Nervous system Flashcards
What is the nervous system
The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and a complex network of nerves. This system sends messages back and forth between the brain and the body.
What are the parts of the nervous system
CNS
-Brain
-Spinal cord
Pns
- Somatic nervous system
-Autonomic nervous system
>Sympathetic
>Parasympathetic
>Enteric
Purpose of PNS-Somatic
Involved in skeletal muscle activity
Information sent to the brain from sensory receptors
Voluntary movement is controlled through both sensory and motor information
Receive – from sensory receptors (Process in the brain (CNS)).
Respond – muscle movement
Purpose of PNS- Autonomic
Connects the CNS to the internal organs and glands, providing feedback
Many organs/glands are self-regulated and unconscious EG: heartbeat
Some are not self-regulating and we can consciously control them EG: controlling our breathing
Occurs unconsciously, even if you are asleep or in a coma
Helps regulate awareness & alertness
Necessary for survival & it’s adaptive
Purpose of sympathetic nervous system
Prepares body for action
Activates
Increases arousal, adrenaline
Becomes active when the body perceives stress or danger
Enhances survival
Increases HR, BP, energy etc.
Suppresses areas we do not need
Activates F-F-F
What are the three F’s
Fight flight, freeze
Purpose of parasympathetic
Helps maintains AND return body to homeostasis
Responsible for restoring your body back to normal, and a state of calm
Counterbalances sympathetic NS
Purpose of enteric nervous system
Detect physiological condition of gastrointestinal tract
Integrate information about its state
Provide output to control gut movement
Perform other functions such as nutrient management, changing bloody flow, regulating gastric acid secretion & communication with other systems
What is the spinal reflex
Spinal reflex is an unconscious, involuntary and automatically-occurring response to certain stimuli without any involvement of the brain
It is a response initiated by the interneurons in the spinal cord (not the brain)
The sensory message is still sent to the brain, but the motor message has already been sent back out to the body for action
Often causes the ‘withdrawal reflex’
