Biopsych: The Nervous System

Question 1

What does the nervous system do?

Answer 1

• Regulates behaviour in response to the environment.
• collects, processes and responds to stimuli in the environment
• co-ordinates the workings of the different organs in the body
• divided into 2, which are then further sub-divided.

Question 2

What are the 2 main divisions of the nervous system?

Answer 2

• Central Nervous system (CNS) - brain and spinal cord. The cerebral cortex in the brain is what allows for high functioning and the spine is an extension of the brain, responsible for reflex actions.
• Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) - relays messages (nerve impulses) from the CNS to the rest of the body. Has 2 components.

Question 3

What are the 2 components of the PNS?

Answer 3

• The Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
• The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Question 4

What are the 2 components of the Autonomic nervous system?

Answer 4

• The Sympathetic Nervous System
• The Parasympathetic Nervous System

Question 5

What’s the Somatic Nervous System?

Answer 5

maintains the communication between the CNS and the outside world, made up of sensory receptors which carries info to the CNS and made up of motor pathways allowing the brain to control movements. Also provides muscle responses via motor pathways.

Question 6

What the Autonomic Nervous System?

Answer 6

important role in homeostasis, which maintains internal processes like bodily temp, heart rate and blood pressure. Only consists of motor pathways and has 2 components.

Question 7

What’s the Sympathetic Nervous system?

Answer 7

fight or flight response, impulses travel from here to organs to prepare for action when faced with a dangerous situation. (E.g. heart rate increases and digestion will slow - less important)

Question 8

What’s the parasympathetic nervous system?

Answer 8

relaxes the body and returns us to normal resting state. Slows the heart rate, reduces blood pressure, etc and any functions previously slowed are started again (e.g. digestion)