3.1 divisions of the nervous system and neural pathways

Question 1

name and describe the two parts to the nervous system

Answer 1

CNS - Made up of brain and spinal cord and is connected to all parts of the body by nerves. the brain processes info and the spinal cord connects to PNS
PNS - consists of peripheral nerves and carries info to and from all parts of the body. functions can be split into autonomic and somatic nervous system.

Question 2

What is the autonomic nervous system (ANS)?

Answer 2

Consists of the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic system. which act antagonistically It controls and regulated action which are involuntary e.g., breathing, digestion and heartbeat.

Question 3

what is the somatic nervous system?

Answer 3

consists of motor and sensory neurons which controls the voluntary movement of skeletal muscles. Sensory neurons takes impulses from sense organs to CNS. Motor neurons take impulses from CNS to muscles and glands.

Question 4

what is the sympathetic nervous system?

Answer 4

prepares the body for fight or flight by increasing oxygen to muscles. It does this by speeding up heart rate and breathing rate, increasing blood to the muscles and decreasing blood to the digestive organs, decreasing peristalsis and intestinal secretions.

Question 5

what is the parasympathetic system?

Answer 5

parasympathetic fibres act as a break to allow the body to rest. This is done by slowing down heart and breathing rate, decreasing blood flow to the muscles and increasing to digestive organs, increasing peristalsis and intestinal secretions.

Question 6

what are converging neural pathways?

Answer 6

Impulses from several neurons are carried to one. This increases the sensitivity to excitatory and inhibitit oy signals

Question 7

what are diverging neural pathways?

Answer 7

Impulses sent from one neuron travel to several neurons affecting more than one destination at once. This allows to co-ordinate control e.g., threading a needle