Nervous & Endocrine System

Question 1

what is the function of the nervous system?

Answer 1

primary controlling and communicating system

Question 2

what are the three main functions of the nervous system?

Answer 2

Sensory input: gathers info using sensory receptors
Integrative: analyzes/stores sensory information & makes decisions
Motor output: responds to stimuli by activating muscles/glands

Question 3

what is a neuron?

Answer 3

basic structural and functional unit of the nervous system
conducts impulses

Question 4

what are the parts of the neuron?

Answer 4

dendrites
cell body
axon

Question 5

describe dendrites

Answer 5

branch like projections
receive impulses from other neurons
transmit the impulse toward the cell body

Question 6

describe the cell body

Answer 6

houses the nucleus
cell’s life support center

Question 7

describe the axon

Answer 7

carry the impulses away from the cell body

Question 8

what does the myelin do?

Answer 8

speed up neural impulses

Question 9

what is at the end of each neuron that transmits info between cells?

Answer 9

axon terminal

Question 10

what are the three types of neurons?

Answer 10

sensory neuron
interneuron
motor neuron

Question 11

describe the sensory neuron

Answer 11

conveys nerve impulses from sensory receptors to the CNS

Question 12

describe interneuron

Answer 12

links the sensory neurons to the motor neurons

Question 13

describe moto neurons

Answer 13

carries command impulses from the CNS to the muscles or glands

Question 14

what is a synapse?

Answer 14

permits a neuron to pass an electrical signal to another cell

Question 15

what are “chemical messengers”?

Answer 15

Neurotransmitters

Question 16

what is Acetylcholine (ACh)?

Answer 16

a chemical neurotransmitter released by nerve cells to activate muscles
functions as a neurotransmitter in the autonomic nervous system

Question 17

what are the two main organs in the Central Nervous System?

Answer 17

brain and spinal cord

Question 18

what is the CNS responsible for?

Answer 18

memory
learning
emotion
regulation of homeostasis

Question 19

what is the brain responsible for?

Answer 19

perception
processing sensory stimuli
execution of voluntary motor responses
regulation of homeostasis

Question 20

what is the spinal cord responsible for?

Answer 20

initiates musculoskeletal reflexes
pathway for sensory and most functions between the periphery and the brain

Question 21

what does the Peripheral Nervous System do?

Answer 21

carries sensory/motor information between the CNS and all other organs/tissues of the body

Question 22

what are the two divisions of the PNS?

Answer 22

somatic nervous system
autonomic nervous system

Question 23

describe the somatic nervous system

Answer 23

regulates voluntary movements
connects the brain to the Moto neurons

Question 24

describe the autonomic nervous system

Answer 24

control of involuntary bodily functions
controls some muscles
regulates the function of our internal organs

Question 25

what two divisions divide the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 25

sympathetic: fight or flight parasympathetic: calming the body

Question 26

what is the function of the endocrine system?

Answer 26

maintain homeostasis

Question 27

what glands make up the endocrine system?

Answer 27

hypothalamus pituitary gland thyroid gland adrenal gland pancreas gonads

Question 28

describe the function of the hypothalamus

Answer 28

regulation of hunger, thirst, body temp, breathing, internal organ activity, sleep

Question 29

which gland produces hormones that control other glands?

Answer 29

pituitary gland

Question 30

what is the purpose of the thyroid gland?

Answer 30

produces hormones that control the rate at which cells burn fuels from food to produce energy

Question 31

what does the adrenal gland do?

Answer 31

located at the top of the kidney stimulates the body to quickly produce energy during emergencies

Question 32

describe the purpose of the pancreas

Answer 32

produces various digestive enzymes hormones that regulate blood sugar levels

Question 33

what is the function of gonads?

Answer 33

synthesize steroid sex hormones necessary for development and function of reproductive organs

Question 34

what does the testes produce?

Answer 34

sperm and testosterone

Question 35

what do the ovaries produce?

Answer 35

the egg, estrogen and progesterone