Divisions of the nervous system and neural pathways Flashcards
State the structures of the
central nervous system (CNS)
Brain and spinal cord
Name the two branches of
the peripheral nervous system
(PNS)
Somatic nervous system (SNS) and
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
Name the 2 neurons contained in
the somatic nervous system
Sensory and motor
Describe the function of
motor neurons
Take impulses from the CNS to muscles/glands
Describe the function of the
somatic nervous system
Sensory neurons take impulses from
sense organs to CNS
motor neurons take impulses from CNS to
muscles/glands
From which part of the brain does
the autonomic nervous system
originate?
medulla
Name the divisions of the
autonomic nervous system
Sympathetic and parasympathetic
State the effects of the
sympathetic nervous system on
a) heart rate b) breathing rate
c) digestive processes
Heart rate and breathing rate speed
up, peristalsis and intestinal secretions
slow down
Suggest the effects of the
parasympathetic nervous system
on a) heart rate b) breathing rate
c) digestive processes
Heart rate and breathing rate slow
down, peristalsis and intestinal
secretions speed up
Name the three types of neural
pathways
Converging, diverging and
reverberating
Describe converging neural pathways and their effect
Impulses from several neurones travel
to one neurone, increasing the sensitivity
to excitatory or inhibitory signals
Describe diverging neural
pathways and their effect
Impulses from one neurone travel to
several neurones, increasing the destinations
of excitatory or inhibitory
signals at the same time
Describe reverberating
neural pathways and their effect
Neurones later in the pathway link with
earlier neurones, sending impulses back
through the pathway; allowing repeated
stimulation of the pathway
