Human Nervous System Flashcards
What are the three main parts of the brain?
Forebrain, Midbrain and Hindbrain
What makes up the central nervous system?
Brain and spinal cord
What makes up the peripheral nervous system?
Autonomic nervous system and somatic nervous system
What are the two main nervous systems?
Central and peripheral systems
What makes up the hindbrain?
Medulla oblongata, pons and cerebellum
What makes up the midbrain?
Reticular formation and reticular activating system
What makes up the forebrain?
Thalamus, hypothalamus and cerebral cortex
What is the medulla oblongata? And where in the brain is it?
Controls involuntary functions, e.g. blood pressure. In the hindbrain.
What is the pons? And where in the brain is it?
The pons is the message station between the cerebellum and cortex. In the hindbrain
What is the cerebellum? And where in the brain is it?
Controls voluntary tasks e.g. walking and running. In the hindbrain
What is the reticular formation? And where in the brain is it?
Controls sleep and consciousness. In the midbrain
What is the reticular activating system? And where in the brain is it?
Regulates wakefulness and sleep-wake transitions. In the midbrain
What is the thalamus? And where in the brain is it?
Gets information from sensors to rest of brain. In the forebrain.
What is the hypothalamus? And where in the brain is it?
Controls hunger, thirst and body temperature. In the forebrain
What is the cerebral cortex?
Controls thinking and processing information from the senses. In the forebrain
What is the autonomic nervous system?
Controls unconscious movement. e.g. heartbeat, breathing
What is the somatic nervous system?
Controls conscious movement. e.g. walking, reflex actions
What are the three types of neurons?
Motor neurons, inter neutrons and sensory neurons
What is a motor neuron?
Nerve cells that send information away from the cns to muscles or glands
What is an inter neuron?
Nerve cells that send information between sensory neurons and motor neurons
What is a sensory neuron?
Nerve cells that send information to sensory receptors e.g. skin, eyes, nose, tongue, ears
What is a neurotransmitter?
A chemical substance that is released at the end of a neuron, when an impulse reaches the end of an axon, and allows for the impulse to be diffused to next axon
What are three types of neurotransmitters?
Glutamate
Biogenic amines
Acetylcholine
What is myelin sheath?
Casing around neurons, allows impulses to move faster
What is a synapse?
The junction between two neutrons, where impulses diffuse
What is the role of an axon?
To pass messages away from the cell body to other neurons
What is the role of the dendrites?
To receive messages from other cells
