nervous system

Question 1

3 main roles of the nervous system

Answer 1

• receive (and transmit) information
• process information
• coordinate a response to information

Question 2

role of the CNS

Answer 2

receives sensory information from PNS and sends motor information to PNS

Question 3

parts of the CNS

Answer 3

brain and spinal cord

Question 4

role of the brain

Answer 4

regulates and guides all other parts of the nervous system

Question 5

what is the brain responsible for

Answer 5

• vital body functions like breathing, heart rate, digestion
• receiving information from the outside world via the senses and coordinating appropriate responses
• higher order functions like planning, thinking and learning
• our emotions, personalities, sense of humour, etc

Question 6

what is the spinal cord

Answer 6

a cable-like column of nerve fibres that extends from the base of the brain to the lower back and is encased by a series of bones called vertebrae

Question 7

role of the spinal cord

Answer 7

sends sensory/afferent messages towards the brain (through afferent tracts), and sends motor/efferent messages away from the brain (through efferent tracts)

Question 8

role of the PNS

Answer 8

sends sensory information to CNS and receives motor information from CNS

Question 9

parts of the PNS

Answer 9

muscles, organs, and glands

Question 10

role of the somatic nervous system

Answer 10

responsible for initiating skeletal muscle movement by sending sensory information TOWARDS the CNS and sending motor information to skeletal muscles FROM the CNS

Question 11

Sensory neurons/afferent neurons

Answer 11

transmits sensory messages to the brain so that it can coordinate a response

Question 12

Motor neurons/efferent neurons

Answer 12

transmit motor messages from the brain to the skeletal muscles

Question 13

what is the role of the autonomic nervous system

Answer 13

responsible for regulating the activity of the body’s visceral organs, muscles and glands.

Question 14

sympathetic nervous system

Answer 14

responsible for increasing the activity of most visceral muscles, organs and glands in times of increased activity, stress or threat. eg. fight or flight

Question 15

parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 15

responsible for maintaining optimal levels of functioning of the visceral organs, muscles and glands. It also returns them to their balanced and ideal levels of functioning after the heightened arousal of a sympathetic response.
Eg. Rest and digest

Question 16

enteric nervous system

Answer 16

regulates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and therefore coordinates digestion and other digestive system activities.