Biopsych: Divisions of the nervous system Flashcards
What is the nervous system (1mark)
A network of cells in the human body
The body internal communication system
What is the function of the nervous system (2marks)
To collect, process and respond to information from the environment
And to control organs and cells in the body
Sketch a diagram to show the divisions of the nervous system:
Nervous system:
Central nervous system Peripheral nervous system
Brain and spinal cord Autonomic Somatic
Autonomic:
Sympathetic branch, parasympathetic branch
Give three functions of the brain:
Receives and processes information from the senses, e.g visual cortex processes visual information
Responsible for higher mental functions
Initiates responses
Give three functions of the spinal cord
Conducts signals (sends messages) to and from the brain
Connects nerves to the peripheral nervous system
Controls reflex reactions, for example, removing a hand when it touches a hot plate
The brain is responsible for higher mental functioning. what is higher mental functioning?
The human ability to take knowledge and learning and use it to create new ideas, things and concepts.
What is the role of the peripheral nervous system
Sends messages to and from the central nervous system via neurones
What are the two divisions of the nervous system
Central and peripheral nervous systems
What are to two components of the Central nervous system
Brain and spinal cord
What are the two divisions of the Peripheral nervous system
Autonomic and somatic nervous systems
What are the two branches of the autonomic nervous system
Sympathetic and parasympathetic
Describe the autonomic nervous system (3 points)
Responsible for involuntary responses for vital functions, such as breathing and digestion.
Controls smooth and cardiac muscles and glands
Control centres for ANS are found in the brain stem
Describe the somatic nervous system (4 points)
Responsible for voluntary movement such as walking
Transmits information from brain to control skeletal muscles
SNS carries commands/is controlled by the motor cortex
Connects the CNS and the senses, and integrates the brain with the outside world
What is the sympathetic branch responsible for:
Fight or flight response
What is the parasympathetic branch responsible for
Conserving and restoring body energy when relaxed
Give three differences between the autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system
The ANS is responsible for involuntary responses for vital functions such as breathing and digestion, whereas the SNS is responsible for voluntary movements such as walking
The ANS controls smooth and cardiac muscles and glands whereas the SNS transmits information from the brain to control skeletal muscles
The ANS control centres are in the brain stem
, whereas the SNS is controlled by (carries commands from) the motor cortex
Outline the structure and function of the nervous system (6 marks)
1- The nervous system is split into two main parts, the central and peripheral nervous systems
2- The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is responsible for higher mental functioning, and the spinal cord is responsible for reflex actions and transmitting information to and from the brain.
3- The peripheral nervous system is subdivided into the the autonomic and somatic nervous systems
4- The autonomic nervous system is responsible for involuntary movements such as breathing and digestion
5- The autonomic nervous system can be sub-divided again into the sympathetic (responsible for fight or flight) and parasympathetic (which is responsible for conserving and restoring body energy when relaxed) branches
6- The somatic nervous system is responsible for voluntary movements such as walking and transmits information to skeletal muscles/effecters.
