nervous system

Question 1

CNS

Answer 1

controls behaviour and regulates body’s physiological processes

Question 2

CNS - spinal cord

Answer 2

relays info between brain and rest of body, allowing brain to monitor and regulate bodily processes and coordinate voluntary movements

Question 3

CNS - brain

Answer 3

cerebrum - largest part of brain and divides into 4 different lobes. is split down middle into 2 halves called cerebral hemispheres which are each specialised for particular behaviours and communicate with each other through corpus callosum

cerebellum - involved in controlling motor skills and balance, coordinating muscles to allow precise movements. abnormalities can result in epilepsy and speech and motor problems

diencephalon - contains thalamus and hypothalamus. thalamus - acts as relay station for nerve impulses coming from senses, routing them to appropriate part of brain where they’re processed. hypothalamus - regulates body temp, hunger and thirst and acts as link between endocrine system and NS, controlling release of hormones from pituitary gland

brain stem - regulates automatic functions that are essential for like - breathing, heartbeat, swallowing

Question 4

peripheral nervous system

Answer 4

relays nerve impulses from CNS to rest of body and from rest of body back to CNS

two main divisions: somatic NS and autonomic NS (ANS)

Question 5

somatic nervous system

Answer 5

controls muscle movement and receives info from sensory receptors

Question 6

ANS

Answer 6

governs vital functions in body such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal and stress responses

sympathetic nervous system (SNS) - fight or flight - increase heart rate and blood pressure, dilates pupils

parasympathetic - relaxes individual after fight or flight - slows down heartbeat, reduces blood pressure, begins digestion again