Divisions of the Nervous System Flashcards
What are the two divisions of the nervous system?
Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System
What is the traffic controller of the nervous system?
Central Nervous System
What division means “outside” or “edge”?
Peripheral Nervous System
What division represents the drivers and pedestrian in a street corner?
Peripheral Nervous System
What does the central nervous system consist of?
The brain and spinal cord
What is the control center of the body?
Central Nervous System
What regulates bodily activities and sends and receives messages to and from all body parts?
Central Nervous System
What is the most important part of the nervous system?
Brain
How heavy is the brain of an adult?
1.3 to 1.4 kilograms
What is the bony or cartilaginous case that encloses and protects the brain?
Skull
What does the thin layer of liquid between the brain and skull do?
It bathes the brain and acts like a shock absorber against sudden impact.
What are the three main parts of the brain?
The cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem
What is the largest, most important part of the brain and makes up 80 percent of the brain?
Cerebrum
Where do nerve impulses that allow you to think, remember, reason, speak, and solve problems?
Cerebrum
What controls most voluntary muscle contractions and identifies the information that the senses gather?
Cerebrum
What is the thin layer of tissue on the surface of the cerebrum?
Cerebral Cortex
What word means “rind” or “bark”?
Cortex
What is covered with folds and creases?
Cerebral Cortex
What is the brownish-gray neuron cell bodies?
Gray Matter
What is made up of primarily of axon tracts?
White Matter
What makes a part of the brain look white?
Myelin
What is found deep in the brain?
White Matter
What is found at the back of the brain and send impulses that help control balance and posture?
Cerebellum
What coordinates the movements of muscles in your eyes, arms, and hands?
Cerebellum
What does the cerebrum and cerebellum pass through?
Brain Stem
What lies below the skull and is only 8 centimeters long?
Brain Stem
What connects the brain to the spinal cord?
Medulla
What is in charge of the bodily actions?
Medulla
What is a response that happens automatically?
Reflex
What occurs rapidly and without conscious control?
Reflex
What extends from the medulla down the length of the spine?
Spinal cord
How long is the spinal cord?
43 cm long in adult women and 45 cm long in adult men.
What protects the spinal cord by the bones of the spine?
Spinal column
What are the tissues of the spinal cord that form two layers?
The outer layer is white matter and the inner layer is gray matter.
What are the two principal functions of the spinal cord?
- It connects the brain to the nerves in the trunk, arms, and legs.
- It controls most of the body’s reflex actions.
What carries messages between the central nervous system and the rest of the body?
Peripheral Nervous System
How many are the pairs of the cranial nerves?
12 Pairs of cranial nerves
How many are the pairs of the spinal nerves?
31 Pairs of spinal nerves
What are the two divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System?
The Autonomic System and the Somatic Nervous System
What is the one important part of the Peripheral Nervous System that normally acts without conscious thinking?
Autonomic Nervous System
The ______ in the autonomic nervous system work against each other to keep body activities in perfect balance.
Nerves
The autonomic nervous system can be further divided into the ___________ and ________________ nervous systems.
Sympathetic; Parasympathetic
The ___________ nervous system controls the responses of the body to stressful and threatening situations.
Sympathetic
The ________________ nervous system controls the bodily functions associated with rest and digestion.
Parasympathetic
What consist of motor nerves originating from the brain stem and the base of the spine?
Parasympathetic Nervous System
The nerves of these two systems have opposite effects on the organs and glands. These opposite effects help the body maintain ___________.
Homeostasis
What is composed of cranial and spinal nerves that go from the central nervous system to the skeletal muscles?
Somatic Nervous System
They are voluntary muscles because they can be contracted and moved at will. These muscles respond to impulses from the somatic nervous system. What is this?
Skeletal muscles
Some reflexes involve ________ _______ even though the activity is involuntary. They also occur through the nerves of the somatic nervous system.
Skeletal muscles
How do you care for your nervous system?
- Get plenty of rest.
- Be physically fit.
- Do not take drugs without a doctor’s prescription.
