Introduction to the nervous system Flashcards
What are the two ways of classifying the nervous system
According to stucture and according to function
What two things can the nervous system be broken up into when classifying it structurally
The central and peripheral nervous system
What two things does the central nervous system consist of when classifying the nervous system structurally
the brain and spinal chord
What three things does the peripheral nervous system consist of when classifying the nervous system structurally
- cranial nerves
- spinal nerves
- ganglia
How many pairs of cranial nerves are there
12
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there
31
What is a dermatome
The area of skin that is supplied by nerve fibres from a single spinal nerve
What is a myotome
The mass of muscle supplied by nerve fibres of a spinal nerve
What two things can the nervous system be broken up into when classifying it functionally
- Somatic
- Autonomic (ANS)
What type of muscle does the somatic nervous system stimulate/control
skeletal
What types of muscle does the autonomic nervous system stimulate/control
smooth/cardiac
What can the autonomic nervous system be divided up into
- The sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
- The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)
Summarise generally the function of the sympathetic nervous system
excitatory
Summarise generally the function of the parasympathetic nervous system
conservation and restoration of energy
Basic function of parietal lobe
sensory, language processing, spatial awareness
Basic function of occipital lobe
vision, face recognition
Basic function of temporal lobe
hearing
Basic function of frontal lobe
motor, personality, decision-making, social skills, speech production, executive functions, attention and problem solving.
Location of the spinal cord
- Lies within vertebral canal
- Extends from medulla oblongata to the level of the first lumbar vertebrae
What five regions can the spinal cord be divided into
- cervical
- thoracic
- lumbar
- sacral
- coccygeal
Where does the spinal cord appear greater in size and why
- cervical and lumbar regions
- these regions are associated with the numerous nerves that transmit sensory and motor innervation to the upper and lower limbs
how many pairs of nerves are there in the cervical region of the spinal cord
8
how many pairs of nerves are there in the thoracic region of the spinal cord
12
how many pairs of nerves are there in the lumbar region of the spinal cord
5
how many pairs of nerves are there in the sacrum region of the spinal cord
5
how many pairs of nerves are there in the coccygeal region of the spinal cord
1
what does the lateral fissure separate
temporal lobes from the frontal and parietal lobes
what does the central sulcus separate
frontal lobes from parietal lobes
what does the brain consist of structurally
- cerebrum
- diencephalon
- brain stem
- cerebellum
What can the cerebrum be further divided into
- left and right hemisphere
- frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal lobes
What can the diencephalon be divided into
thalamus and hypothalamus
What can the brain stem be divided into
- midbrain
- pons
- medulla oblongata
three key reasons why the brainstem is important
- contains fibres which transmit information between the spinal cord and brain and vice versa
- contains centres which contain vital processes such as respiration and circulation
- contains the nerve cell bodies of many cranial nerves
Basic function of the thalamus
relay station of all incoming motor and sensory information
Basic function of the hypothalamus
produces hormones that control key things such as body temperature, heart rate and hunger
