BP - Structure/Function of the HNS Flashcards
what does the HNS break down into
what is the role of the CNS
acts as a central processor of information and the control centre for human behaviour
what is the brain’s responsibility within the CNS
processes and integrates all of the information from the senses and generates a response
what is the role of the spinal cord within the CNS
receives and sends information to and from the brain
- allows the brain to monitor/regulate bodily processes
- spinal cord contains nerves to relay to necessary areas
what does the CNS activate
the PNS
what does the PNS consist of
12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves
what is the role of the SNS
to carry sensory information from the outside world to the brain and provide muscle responses via these motor pathways that allow us to respond to the environment e.g. reaction to a burn
how does the SNS process information
- sensory receptors
- motor pathways
(both allow for wuick reaction)
what is the role of sensory receptors
carry information to the spinal cord and brain
what is the role of motor pathways
allows brain to control movement
what is the role of the ANS
transmit information to and from internal organs to sustain life e.g. homeostasis, HR
made up of motor pathways
what is the sympathetic nervous system
increases bodily activity
involved in fight or flight response
what is the parasympathetic nervous system
maintains normal bodily activity (acts as a brake and reduces activity of the body once increased by the sympathetic nervous system)
what is the cerebrum
- the largest part of the brain
- divided into 4 lobes
- split down the middle into 2 hemispheres
what connects the 2 hemispheres
corpus callosum - a massive bundle of neurones
what is it called when each side of the brain communicates with each other
contralateral control
what is the function of the right hemisphere
- holistic thought
- intuition
- creativity
- art & music
what is the function of the left hemisphere
- analytic thought
- logic
- language
- science & maths
what is the role of the cerebellum
sits at the back of the cerebrum
- controls motor skills, balance, coordinates muscles to allow for precise movement
what is the role of the brain stem
regulation of essential functions for life like breathing and heartbeat
also connects the brain to the spinal cord
what are the 3 parts of the brain stem
midbrain, pons, medulla
what are the 4 lobes of the brain
- frontal
- parietal
- temporal
- occipital
what do the divisions of the brain look like
what is the major function of the frontal lobe
- planning, organizing, problem solving and decision making
- memory + attention
- controlling emotion and behaviour
what is the major function of the parietal lobe
- integrates sensory information from various parts
- contains the primary sensory cortex which controls sensation
- tells us which way is up
- helps us from bumping into things
what is the role of the occipital lobe
- receives and processes visual information
- contains areas that help in perceiving shapes and colours
what is the role of the temporal lobe
- recognizing and processing sound
- understanding and producing sound
- various aspects of memory
what is in the diencephalon
thalamus and hypothalamus (and epithalamus)
what is the thalamus
- relay station for nerve impulses from sense organs
- to transfer information it collects from other parts of the brain to the cerebral cortex
what is the role of the hypothalamus
regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst and links to the endocrine system to control the release of hormones
- link between nervous system and endocrine system
what is a neuron
a specialised cell within the nervous system
what is the function of a neuron
to communicate with other cells at a time in huge pathways
what is brain plasticity
the brain’s ability to change and adapt with experience
what does a neuron look like
what is the role of the axon
the extension of the cell body that oasses the electrical impulse toward the axon terminal
what is the role of the dendrites
receives impulses from other neurons and triggers an action potential within the cell
what is the role of the cell body
houses the nucleus, contains mitochondria and other things to keep the cell functioning
what is the role of the axon hillock
where nerve impulses are triggered from
what is the role of the myelin sheath
a layer of fatty deposit that help speed up the rate of transmission
what the role of the Nodes of Ranvier
breaks between the cell across the myelin sheath that speeds up action potential
what is the role of the synapse
neurone passes its information, where neurotransmitters are released
what is the role of the Schwann cell
types of cell that holds nerve cells in place and holds the myelin sheath together
what is the role of the axon terminal
pass nerve impulses from the cell to the body part it controls
what are the 3 types of neuron
- sensory
- relay/inter
- motor
what is the role of the sensory neuron
receives messages from sense and sends them to the CNS/SNS
what is the role of the relay neuron
only in the CNS to connect neurons together
what is the role of the motor neuron
sends messages to muscles and glands from the brain and spinal cord
what is an excitatory response
an action potential is more likely to make the next neuron fire
what is an inhibitory response
makes it less likely for the next neuron to fire so an action potential is not created
what are the 3 ways of removing a neurotransmitter
- diffusion
- reuptake
- broken down by enzymes
what does synaptic transmission look like
what is the 6 step process of synaptic transmission
1) presynaptic neuron -> electrical impulse travels down the axon and arrives at the synaptic terminal
2) vesicles release neurotransmitter, electrical impulse binds, becomes chemical and diffuses across the synaptic gap
3) neurotransmitters bind with receptors on postsynaptic neuron
4) if the summation is positive, the post synaptic neuron will fire and impulse will continue
5) if the summation is negative, the post synaptic neuron will NOT fire
6) neurotransmitters are then broken down, reabsorbed or diffused away
