Division of the nervous system

Question 1

what is the functions of the nervous system

Answer 1

monitors and co ordinates internal organ function
responds to changes in the external environment

Question 2

what two part is the nervous system broken into

Answer 2

central
peripheral

Question 3

Martha was telling her friend Sanya about her recent frightening experience.
’I was walking home by myself in the dark. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me and I realised that someone was getting closer to me. I saw a bus at the bus stop and decided to run. I don’t think I have ever moved with such speed. I leapt on the bus – shaking, sweating and my heart was beating so fast I nearly collapsed.’
Outline the role of the central nervous system and autonomic nervous system in behaviour. Refer to Martha’s frightening experience in your answer( 4 marks)

Answer 3

The central nervous system(CNS) consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The brain is conscious awareness demonstrated by Martha ‘I realised’. The brain receives and processes information from the sense; when Mathra ‘hears the footsteps’ the auditory cortex receives and processes the information and the visual cortex receives visual information directly from the eyes, “ I saw a bus”. The brain then decides on how to respond to the information received in this scenario Martha “decided to run”. The spinal cord conducts signals to and from the brain and control reflex actions. The stressor is identified by the hypothalamus within the brain will identify the stressor of “the footsteps behind her” the spinal cord will conduct the signal from the brain to necessary organs stimulating the sympathetic branch within the ANS which release adrenaline and noradrenaline from the adrenal medulla causing physiological response in the body to occur “shaking, sweating and increase HR “ my heart was beating so fast” preparing the body for the “fight or flight response”. Once the stressor is removed the parasympathetic branch within the ANS is activate bring the body back to homeostasis

Question 4

Describe the divisions of the nervous system (6 marks)

Answer 4

The nervous system split into the central nervous system(CNS) and pheripheral system. The CNS main organelles are brain and spinal cord. The peripheral system is further split into autonomic nervous systems which is broken down to the sympathetic branch ( prepares us for flight or fight) and parasympathetic branch ( PNS balances the sympathetic nervous system providing ‘rest and digest’ functions by bring the body back to homeostasis after the fight or flight response has stop .) and the somatic nervous system which consists of sensory and motor neurons to carry sensory and motor information to and from the CNS. It is responsible for voluntary movement eg breathing but also enables reflex actions