Chapter 3 - 'Nervous System: Structure And Function' Flashcards
Give an example of a series of:
Receiving, processing and responding to information.
Phone rings, your auditory sensory neurons pick up the vibrating air molecules and send a message to your brain.
Your brain processes this as your phone ringing.
Your brain initiates a response to your motor neurons to pick up your phone.
Although the nervous system is a single system, it also contains:
‘Divisions’ or ‘branches’
What are the two main branches/division of the nervous system?
The CNS and PNS
Central Nervous System
Peripheral Nervous System
What does the CNS comprise of?
The brain and spinal cord
What does the PNS comprise of?
The SNS and ANS
Somatic/Skeletal Nervous Systems
Autonomic Nervous System
How does the CNS connect to the PNS?
The spinal cord.
What is the CNS’s main function?
To process information received through sensory systems to activate appropriate actions.
What is the PNS’s main function?
To receive and send sensory information internally/externally to the CNS whilst also coordinate motor information from the CNS to appropriate areas of the body.
List two main functions of the spinal cord?
To send and receive messages to/from the brain/body.
Activate the spinal reflex.
What is the spinal reflex?
The spinal reflex is an automatic response to any sensory neuron that sends information of harm, it automatically sends motor information back to contract the affected limb away from the danger.
What are the functions of the SNS?
The SNS carries information to the CNS and motor information from the CNS to appropriate areas.
Explain the overall role of the ANS?
What are the ANS’s sub divisions?
Elaborate?
The ANS works to regulate automatic function of organs.
The ANS has two divisions.
The parasympathetic and sympathetic systems.
The sympathetic system activates when faced with danger or high levels of emotion. It triggers the flight or fight response, changing the distribution of activity to different organs.
The Parasympathetic system is activated when the brain has settled, regulating the normal bodily functions.
What are the three main functions of the nervous system?
To ‘receive’ information.
To ‘process’ information.
To coordinate a ‘response’ to this information.
