Nervous system Flashcards
What are the 2 main functions of the nervous system
Collect, process and respond to info in the environment
Co-ordinate different organs and cells
Describe the overall layout of the nervous system
Nervous system breaks down into the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.
Peripheral nervous system breaks down into somatic and autonomic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system breaks down into sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system
Describe the function of each central nervous system part
Central nervous system - Consists of brain and spinal cord
Brain - Centre of conscious awareness. Receives info from sensory receptors and sends messages to muscle glands in the body. 4 main regions:
Occipital lobe(back) - Processes visual info
Temporal lobe(sides) - Processes auditoryinfo
Parietal lobe(Middle) - Integrates info/plays a part in spatial navigation
Frontal lobe(Front) - Associated with higher order functions e.g. reasoning
Brain stem connects brain to spinal cord and controls involuntary processes e.g. breathing
Spinal cord - Transfers messages to and from the brain/rest of the body. Also responsible for simple reflex actions
Describe the function of the peripheral nervous system
Relays messages from the CNS to the rest of the body
Describe the function of the somatic nervous system
Maintains communication with the CNS and outside world
Carries sensory and motor info to and from the spinal cord/brain to muscles/glands
E.g. Sensory receptors carry info to brain/spinal cord
E.g. Motor neurones allow brain to control movement
Describe the Autonomic nervous system
ANS controls unconscious actions and is divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
Describe the function of the sympathetic nervous system
Deals with fight or flight preparations e.g. increased blood pressure
Describe the function of the parasympathetic nervous system
PNS prepares for rest and digest e.g. increased breathing
Helps conserve energy
