central and peripheral nervous system Flashcards
what is the role of the nervous sytem
absorbs information about the environment and produces a response
reflex actions are entirely co-ordinated by our subconscious, these happen in simple circuits with no direct control from the brain
voluntary conscious actions involve brain processing inputs and choosing an output
what body structures does the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system involve
CNS = brain and spinal cord
PNS = nerves leaving spinal cord
what is the role of the periphery nervous system
- conveys sensory input about external and internal environment to the CNS
- then transfers output through motor signals/action
PNS —> afferent —–> sensory input to CNS
PNS —–> efferent —-> output to motor function
what system causes reflex actions
autonomic nervous system
what are the 2 pathways in the autonomic nervous system and what are they responsible for
- sympathetic (reacting to sudden events thru flight or fight)
- parasympathetic (controls routine behaviour, keeps equilibrium)
even for the simplest of responses, many brain regions are involved.
No part of the brain works in isolation
what is a synapse
connection between neurons
be aware that the arrangement of synapses underlies everything we do (receiving input and making response).
They also provide means of storing info about environment (memories).
find and able a diagram of neurone structure
what are the 5 ways we can group neurones based on characteristics
- shape
- electrical activity
- gene expression
- neurotransmitter
- connectivity
half the nervous system is made of glia
w
what type of plaque forms in Alzheimers disease
amyloid plaque
