5.1 The control and regulatory systems Flashcards
What is the central nervous system?
Main control center of the body
What is the CNS made up of?
The brain and spinal cord
What is the role of the CNS and what does that role do?
Its role is integration- it makes decisions based on what information it has received from the peripheral nervous system.
What elements are the brain and spinal cord made up of?
Dense nervous tissue that is very delicate-so they are both protected by thick layers of bone, membrane layers, and are suspended in cerebrospinal fluid which protects it from impact.
What is the brain responsible for in the CNS?
Most of our sensory processing. It sorts out incoming signals and performs all of our complex functions e.g., thinking and memory.
What is the spinal cord responsible for in the CNS?
Coordinating signals between the body (PNS) and brain. Spinal cord can also send out some signals such as muscular reflexes.
What does the peripheral nervous system contain?
All of the nerves that branch off from the brain and the spinal cord.
What does the PNS allow the CNS to do?
Communicate with the rest of the body.
What does sensory neurons do?
Pick up sensory stimuli from both inside and outside the body and send it TOWARDS the CNS.
What do motor neurons do?
Transmit directions FROM the CNS to the muscles or glands from the body, creating a response.
What do relay neurons do?
Carry signals between sensory and motor neurons.
What is the somatic nervous system a part of?
The peripheral nervous system.
What does the somatic nervous system consist of?
Neurons that are associated with skeletal muscle and therefore controls the voluntary muscle movements of the body.
What does the autonomic nervous system control?
Aspects of the bodily function that happen without conscious thought e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, pupil dilation, and digestion.
