Human Nervous System Flashcards
What are the two systems Humans use to respond to the environment?
° Nervous system
° Endocrine system
What are the Functions for the Nervous system?
° It detects changes in the environment thus allowing the body to react to these changes
° It enables co-ordination of the various activities of the body
What are Neurons?
° The nerve fibers in turn that are made up of specialized nerve cells.
What are the 3 types of Neurons?
° Sensory
° Motor
° Connector
What are Sensory Neurons?
° Neurons that carry Impulses from the receptors/ sense organ, to the Central nervous system ( aka: Brain or Spinal cord)
What are Motor Neurons?
° Carry Impulses from the Central nervous system, to the effectors (muscle or glands).
What are Connector Neurons?
° Neurons that carry Impulses in the Central nervous system, from Sensory Neurons to Motor Neurons.
How are Neurons connected?
° Through a microscopic gap called the Synapse.
What do all Neurons consist of?
° They consist of a Cell body, with it’s Dendrites and an Axon.
What is the Function of the Myelin Sheath?
° Acts as a membrane for Axons
° Provides electrical insulation that helps speed up the transmission of Impulses.
What is the Nervous system composed of?
° Central nervous system
° Peripheral nervous system
What is the Peripheral Nervous system?
° Made up of nerves outside the Central nervous system.
What is the Somatic Nervous system?
° All parts of the Nervous system that help us react to external environmental changes.
What is the Automatic Nervous system?
° The parts of the Nervous system that controls the internal environment. Things you do automatically like breathing or sweating.
° Made up of Sympathetic Divison and the Parasympathetic Divison
What is the brain protected by?
° The Cranium and 3 membranes called Meninges.
What is the Cerebrum?
° The Largest part of the brain
° Consists of 2 Hemispheres, that are connected by nerve fibers. The largest being the Corpus Collosum.
What are the functions of the Cerebrum?
° It controls all Voluntary actions.
° Interprets all senses, touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight.
° Controls higher thought processes like, memory, judgment and reasoning.
What are the functions of the Hypothalamus?
° Body Temperature
° Blood Pressure
° Sleep
° Appetite
° Thirst
° Emotions
What are the Functions of the Cerebellum?
° Co-ordination of Voluntary movement, eg: Walking and Running.
° Maintaining Muscles tone.
° Balance and Equilibrium.
What are the Functions of the Medulla Oblongata?
° Responsible for all the Involuntary Actions.
° Conducts Impulses from the spinal cord to the higher parts of the brain.
° The Nerves from the left side of the brain control the right side of the body.
What are the Functions of the Spinal Cord?
° It conducts Impulses between the Brain and the receptors and effectors.
° It serves as a centre for Reflex Actions.
How do Impulses Enter the Spinal cord?
° The Impulses travel via the Sensory Neuron through the Dorsal Root.
How do Impulses Leave the Spinal Cord?
° The Impulse travels via Motor Neuron through the Ventral Root.
What is a Reflex Action?
° A Rapid Automatic response to a stimulus received by an organ or other Receptor.
What is a Reflex Arc?
° It is the path taken by an Impulse in bringing about a response to a stimulus during a reflex action.
Disorders of the Central Nervous System
° Alzheimers
° Multiple Sclerosis
What makes up the Automatic Nervous system?
° Sympathetic Divison
° Parasympathetic Divison
What is the purpose of the Sympathetic Divison?
° Prepares the body for Action “Fight or Flight”
What is the purpose of the Parasympathetic Divison?
° Returns the body to normal
What do nerves do the Peripheral Nervous System consists of ?
° Motor Nerves
° Sensory Nerves
