Divisions of the Nervous System Flashcards
What are the functions of the nervous system?
1) to collect, process and respond to information
2) to coordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body
What does the nervous system comprise of?
1) The central nervous system, made up of the brain and spinal cord
2) The peripheral nervous system, made up of the somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system (then made up of the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system)
What is the role of the central nervous system?
Responsible for controlling important physiological processes (eg breathing and heart rate, as well as information received from senses about environment)
Also initiates and controls behaviour so has to be able to receive and transmit information to all parts of the body
What is the brain?
information processor that oversees the running of the body and coordination of behaviour as well as giving conscious awareness
What is the brain made up of?
What do each of these things do?
1) cerebrum is divided into 2 hemispheres (right and left) which are each made up of four lobes and communicate with each other through the corpus callosum
2) cerebellum is associated with motor skills and balance and coordinates muscles and enables us to make very precise controlled movements
3) brain stem connects spinal cord to rest of brain and motor and sensory neurons transmit information through brain stem to brain. Responsible for regulating automatic functions of body that maintain life
What are the four lobes?
What do they control?
1) frontal lobe = problem solving, judgement, personality
2) temporal lobe = information retrieval, memory, learning, feelings
3) parietal lobe = senses, spatial perception, reading, writing
4) occipital lobe = visual perception and interpretation, reading
What is the function of the spinal cord?
Transmits information between brain and rest of body allowing brain to respond to incoming information so it can control and regulate body activity
Also enables some simple reflex actions to be performed without involvement of brain
How does the spinal cord work?
There are pairs of spinal nerves that branch off spinal cord and connect with different organs, muscles and glands
What is the role of the peripheral nervous system?
Responsible for communicating information between CNS and areas outside the brain (eg limbs)
What is the somatic nervous system?
Communicated with muscles and sensory information from skin to control voluntary movement of muscles and deals with reflex actions
Contains nerves that transmit sensory information to CNS and motor information away from CNS
What is the autonomic nervous system?
Controls processes we are not consciously aware of (acts automatically) and initiates stress response
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
How does this compare to parasympathetic NS (how does it affect body)?
Prepares body for flight or fight as a means of coping with stress
- dilates pupils
- heart beats faster and stronger
- relaxes airways allowing deep breaths
- inhibits digestion
- increases blood flow to skeletal muscles
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
How does this compare to sympathetic?
Rest and digest system as it returns body to normal resting state and conserves energy
- constricts pupils
- heart beats more slowly
- constricts airways
- stimulates digestion
- reduces blood flow to skeletal muscles
