Brain and Behaviour

Question 1

What is the function of the nervous system?

Answer 1

Protection

Question 2

What is the nervous system?

Answer 2

• A complex communication system through which information is transmitted.
• Information is received through sensory input, processed through the nerves, brain and spinal cord before the nervous system responds through motor output.

Question 3

Draw a mind-map of the Nervous System

Answer 3

Nervous System:

• Central Nervous System
  - Brain - Spinal Cord
• Peripheral Nervous system:
  - Somatic Nervous System
  - Autonomic Nervous System
  - Sympathetic Nervous System (Flight or fight)
  - Parasympathetic Nervous System (calming)

Question 4

What is the structure and function of the Central Nervous System?

Answer 4

• The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord, protected by the skull and spinal column respectively.
• The CNR (brain) controls bodily functions by sending and receiving information via the spinal cord and nerves.

Question 5

What is the structure and function of the brain?

Answer 5

• The brain is made up of tow hemispheres, each with their own functions. They are made up of nerve cells and grey and white matter.
• The brain controls everything such as movement, thoughts, memories and speech.
• The right hemisphere controls the left side of the body while the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body.

Question 6

Draw a diagram of a brain

Answer 6

(bottom middle) - Temporal Lobe
(front) - Frontal Lobe
(back bottom) - Occipital Lobe
(top middle, front) - Motor cortex
(top middle, back) - Sensory cortex
(back top) - Parietal Lobe
- Cerebellum
- Brain Stem

Question 7

What is the function of the Temporal Lobe?

Answer 7

• Memory, language and understanding

Question 8

What is the function of the Frontal Lobe?

Answer 8

• General functions:

- Thinking, planning, organising, problem solving, emotions, personality.

Question 9

What is the function of the Occipital Lobe?

Answer 9

• Vision/visual processing.

Question 10

What is the function of the Motor Cortex?

Answer 10

• Movement

Question 11

What is the function of the Sensory Cortex?

Answer 11

• Sensations/sensory processing

Question 12

What is the function of the Parietal Lobe?

Answer 12

• Perception, making sense of the world, arithmetics and spelling.

Question 13

What is the structure and function of the Peripheral Nervous System?

Answer 13

• The PNS is made up of the nerves situated outside the brain and spinal cord.
• The PNS involves the Somatic and Autonomic nervous systems.
• The PNS connects the brain and spinal cord to the body’s receptors, muscles and glands.
• The PNS carries information to the CNS.

Question 14

What is the structure and function of the Somatic Nervous System?

Answer 14

• The SNS consists of the nerves that connect to sensory receptors and control skeletal muscles.
• The SNS carries sensory information to the CNS and sends messages to the body.

Question 15

What is the structure and function of the Autonomic Nervous System?

Answer 15

• The ANS involves the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
• The ANS carries out involuntary tasks such as heart rate, breathing, digestion and pupil dilation.
• The ANS can be manually overridden but it normally runs on autopilot.

Question 16

What is the function of the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems?

Answer 16

• When presented with a threat the sympathetic nervous system activates and the flight or flight response, after which the parasympathetic nervous systems calms down the body to return it to its ‘normal’ state.