3.1

Question 1

What structure are in the central nervous system (CNS)?

Answer 1

brain and spinal cord

Question 2

What is function of the brain?

Answer 2

to process information

Question 3

What is the function of the spinal cord?

Answer 3

connects the brain with peripheral nervous system

Question 4

What structure are in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

Answer 4

peripheral nerves

Question 5

How can the peripheral nervous system be further sub-divided?

Answer 5

Somatic nervous system (SNS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS).

The autonomic nervous system can be divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic.

Question 6

What is the role of the somatic nervous system?

Answer 6

The somatic nervous system is a component of the peripheral nervous system that is in control of voluntary movements and transmits and receives sensory signals.

• responsible of bringing about certain involuntary reflex actions but most of the control that it exerts is over voluntary movements of skeletal muscles

Question 7

What is the role of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 7

The autonomic nervous system is a component of the peripheral nervous system that is in control of autonomic movements and physiological processes, like controlling heart rate and peristalsis.

Question 8

What actions do the autonomic nervous system control?

Answer 8

• control of heart rate
• breathing rate
• release of intestinal secretions

Question 9

What is the difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system?

Answer 9

The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are antagonistic branches of the autonomic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system initiates the ‘fight or flight’ response in the body, increasing energy expenditure.

The parasympathetic nervous system initiates the ‘rest and digest’ state in the body, slowing the rate of energy expenditure.

Question 10

How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems affect the heart?

Answer 10

Sympathetic - increases heart rate
Parasympathetic - decreases heart rate

Question 11

How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems affect the lungs?

Answer 11

Sympathetic - increases breathing rate
Parasympathetic - decreases breathing rate

Question 12

How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems affect peristalsis?

Answer 12

Sympathetic - decreases amount of contractions in the gut, slowing the rate of peristalsis
Parasympathetic - increases the amount of contractions in the gut, increasing the rate of peristalsis.

Question 13

In neural pathways, what are receptors?

Answer 13

Receptors are protein that receive a signal and transmits the signal to bring about a response.

Question 14

In neural pathways, what are effectors?

Answer 14

Effectors are cells or tissues that respond to a nerve signal.

Question 15

From stimulus to response, summarise each step of a neural pathway

Answer 15

stimulus - receptor - sensory neuron - inter neuron - motor neuron - effector - response

Question 16

What does converge mean?

Answer 16

to come together and meet at a common point

Question 17

Decribe the structure of converging pathways

Answer 17

Converging pathways involve signals from multiple neurons converging at one neuron

Question 18

How do converging pathways function?

Answer 18

Converging pathways increase the sensitivity of signals by amplifying an excitatory or inhibitory signal.

Question 19

Describe one example of a converging neural pathway

Answer 19

the rods in the retina, so increasing sensitivity to low levels of illumination through summation

Question 20

What does diverge mean?

Answer 20

to branch out from a common point

Question 21

Describe the structure of diverging pathways

Answer 21

Diverging pathways involve one neuron transmitting signals to multiple neurons.

Question 22

How do diverging pathways function?

Answer 22

Diverging pathways allow a signal to affect multiple locations at the same time.

Question 23

Describe one example of a diverging neural pathway

Answer 23

motor neurons allows fine motor control of the fingers

Question 24

What does reverberating mean?

Answer 24

a sound that occurs repeatedly, as in an echo or a vibrating tuning fork.

Question 25

Describe the structure of reverberating pathways?

Answer 25

Reverberating pathways involve neurons further down the pathways transmitting signals to those further up the pathway, to travel down again.

Question 26

How do reverberating pathways function?

Answer 26

Reverberating pathways are used in repetitive actions as the signal is repeated over and over.

Question 27

What are sensory neurons?

Answer 27

nerve cells which carry nervous impulses from sense organs to the CNS

Question 28

What are motor neurons?

Answer 28

nerve cells which carry nervous impulses from the CNS to muscles and glands

Question 29

What do sympathetic fibres act as?

Answer 29

they act as accelerators and if they gain an upper hand, the body is prepared for action by processes that ensure an increased supply of oxygen to the muscles.

Question 30

What do parasympathetic fibres act as?

Answer 30

they act as breaks on activity and when they gain the upper hand, the body is able to rest and perform activities such as the breakdown of food.