Lesson 1 - The Nervous System Flashcards
What is the nervous system?
A specialised network of cells which provides the biological basis of psychological experience and helps regulate the body’s processes.
The nervous system consists of 2 parts. What are they?
Central Nervous System
Peripheral Nervous System
What does the CNS consist of?
What are the two functions of the Central Nervous System (CNS)?
Brain and Spinal Cord
The CNS controls behaviour and regulates the body’s physiological processes
What are the 4 main areas of the brain called?
- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Diencephalon
- Brain Stem
What is the Cerebrum?
This is the largest part of the brain, contains 4 lobes and is split down the middle into two halves called hemispheres.
What is the Cerebellum?
The cerebellum is responsible for motor skills, balance and coordinating the muscles to allow precise movements.
What is the Diencephalon? (2)
The Diencephalon contains the thalamus which regulates consciousness, sleep and alertness.
The Diencephalon contains the hypothalamus which regulates body temperature, the stress response, hunger and thirst.
What is the Brain Stem?
The brain stem regulates breathing and heart rate.
What is the main function of the Spinal Cord?
The spinal cord transfers messages to and from the brain.
More Detail: The Spinal Cord relays information between the brain and the rest of the body (receives and transmits information to and from the brain to the PNS) which allows the brain to regulate bodily processes.
What are spinal nerves?
The spinal cord is connected to different parts of the body by spinal nerves, which also connect to specific muscles and glands. If the spinal cord is damaged, body parts connected to it by spinal nerves near the damages will stop functioning.
What is the Peripheral Nervous System?
What is the function of the PNS?
The PNS consists of the nervous system throughout the rest of the body (everywhere other than the brain and spinal cord).
The PNS transmits messages via neurones to and from the CNS.
What does the PNS consist of?
The Somatic Nervous System
The Autonomic Nervous System
What is the somatic nervous system? (3)
The SNS is controlled by the motor cortex and is responsible for voluntary movement and conscious control - therefore, it has both sensory AND motor pathways. The SNS transmits and receives messages from receptor cells in the sensory organs and relays those messages to the CNS so that muscles can move and react.
What is the Autonomic Nervous System?
The ANS is controlled by the brain stem and is responsible for involuntary actions and unconscious control - therefore, it ONLY has motor pathways. The ANS controls muscles and internal organs and glands of the body.
What two divisions does the ANS have?
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System
