The Nervous System

Question 1

What is the nervous system?

Answer 1

complex network of nerve cells that carry messages from the brain and spinal cord to different parts of the body

Question 2

What are the functions of the nervous system?

Answer 2

• collects, processes and responds to information from the environement (stimuli)
• co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells

Question 3

What is the nervous system divided into?

Answer 3

• Central Nervous System
• Peripheral Nervous System

Question 4

What is the CNS made up of?

Answer 4

• the spinal cord
• brain

Question 5

What are the functions of the CNS?

Answer 5

• controls behaviour
• regulates the physiological processes

Question 6

What is the spinal cord?

Answer 6

a collection of nerve cells that extend from the brain

Question 7

What is the spinal cord’s function?

Answer 7

• it relays information between the brain and the body
• thus allowing the brain to monitor and regulate body processes (breathing, digestion, movement ect)
• allows us to perform simple reflexes and connects to PNS too

Question 8

What is the purpose of the brain?

Answer 8

• involved in pschological processes
• maintains life

Question 9

What are the main areas of the brain?

Answer 9

• cerebrum
• cerebellum
• diencephalon
• brain stem

Question 10

Describe the cerebrum.

Answer 10

• largest part of the brain
• made up of frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobe

Question 11

What are the cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 11

the two halfs of the cerebrum

Question 12

How do the cerebral hemisphere communicate?

Answer 12

Through the corpus callosum

Question 13

What is the function of the frontal lobe?

Answer 13

• involved in thought and speech production
• intergates thoughts and memory into action

Question 14

What is the function of the pariatle lobe?

Answer 14

integrates sensory information and spacial awareness

Question 15

What are the function of the occipital lobe?

Answer 15

involved in processing visual images

Question 16

What is the function of temporal lobe?

Answer 16

integrates sensory information and language into memory

Question 17

Where is the cerebellum?

Answer 17

under the cerebrum

Question 18

What is the function of the cerebellum?

Answer 18

controls a person’s motor skills, balance and allows them to coordinate muscles for precise movement

Question 19

What are the consequences to damages to the cerebellum?

Answer 19

• speech and motor problems
• epilepsy

Question 20

What makes up the diencephalon?

Answer 20

• thalamus
• hypothalamus

Question 21

Where is the diencephalon?

Answer 21

ontop of the brain stem and beneath the cerebrum

Question 22

What is the function of the thalamus?

Answer 22

relay station for nerve impulses by routing them to the right part of the brain for them to be processed

Question 23

What is the function of the hypothalamus?

Answer 23

• regulates body temperature, hunger and thirst
• links the endocrine and nervous system by controlling the release of hormones from the pituitary glands

Question 24

What is the function of the brain stem?

Answer 24

• regulates essential automatic functions (breathing and heartbeat for example)#
• motor and sensory neurons travel through these to pass between the brain and spinal cord

Question 25

What is the function of the peripheral nervous system

Answer 25

* it transmits messages via millions of neurons to and from the CNS

Question 26

What is the PNS?

Answer 26

all the nervses outside of the CNS

Question 27

What makes up the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 27

* somatic nervous system * autonomic nervous system

Question 28

What is the function of the somatic nervous system?

Answer 28

* it controls muscle movement * transmits and recieves information from sensory receptors * they are also involved in relex actions without the involvement of the CNS,allowing it to occur quickly

Question 29

What is the purpose of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 29

* transmits and recieves information from organs and glands * involuntarily governs vital functions in the body (breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal and responses)

Question 30

What is the peripheral nervous system split into?

Answer 30

* sympathetic nervous system * parasympathetic nervous system

Question 31

Describe the sympathetic nervous system.

Answer 31

* controls fight or flight response by preparing body for strenuous physical activity * does this using the noradrenaline and releasing stored energy

Question 32

What are the ways that the sympathetic nervous system can respond to danger?

Answer 32

* dialtes broncus to increase breathing abilities * increases glucose production for respiration * dialtes eyes to increase eyesight * and slows unimportant processes (like digestion)

Question 33

Describe the parasympathetic nervous system.

Answer 33

* they are a netwrok of nerves that relaxes your body after danger/stress * has inhibiting effects and does this using acetylcholine * helps with digestion and conserves energy

Question 34

What are the ways that the parasympathetic nervous system can respond after danger?

Answer 34

* stimulates salivary glands and stimulates activity in the intestines (for digestion) * slows heartbeat * slows respiration by inhibiting release of glucose