The Nervous System Flashcards
(16 cards)
What are the two branches off the nervous system?
The central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)
What is part of the central nervous system?
The spinal cord and the brain
What are the two branches off the peripheral nervous system?
Somatic nervous system and Autonomic nervous system
What are the two branches off the autonomic nervous system?
The Sympathetic nervous system and the Parasympathetic nervous system.
What does the spinal cord do in the CNS?
Sends messages between the brain and the body
Circuits of nerve cells that enable simple reflexes without using the brain, eg moving your hand off a hot object.
What are the different parts of the brain for the CNS?
Cerebrum
Diencephalon
Cerebellum
Brain Stem
What are the different lobes in the brain, and what do they do?
Frontal lobes - Speech, thoughts, personality and learning
Temporal lobes - Hearing and memory
Parietal lobes - Sensory info eg. temp and pain
Occipital lobes - Visual info
What is the cerebrum?
Split down the middle in the cerebral hemispheres that communicate with each other through the corpus callosum.
What is the cerebellum for?
Motor skills
Balance
Muscle coordination
What does the diencephalon contain, and what do these parts do?
Thalamus:
Relay station for nerve impulses from the senses
Hypothalamus
Regulates homeostasis
Links the endocrine system and nervous system
Controls hormone releases from the pituitary gland
What does the Brain Stem do?
Regulates automatic functions eg. breathing, heartbeat, etc.
Motor and sensory neurons pass through connecting impulses between the brain and the spinal cord.
What is the somatic nervous system?
12 pairs of cranial nerves
31 pairs of spinal nerves
Sensory neurons relay messages TO the CNS
Motor neurons relay messages FROM the CNS
Creates reflex actions without the CNS - makes them faster
What is the autonomic nervous system?
Regulates involuntary actions, eg. digestion and heartbeat.
What does the sympathetic nervous system do?
Fight or flight response
Causes the body to release stored energy and slows unimportant bodily functions eg. digestion.
What are some fight or flight responses caused by the sympathetic nervous system?
Pupil size increases - lets in more light
Increased heart rate - greater blood flow to muscles
Sweat glands are stimulated - cool downs the skin
Adrenal medulla stimulated - releases adrenaline
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?
Relaxes the body after a response from the sympathetic nervous system
Slows heart beat, reduces blood pressure
Known as the rest and digest system
