4.5.2.1 Structure and Function Flashcards
3 components of the nervous system:
- brain
- nerves
- spinal cord
What may automatic control systems involve?
automatic control systems may involve nervous responses or chemical responses
Function of the nervous system:
enables humans to react to their surroundings and coordinate their behaviour
How do impulses travel?
stimulus → receptor → coordinator → effector → response
- There is a stimulus - change in environment
- The receptor cells detect the stimulus - change in environment
- Receptor cells convert a stimulus into an electrical impulse
- Electrical impulses (information) travel from the receptors along sensory neurones to relay neurones in central nervous system (CNS - brain and spinal cord)
- When the impulses reach a synapse between sensory neurone and relay neurone - trigger chemicals (neurotransmitters) to be released - these chemicals cause impulses to be sent along relay neurone
- The information is processed and integrated and the CNS (spinal cord or brain) coordinates the appropriate response of effectors
- When impulses reach a synapse between the relay neurone and motor neurone - chemicals released allowing impulses to be sent along motor neurone
- The electrical impulses travel along motor neurone to effector (muscle or gland)
- The effectors (muscle or gland) carry out the response - this may be muscles contracting or glands secreting hormones
How does the nervous system react to changes in the environment?
- Stimulus - change in the environment
- Receptor - detection of the change
- Sensory neurone
- Co-ordination (CNS) - integration of information
- Motor Neurone
- Effector - muscle or gland
- Response - contraction or secretion of hormones
What do sense organs contain?
sense organs contain receptors that are sensitive to detect stimuli
Nerve impulse:
electrical signal that passes along a neurone
Neurone:
nerve cells that carry electrical signals
How are neurones adapted/specialised to their function?
- Has a long, thin shape which allows impulses to travel long distances in the boy and makes it faster to send electrical messages
- Its axon is covered in rings of myelin sheath
- The myelin sheath stops the electrical signals from travelling down the axon because it is an electrical insulator
- This means the electrical signals have to jump between gaps of the myelin sheath, speeds up the conduction of electrical impulses and allows them to travel much faster
Reflex action:
actions that are automatic and rapid - do not involve the conscious part of the brain/bypass the brain and go to spinal cord for extra speed
Examples of reflex actions:
- startle reflex - moving away, contraction of arm and leg muscles
- with-drawl reflex - moving away from potentially harmful things
- iris reflex - pupils become smaller in bright light
Why are reflex actions important?
- important as they can prevent an individual from getting injuries
- information travels down a pathway called reflex arc - allows vital responses to take place quickly
- different from usual responses to stimuli as impulse does not pass through conscious part of brain
Diagram of neural pathway in reflex arc:
Reflex arc:
the passage of information in a reflex (from receptor to effector) is a reflex arc
Process of reflex arc:
stimulus —> receptor neurone —> sensory neurone —> spinal cord / unconscious part of brain (relay neurone) —> motor neurone —> effector
- There is a stimulus - change in environment
- The receptor cells detect the stimulus - change in environment
- Receptor cells convert a stimulus into an electrical impulse
- Electrical impulses (information) travel from the receptors along sensory neurones to relay neurones in central nervous system (CNS - brain (not conscious pat of brain) and spinal cord)
- When the impulses reach a synapse between sensory neurone and relay neurone - trigger chemicals (neurotransmitters) to be released - these chemicals cause impulses to be sent along relay neurone
- The information is processed and integrated and the CNS (spinal cord or part of brain that isn’t conscious) coordinates the appropriate response of effectors
- When impulses reach a synapse between the relay neurone and motor neurone - chemicals released allowing impulses to be sent along motor neurone
- The electrical impulses travel along motor neurone to effector (muscle or gland)
- The effectors (muscle or gland) carry out the response - this may be muscles contracting or glands secreting hormones
- Quicker than normal responses as impulses don’t travel through conscious part of brain and don’t have to be thought about