Nervous system Flashcards
What are the two main components of the human nervous system?
Central nervous system (CNS) and Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord, while the PNS includes all nerves in the body.
What is the primary function of the central nervous system (CNS)?
Acts as a central coordinating centre for impulses
The CNS processes incoming sensory information and sends out responses.
Define a neurone.
A nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses
Neurones are the basic building blocks of the nervous system.
What is a bundle of neurones called?
A nerve
Nerves spread out from the CNS to various parts of the body.
What is the pathway through the nervous system summarized as?
stimulus → sensory neurone → relay neurone → motor neurone → effector → response
This pathway illustrates how information is processed and responded to in the nervous system.
What is a stimulus in the context of the nervous system?
A signal that is detected by a sensory neurone
Stimuli can include various forms of environmental changes.
What happens when a receptor is stimulated?
It produces electrical impulses
These impulses are crucial for transmitting information to the CNS.
What role does the relay neurone play in the nervous system?
Links sensory neurone to motor neurone in the CNS
Relay neurones process the information received from sensory neurones.
What is the effector in the nervous system?
The part that carries out the response, such as a muscle or gland
Effectors are essential for executing the actions decided by the CNS.
True or False: The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes the brain and spinal cord.
False
The PNS consists of all nerves outside the CNS.
Fill in the blank: A _______ is a specialized cell that detects particular stimuli.
receptor
Receptors are critical for initiating the nerve pathway.
