Central nervous system
It is responsible for processing and transmitting information throughout the body.
Includes brain and spinal cord
The Peripheral Nervous System connects the central nervous system to what?
The rest of the body
It includes neurons and nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord.
What are the two major responsibilities of the spinal cord?
- Receiving information from the body and sending it to the brain
- Taking information from the brain and delivering it throughout the body
If this pathway is blocked, communication between the brain and muscles is disrupted.
Sensory Neurons
They play a crucial role in processing sensory information.
They receive information about the environment and convey it to the brain
Motor neurons
carry information from the CNS to produce movement?
They are regulated by the spinal cord and the brain.
What are the two parts of the Peripheral Nervous System?
- Autonomic Nervous System
- Somatic Nervous System
The PNS controls mostly unconscious body functions.
The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for what response?
Fight-or-flight response
It stimulates hyperarousal in response to perceived threats.
What does the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system prepare the body for?
(Prepares the internal organs for)
Rest-and-digest response
It helps to calm the body and conserve energy.
The endocrine system consists of glands that do what
create and secrete hormones.
It plays a key role in regulating emotions, growth, stress, reproduction, and metabolism.
What is the function of the pituitary gland in the endocrine system?
Releases growth hormones
It is controlled by the hypothalamus.
What is a hemispherectomy?
A surgery that removes half of the brain
It is often suggested for severe cases of epilepsy.
What connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres?
Corpus Callosum
It allows communication between the two sides of the brain.
What is the primary function of the **cerebellum (“little brain”)
Controls complex movements
It is located at the back of the skull and contains most of the brain’s neurons.
What is the role of the hippocampus in the limbic system?
- Creation of new memories
- Growth of new neurons (neurogenesis)
It is named after its seahorse-like appearance.
What are the four lobes of the cerebral cortex?
- Frontal Lobe
- Parietal Lobe
- Temporal Lobe
- Occipital Lobe
Each lobe has distinct functions related to processing information.
What does the frontal lobe control?
- Problem solving
- Long term planning
- Judgment
- Impulse control
It is more developed in humans than in any other animals.
What is the motor cortex responsible for?
Plans and directs movement
Different parts of the body are controlled by different areas of the motor cortex.
What is the somatosensory cortex responsible for?
Processes skin sensations (touch, hot/cold, vibration, pressure)
It also helps in understanding the positions of body parts.
What is the function of the amygdala?
Regulates emotions important for survival
It is associated with fear and threat detection.
What does the occipital lobe process?
Visual information
It is involved in processing components like color, movement, and form.
Brainstem
Connects the brain to the spinal cord.
•All motor and sensory signals between the brain and body run through the brain stem.
•Regulates critical body functions including breathing, heartbeat, digestion, consciousness,
Basal ganglia
Located beside the brain.
•Works to coordinate your movements so that your movements are performed smoothly.
3 subregions of the Frontal Lobe
Broca’s area: Controls production of verbal and manual language.
•Motor cortex (on the precentral gyrus) controls your voluntary movements.
•Prefrontal cortex involved in planning, impulse control, and decision making
