Nervous System Flashcards
What are the components of the central nervous system
The brain and the spinal cord
What two systems comprise the peripheral nervous system
The autonomic and the somatic
What is the main function of the somatic nervous system
Controls the skeleton muscles
What types of neurons does the somatic nervous system contain
Motor and sensory neurons
Describe the pathway of a somatic nervous response
Sense organs- sensory neurones- CNS- motor nerve- muscles and glands
What are the 2 branches of the autonomic nervous system
Sympathetic and parasympathetic
Sympathetic and parasympathetic neurones are antagonistic in action what does this mean
Antagonistic in action means they act in opposite ways
Describe the effect of the sympathetic system in heart rate
Increases heart rate
Describe the effect of the sympathetic system on peristalsis
Decreases rate of peristalsis
Describe the effect of the sympathetic system on breathing rate
Increases breathing rate
Describe the effect of the sympathetic system on intestinal secretions
Decreases intestinal secretions
Describe the effect of the parasympathetic system on heart rate
Decreases heart rate
Describe the effect of the parasympathetic system on breathing rate
Decreases breathing rate
Describe the effect of the parasympathetic system on peristalsis
Increases rate of persistalsis
Describe the effect of the parasympathetic system on intestinal secretions
Increases production of intestinal secretions
Impulses from several neurons travel to one neuron. This increases the sensitivity to excitatory or inhibitory signals, which type of pathway is this
Converging neural pathway
Impulses from one neuron to several neurons so affecting more than one destination at the same time. Which type of neural pathway is this
Diverging neural pathway
Neurons layer in the pathway link with earlier neurons, sending the impulses back through the pathway. This allows repeated stimulation of the pathway, which type of neural pathway is this 
Reverberating pathway
Describe the function of the cerebral cortex 
The centre of conscious thought, it also recalls memories and alters behaviour in the light of experience 
What areas does the cerebral cortex contain? 
Sensory areas motor areas and association areas 
What are association areas involved in? 
Language processing, personality, imagination, and intelligence 
Where does the left city hemisphere get its information from and what does it control? 
It gets its information from the left visual field, and it controls the left side of the body 
How is there transfer of information between the cerebral hemispheres?
 Through the corpus callosum
