B1.2 Nerves and Hormones Flashcards
What is the nervous system?
What allows you to respond to changes in environment
What is the nervous system made up of?
Neurones (nerve cells)
What is a stimulus? Can you name them? (8)
A change in environment e.g. Light, sound, touch, pressure, pain, chemical or a change in position or temperature
What are stimuli detected by?
Groups of cells called receptors - they change stimulus energy (e.g. light energy) into electrical impulses
Where are receptors found? Can you name the 5 different places?
Sense organs - the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin
What receptors do the eyes contain?
Light receptors which are sensitive to light - They have nuclei which contain their genetic material and are filled with cytoplasm and surrounded by a cell membrane
What receptors do the ears contain? (2)
Sound receptors which are sensitive to sound - they also contain balance receptors which are sensitive to a change in position
What receptors does the nose contain?
Smell receptors which are sensitive to chemical stimuli
What receptors does the tongue contain?
Taste receptors which are sensitive to chemical stimuli - They can detect bitter, salt, sweet and sour, plus the taste of savoury things like monosodium glutamate (MSG)
What receptors does the skin contain?
Receptors which are sensitive to touch, pressure, pain and temperature change
What happens at the central nervous system?
Where all the information from the receptors are sent to, and where actions and reflexes are coordinated
What does the CNS consist of?
The brain and spinal cord - Neurones transmit information as electrical impulses to and from the CNS
What are effectors?
Muscles or glands which respond to nervous impulses and bring about a response to a stimulus
How do effectors respond to nervous impulses?
Muscles contract and glands secrete chemical substances called hormones
What are the 3 different types of neurones?
Sensory, Relay and Motor
What do the sensory neurones do?
Carry electrical impulses from receptors in sense organs to the CNS
What do the relay neurones do?
Found in the CNS, they carry impulses from the sensory neurones to the motor neurones
What do the motor neurones do?
Carry impulses from the CNS to the effectors
What is a synapse?
The connection between two neurones
How do the nerve signals move across a synapse?
The nerve signals are transferred by chemicals which diffuse across the gap and cause new electrical signals to set off in the next neurone
How does the synapse affect how quickly information is delivered?
Although it is still very fast, it does slow it down
What is a reflex?
A fast, automatic response to certain stimuli which doesn’t require you to think consciously
Examples of reflexes?
Bright light in eye - pupil shrinks meaning less light enters the eye and stops them from getting damaged
Adrenaline production - your body is ready for action
Knee-jerk reflex - helps maintain posture and balance
What is a reflex arc?
The passage of information in a reflex from receptors to effectors, is called a reflex arc - the neurones in a reflex arc go through the spinal cord or through an unconscious part of the brain
What are the 5 main stages involved in a reflex arc?
- Stimulus is detected by receptors, impulses are sent along sensory neurones to the CNS
- The impulses reach a synapse between the sensory neurone and a relay neurone
- Impulses reach a synapse between the relay neurone and the motor neurone
- The impulses then travel along the motor neurone to the effector
- If the effector is a muscle, it will contract; if it’s a gland, it will secrete a hormone
What is homeostasis?
The maintenance of a constant internal environment
What bodily levels need to be controlled? (4)
Temperature, water content of the body, ion content of the body and blood glucose content
Why does the internal body temp need to be constant at around 37°C?
Because the metabolic reactions in our body are controlled by enzymes which work best at around 37°C
What controls the body temperature?
A part of the brain is sensitive to the blood flowing through the brain and it receives information from skin receptors which provide info on skin temperature
How do ions get into the blood?
The food we eat contains ions (e.g. sodium) which are absorbed into the blood stream - excess ions need to be removed
How are excess ions removed from the body?
Some is lost through sweat, but is mainly removed by the kidney and then got rid of in urine
How does water get into the body?
Through the food we eat and what we drink