Divisions of the nervous system and parts of the brain Flashcards
What does the central nervous system (CNS) include?
brain and spinal cord
What does the peripheral nervous system (PNS) consist of?
peripheral nerves and includes the somatic nervous system (SNS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS)
What does SNS control?
voluntary actions by skeletal muscles
What does the ANS control?
involuntary actions by glands, smooth muscles and cardiac muscle
What does the ANS consist of?
Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, antagonistic to each other
What does sympathetic fibres do?
speed the heart and breathing rates but slow digestive processes such as secretion of digestive juices, secretion of bile and peristalsis
What does the cerebellum of the brain do?
control balance and coordination
What does the medulla in the brain do?
heart rate, breathing rate and peristalsis
What does the sensory area receive?
Impulses from the skin,organs and muscles
Where about does the motor area send impulses to?
skeletal muscles
What os the nervous system responsible for?
analysing information
storing information
making decisions
What does parasympathetic fibres do?
slow the heart and breathing rates but speed up digestive processes such as secretion of digestive juices, secretion of bile and peristalsis
What does the medulla do?
Centres that control heart rate, breathing rate and peristalsis
What is the cerebrum divided into?
The left and right cerebral hemisphere
What is the cerebral cortex divided into?
Localised regions including sensory,motor and association areas
What is the three functions of the cerebral cortex?
Receives sensory information, coordination of voluntary movement and making decisions based on experience
Where does the sensory area receives impulses from?
skin,organs and muscle
Where does the motor area send impulses to?
skeletal muscles
What are the association areas concerned with?
language, personality, imagination and intelligence
Where is the information from one side of the body processed
By the cerebral hemisphere that is located on the opposite side
What does the corpus callosum do?
Transfer information between the two cerebral hemispheres
How are the hemispheres connected?
By a bundle of nerve fibres known as the corpus callosum
What is the benefits of the cerebral cortex being highly folded
Increases surface area
- provides greater space for more neurons
- allows for more interconnections between neurons
What are the two types of nerve cells which are present in somatic nervous system
Motor neuron
Sensory Neuron
