Human Nervous System Flashcards
Nervous system
Communication system needed by all organisms to sense changes in environment and control responses to these changes in order to survive
Nervous system functions
- Gathers information using senses
- Transmits info to brain
- Processes info
- Formulates responses to stimuli
- Sends info back through network of effector organs to execute response
Parts of nervous system
Brain
Nerves
Spinal cord
Central nervous system
Made up of brain & spinal cord
Parts of brain we’re exploring
Cerebrum
Cerebellum
Corpus callosum
Medulla oblangata
Spinal cord
Corpus callosum
Structure connecting left & right hemisphere of brain allowing communication between them
Medulla oblangata
Part of brain merging with spinal cord controlling involuntary reflexes
e.g) regulation of cardiovascular & breathing activity
Meninges
Membranes that protect brain
Skull
Rounded Kaye rof bone meant to protect brain from penetrating injuries
Interior skull surface danger
Many protuberances with ridges that can cause injury to temporal lube of brain during rapid acceleration
blood vessels of skull
Brain Requires rich blood supply & space between skull & cerebrum contain these.
Whag happens when blood vessels are ruptured in skull
Result in bleeding
Stroke
Broken blood vessel causing pressure in brain resulting in brain not recieveing oxygen & nutrients
Therefore dies
Pituary gland
Part of brain secreting endocrine hormones
Hypothalamus & importance
Control center (e.g, hunger, sleep, emotions)
Importance :
Regulates body temp, food intake, osmoregulation
Controls autonomic nervous system, sleep wake cycles, endocrine system
Cerebrum
Largest part of brain controlling:
voluntary actions
recieving & interpreting sensations
Higher mental /emotional activities
Visual cortex
sensory impulses travel from eyes via optic nerve into this part of cerebrum.
Damage results to blindness
Auditory areas
Side parts of cerebrum that used for hearing
Cognition
Front of cerebrum controlling higher mental activities & allowing one to feel emotions.
Damage to this causes mentak/personality changes.
Cerebellum
2nd largest part of brain that:
Maintains equilibrium
Coordinates half automatic movement of posture maintainance & walking
Adjusts muscle tone
Brainstem
Primitive part of brain controlling basic functions of life.
Divided into 3 parts : midbrain, pons,medulla oblangata
Afferent neuron
Neuron carrying impulses to CNS
Alzheimers disease
Progressive mental deterioration occurring in old age due to generalized degeneration of brain
Autonomic nervous system
Part of peripheral nervous system controlling involuntary actions
Cerebrospinal fluid
Watery fluid continuously produced & absorbed flowing in ventricles within brain and around surface of brain & spinal cord
Dementia
Term used for memory loss & loss of other intellectual abilities
Dendrite
Part of neuron that conducts impulses towards cell body
Efferent neuron
Neuron carrying impulses to CNS