Central + Peripheral nervous systems Flashcards
What does the somatic nervous system consist of?
- Transmits messages for motor movement from the CNS to the body
- Convey sensory information to the CNS
What does the autonomic nervous system do?
-Sends and receives messages to regulate the automatic behaviours of the body.
What does the Sympatheic nervous system do?
-Stimulates the increase of body behaviours.
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?
-Inhibits the stimulation of the Sympathetic nervous system, returning the body to rest.
What does the medulla do?
-Regulates cardiovascular and respiratory systems, responsible for reflexes and maintaining body balance.
What does the forebrain contain?
The two cerebral hemispheres, the outer cortex (visible, cerebral cortex) and sub-cortex regions.
What does contralateral mean?
opposite, e.g. the hemispheres receive information from one side in order to control movement from the contralateral side.
What is the visible part of the forebrain?
The cortex
How big is the cortex?
In primates it is the biggest part of the brain, makes up 80%.
How thick is the cortex?
2-3mm thick.
How is the cortex organised?
Contains 6 thin layers that are parallel to the surface, cells are divided into columns and lie perpendicular.
How is the cortex divided?
Into 4 lobes, occipital, parietal, temporal and frontal.
Where is the occipital lobe?
Back of the brain next to cerebellum
Where is the temporal lobe?
Next to the temples.
Where is the parietal lobe?
Above the occipital
What is olfaction bulb?
The area under the prefrontal cortex that controls smell.
Where are the thalamus and hypothalamus?
Above the medulla in the sub-cortex.
What is the thalamus?
It contains relay centres which convey nearly all the sensory information in the cortex.
What is the hypothalamus?
Controls autonomic nervous system and endocrine system and organises the basic survival behaviours, such as feeding, fighting, fleeing and mating.
What is the limbic system?
Set of interconnecting structures surrounding the thalamus under the cortex, including the amygdala and hippocampus. It is involved in emotional and motivational activities as well as learning and memory.
What are the primary sensory projection areas?
They serve as receiving stations for information arriving from the body, eyes ears and more.
What is the primary motor projection area?
Depart point for signals to the muscles.
How does the body and brain communicate?
The motor nerve to the motor cortex or the sensory nerve to the somesthetic cortex.
What are the 12 cranial nerves?
Isolated pathways that lead information from the senses to the brain areas.
