Nervous system Flashcards
Nervous system
Body system that includes brain, spinal cord and nerves
Central nervous system (CNS)
Part of the nervous system made up of the brain and spinal cord
Doesn’t include nerves or neurones
Peripheral nervous system
Made up of neurones and nerves
Where is the spinal cord?
In the back of the neck
Receptors
Cells that detect a stimulus
Stimuli
Changes in the environment such as light, heat, sound, gravity, smell, taste, or temp
Where are the electrical impulses picked up by receptor cells sent down by?
Neurones aka nerve cells
Where do nerve cells send the electrical impulse to?
Central nervous system
What does the central nervous system do after receiving the impulse?
Sends more electrical impulses to effector cells
Effectors
Muscles/ glands that cause a response to change in stimuli
NOT nerves or neurones
Examples of what an effector could be
Muscle that moves after being burnt
Gland that secretes a hormone
Reflex arc
System how the body reacts on impulse to protect itself from being hurt
Without connection to conscious part of the brain
What makes a reflex arc different?
No connection to conscious part of brain thus decision made without thinking, therefore it’s very rapid
This is called an impulse
Beginning of a reflex arc if you burnt your finger?
Stimulus (burn) detected by receptors in the skin
In a reflex arc, what do the receptors do after detecting a stimulus?
Send electrical impulses down a sensory neurone that it’s connected to