation of senses Efferent functions - control of facial muscles, tongue and eyes Protective mechanism - other side can still function if damaged

Question 26

Spinal nerves

Answer 26

carry motor, sensory and autonomic signals between spinal cord and body 8x cervical nerves, 12x thoracic nerves, 5x lumbar nerves, 5x sacral nerves, 1x coccygael nerves

Question 27

Dorsal fibres (spinal nerves)

Answer 27

afferent

Question 28

Ventral fibres (spinal nerves)

Answer 28

efferent

Question 29

Dorsal tracts (spinal nerves)

Answer 29

sensory (outer)

Question 30

Ventral tracts (spinal nerves)

Answer 30

motor

Question 31

ANS

Answer 31

Division of the peripheral NS influencing the function of internal organs Unconscious - affects heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, pupillary response, urination, sexual arousal Sympathetic/parasympathetic

Question 32

Sympathetic Nervous System

Answer 32

Stimulates fight-or-flight response | Sexual arousal, salivation, lacrimation, urination, digestion, defecation