Nervous/Endocrine system Flashcards
name the 8 parts of the nervous system
•Central Nervous System (CNS) -> Brain and Spinal Chord
•Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) -> Somatic Nervous System and Autonomic Nervous System
• ANS -> Sympathetic Nervous System and Parasympathetic Nervous System
what’re the 2 main functions of the Nervous System
• Collect, process and respond to information in the environment
• Coordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body
Explain the properties of the CNS
• brain allows for messages to be sent via the spinal chord, leading the body to be able to respond
• spinal chord is an extension of the brain, responsible for reflex actions
Explain the Peripheral Nervous System
•relays/receives messages from the CNS via millions of neurones
• composed of Autonomic Nervous System and Somatic Nervous System
Explain the Somatic Nervous System
Derives from the Peripheral Nervous System, controlling muscle movements and receives information from sensory receptors
explain the Autonomic Nervous System
Derives from the Peripheral Nervous System, governing vital functions in the body e.g. breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal and stress response (Parasympathetic/Sympathetic Nervous System)
explain the Parasympathetic Nervous System
part of the stress response, slow acting (unlike sympathetic nervous system), returning your body to its normal state
explain the Sympathetic Nervous System
Controls the “fight or flight” phenomenon due to its control over bodily changes needed in a situation where we need to fight/escape, fast acting unlike the Parasympathetic Nervous System
what does the endocrine system do
works with the nervous system to maintain homeostasis
what is homeostasis
self-regulating process that maintains stability, adjusting to conditions that are optimal to an organisms survival
what’s the function of the Peripheral Nervous System in the endocrine system
collects information regarding the state of the body, sending a signal to the CNS incase of irregularities
what’s the function of the endocrine glands
receives a message from the CNS, secreting the relevant hormones in order to maintain homeostasis (slower than the Nervous System but is more widespread/powerful)
What is the major endocrine system
the pituitary gland in the brain, the ‘master gland’, controlling the release of hormones from all the other endocrine glands in the body
how do hormones work
secreted into the bloodstream from glands, affecting any cell in the body with a receptor for the particular hormone, e.g. thyroxine from the thyroid gland affects cells in the heart/body that increase metabolic rates this growth rates
what’s the pituitary gland
produces 6 different hormones, ‘master gland’, controlling all other gland hormone released and affects growth among other things, located in the brain
