The nervous system

Question 1

What does the human nervous system consist of

Answer 1

CNS - central nervous system ( brain and spinal chord)
PNS - peripheral nervous system ( nerve cells that carry information to or from the CNS)

Question 2

Role of the nervous system

Answer 2

Enables animals to react to their surroundings and coordinate a response.
They need to:
Find food, recognise potential dangers and threats such as predators, find a mate

Question 3

function of: cell body

Answer 3

where the nucleus and cytoplasm is found

Question 4

function of: dendrites

Answer 4

receive electrical impulses from receptors or other neurones

Question 5

function of: axon

Answer 5

long and thin, to transmit electrical impulses

Question 6

function of: Myelin Sheath

Answer 6

Fatty material surrounding the axon, speeds up conduction of electrical impulses

Question 7

function of: nerve endings

Answer 7

Fine branches at the end of the axon that connects to other neurones or an effector

Question 8

What is a reflex action

Answer 8

A rapid, automatic response to a change in stimulus which doesn’t involve the conscious part of the brain

Question 9

Reflex action sequence

Answer 9

Stimulus
- receptor
- sensory neurone
- relay neurone
- motor neurone
- coordinator
- effector
- response

Question 10

What is a synapse and what happens

Answer 10

A synapse is a small gap between where two neurones meet
- chemical messengers called neurotransmitters are released and diffuse across the synapse, they bind to the receptors on the second neurone and the E.I starts in the second neurone

Question 11

what do reflex actions do

Answer 11

Minimise damage to the body from potentially harmful conditions

Question 12

The brain - function of the cerebral cortex

Answer 12

Intelligence, memory and language

Question 13

The brain - function of the cerebellum

Answer 13

balance and coordinating muscular activity

Question 14

The brain - function of the medulla

Answer 14

unconscious activity e.g. controlling heart rate and breathing rate

Question 15

The brain - function of the hypothalamus

Answer 15

Regulates body functions such as body temperature

Question 16

The brain - function of the pituitary gland

Answer 16

produces hormones for the endocrine system

Question 17

MRI

Answer 17

• can scan soft tissues that X-rays can’t, e.g. the brain
• Information can be stored and used for research
• Scientists can map regions of the brain to particular functions
• areas of brain damage or disease or unusual brain activity can be located

Question 18

fMRI

Answer 18

• allows people to move
• useful for children or people with Parkinson’s disease
• people can do different tasks, whilst taking a scan to see what part of the brain is active