Nervous System Flashcards
What is the Peripheral Nervous System?
The nerves coming off the brain and spinal cord
What is the Central Nervous System?
Comprising the brain and spinal cord
What is the Autonomic Nervous System?
Controls the body’s involuntary activities eg beating heart, peristalsis
Function of the Cerebellum
It is responsible for the coordination of movement and fine control of limb movement
What is the structure of the neuron that carries the nerve impulses away from the cell body?
Axons
What happens at the synapse?
An area of communication between nerve cells or between a motor nerve cell and a muscle fibre
What is the name of the tissue that protects the CNS?
The Meninges - broken into 3 layers
What are the three layers of the Meninges?
Dura Mater - Outer layer, tough
Arachnoid - Middle layer
Pia Mater - The inner layer, delicate
What is the CSF and where is it found?
A clear fluid produced by the brain, that surrounds the tissue of the brain and spinal cord. Found in the subarachnoid space (space between arachnoid and pia mater)
What is the reflex arc?
A rapid autonomic response to stimuli by an organ or system that does not involve the brain for it’s initiation. e.g touching a hot object and quickly pulling away
What is the Sympathetic system?
It prepares the body for emergencies - fight or flight response. It accelerates the heartbeat, dilates the bronchioles, dilates the pupils, slows gut movements and stimulates adrenal glands
What response is a result of adrenalin and non adrenalin?
Fight or Flight response
What are the supporting nerve cells?
Glial cells
What is the Parasympathetic system?
The pathways come from the vagus nerve, plus other cranial and spinal nerves. It slows the heart rate, constricts bronchioles, constricts pupils
