nervous system Flashcards

(13 cards)

1
Q

nervous system

A

specialised network of neurons in the human body and is our primary internal communication system i.e. allows brain, spinal cord, body to communicate

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2
Q

functions of nervous system

A
  • collect, process, respond to information in the environment
  • coordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body
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3
Q

subsystems of nervous system

A
  • central nervous system
  • peripheral nervous system
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4
Q

subdivisions of CNS

A
  • brain
  • spinal cord
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5
Q

subdivisions of PNS

A
  • somatic nervous system
  • autonomic nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems)
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6
Q

functions of CNS

A
  • control of behaviour
  • regulation of body’s physiological processes
  • brain must receive information from sensory receptors and send messages to muscles and glands in the body via spinal cord
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7
Q

the brain’s role in the CNS

A
  • brain is centre of all conscious awareness
  • brain’s outer layer- cerebral cortex/cerebrum is highly developed in humans and is what distinguishes our higher mental functions from those of animals
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8
Q

spinal cord’s role in CNS

A
  • spinal cord is collection of nerve cells attached to the brain and run the length of the spinal column
  • main function is to relay information between brain and rest of the body
  • allows brain to monitor and regulate bodily processes and control voluntary movement
  • spinal cord is connected to different parts of the body by pairs of spinal nerves which connect to specific muscles/glands
  • contains circuits of nerve cells that allow us to perform simple reflexes without direct involvement of the brain
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9
Q

peripheral nervous system

A
  • All neurons (nerve cells) outside the CNS make up the peripheral nervous system
  • function is to relay nerve impulses (messages) from the CNS (the brain and spinal cord) to the rest of the body and from the body back to the CNS
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10
Q

somatic nervous system

A
  • subdivision of the PNS
  • made up of sensory and motor neurons
  • Sensory neurons in SNS receive information from the sensory receptors and relay these messages to the CNS
  • Therefore, SNS connects the CNS to the senses
  • Motor neurons in SNS relay messages from the CNS to other areas of the body, and so control voluntary muscle movement
  • SNS also involved in reflex actions, which allows the reflex to occur very quickly
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11
Q

autonomic nervous system

A
  • governs internal organs and glands of vital functions of the body without our conscious awareness (e.g. breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal and stress responses).
  • involuntary actions are regulated by ANS
  • ANS is necessary because vital bodily functions such as heartbeat and digestion would not work so efficiently if you had to think about them
  • made up of motor neurons only
  • ANS is subdivided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
  • Both of these divisions tend to regulate the same organs but have opposite effects
  • usually in balance, but under certain circumstances the balance shifts and one branch becomes more dominant
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12
Q

sympathetic nervous system

A
  • primarily involved in responses that help us to deal with emergencies
  • responds to a perceived threat.
  • Neurons from SNS travel to virtually every organ and gland within the body to produce physiological changes that prepare the body for fight or flight
  • E.g. pupils dilate, causes the body to release stored energy, heart rate and breathing increase, non-vital functions are inhibited e.g. digestion and urination
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13
Q

parasympathetic nervous system

A
  • restores normal physiological functioning when threat has passed
  • E.g. heart rate and breathing slow down, blood pressure is reduced, digestion begins (conservation)
  • rest and digest system
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