Module 5: Animal responses Flashcards
How is the nervous system organsised
Split into central and peripheral nervous system
Central: Brain and spinal cord
Peripheral: somatic and autonomic
autonomic: parasympathetic and sympathetic
What does the somatic nervous system do
- conscious control (running etc)
- skeletal muscles
What does the autonmic nervous system do
controls unconscious activities
like heart rate, breathing, digestion
What does the parasymapthetic nervous system do
rest and digest
What does the symapthetic nervous system do
Fight or flight
What are the different parts of the brain
Cerebrum Hypothalamus Medulla oblongata Cerebellum Pituraity gland
What function does the cerebrum have
controls:
voluntary actions
personality
learning, hearing and thinking
What function does the cerebellum do
Coordinates muscle movement
particularly balance and posture
What function does the medulla obolongata have
autonomic control
Controls heart rate, breathing rate
What function does the hypothalamaus have
Automatically maintains body temperature
monitors blood glucose level, water levels
Sympathetic nervous system
produces hormones that control the pituitary gland
What function does the pituitary gland have
Split into anterior (produces hormones like FSH) and posterior glands (stores hormones made by hypothalamus like ADH)
Releases hormones to stimulate other glands
What is a reflex action
an action where the body respsonds to stimulas without making a concious decison
Explain how the blinking reflex works
Stimulas: something touches the eye
Receptors: an impulse is sent along sensory neurone to CNS
CNS: passed from relay neurone to motor neurone
Effector: motor neuones send impulses to muslces that move your eyelid
Response: msucles contract (obicularis oculi) causing eyelids to cloe quickly (prevents damage)
Explain the knee jerk reflex
Stimulas: detects quadracepst has been streched
Receptors: strech receptors in quadriceps muscles detect that muscle is being streched, then impusle passed along sensory neurone
CNS: sensory neurone communicates with motor neurone in spinal cord
Effectors: motor neurone carries impulse to quadriceps
Response: quadriceps muscle contarcts so lower legs move forwards
Describe the flight or fight response (ACTH)
Hypothalamus also releases a peptide hormone that stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to release ACTH
ATCH is transported to the adrenal glands through the bloodstream
Causes adrenal cortex to secrete the hormone cortisol
Cortisol stimulates target organs and tissues to increase blood pressure, blood glucose ensuring the tissues have sufficient glucose and oxygen needed for rapid response
Cortisol also suppresses the immune system