1. nervous system Flashcards
what are the functions of the nervous system
regulates behaviour in response to the environment.
collects, process and responds to stimuli in the environment.
coordinates the workings of the different organs in the body.
what is breakdown of the nervous system
nervous system - central and peripheral.
central nervous system - brain and spinal cord.
peripheral nervous system - somatic and autonomic.
autonomic nervous system - sympathetic and parasympathetic.
what does the central nervous system contain
brain and spinal cord.
what are the functions of the brain
brain stem connects the brain and spinal cord and controls involuntary processes such as heart beat and breathing.
it also provides us with conscious awareness and is involved in all psychological processes.
consists of four main lobes - frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital.
what is the function of the frontal lobe
associated with higher order functions - planning and logic.
what is the function of the parietal lobe
integrates information from other senses and plays an important role in spatial navigation.
what is the function of the temporal lobe
processes auditory information.
what is the function of the occipital lobe
processes visual information.
what is the function of the spinal cord
transfers messages to/from brain and rest of the body.
responsible for simple reflex actions which do not involve the brain - removing hand from a hot surface.
what is the function of the peripheral nervous system
relays messages from CNS to rest of the body.
consists of somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
what is the function of the somatic nervous system
maintains communication between CNS and outside world.
controls muscle movement and receives information from sensory receptors.
what is the function of the autonomic nervous system
plays important role in homeostasis (maintains internal processes - body temperature and blood pressure).
consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
what is the function of the sympathetic nervous system
involved in responses that prepare the body for fight or flight.
impulses travel from SNS to organs in the body that prepare us for actions when faced with a dangerous situation.
blood pressure and breathing rate increases while less important processes (digestion and urination) slow down.
