Divisions of the Nervous System Flashcards
What is the nervous system composed of?
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
What is the central nervous system (CNS) composed of?
Brain
Spinal cord
What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS) composed of?
Somatic nervous system (SNS)
Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
What is the autonomic nervous system (ANS) composed of?
Sympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic nervous system
What are the 4 main lobes in the brain and what are their functions?
Occipital lobe > visual information
Temporal lobe > auditory information
Parietal lobe > touch perception, movement control & manipulation of objects.
Frontal lobe > mental processes, e.g. planning abstract reasoning and logic.
What is the role of the brain stem?
Connects the brain and spinal cord.
Responsible for involuntary processes such as…
breathing, heart rate.
What is the role of the spinal cord?
Transfers messages to and from the brain, and the rest of the body.
Responsible for simple reflex actions.
What is the role of the peripheral nervous system? (PNS)
To relay messages (via nerve impulses) from the CNS to rest of the body.
What is the role of the somatic nervous system? (SNS)
Responsible for communication between CNS and outside world.
> Carries sensory info from outside world to the brain and provide muscle responses via the motor pathways.
Made up of SENSORY RECEPTORS that carry info to the spinal cord and brain, and MOTOR PATHWAYS that allow the brain to control movement.
What is the role of the autonomic nervous system? (ANS)
Carries info to and from internal organs.
Responsible for homeostasis, maintaining internal processes such as…
Body temperature
Heart rate
Blood pressure.
Only consists of MOTOR PATHWAYS.
What is the role of the sympathetic nervous system? (SNS)
Responsible for the fight and flight response.
Impulses travel from SNS to organs in body to help prepare for action when there’s a threat, for example…
INCREASE…
Heart rate
Breathing rate
Blood pressure
SUPPRESSED…
Digestion
Salivation
Desire to urinate
What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system?
Responsible for the rest and digest response, returning us to our ‘normal’ resting state.
REDUCED…
Heart rate
Breathing rate
Blood pressure
INCREASE…
Digestion
Salivation
Desire to urinate
Are the activities of the somatic nervous system conscious or unconscious?
Conscious
Are the activities of the autonomic nervous system conscious or unconscious?
Unconscious
