Nervous system

Question 1

what are the functions of the nervous system

Answer 1

 Sensory input

 Integration

 Homeostasis

 Mental activity

 Control of muscle and glands

Question 2

what does sensory input imply?

Answer 2

◦ Sensory receptors monitor numerous external stimuli and internal stimuli

Question 3

what does Integration imply?

Answer 3

◦ Brain and spinal cord are the major organs for processing sensory
input and initiating responses

Question 4

what does Homeostasis imply?

Answer 4

◦ Nervous system regulates, coordinates and activates in order to maintain homeostasis (normality for the body)

Question 5

what does Mental activity imply?

Answer 5

◦ The brain is the centre of mental activities, including

consciousness, thinking etc.

Question 6

what does Control of muscle and glands imply?

Answer 6

◦ Nervous system controls the major movements of the body through the control of skeletal muscle.

Question 7

what are the parts of the central nervous system (CNS)?

Answer 7

 Brain – protected by skull

 Spinal Cord – protected by vertebrae column

Question 8

what are the parts of the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

Answer 8

 Cranial Nerves
 Spinal Nerves
 Ganglia: Neuron cell body collections outside CNS

Question 9

CNS: The Brain

Answer 9

Protected by the bones of the skull, the meninges and

cerebrospinal fluid

Question 10

CNS: The Brain, what are the 4 parts of the brain?

Answer 10

 Cerebrum
 Cerebellum
 Diencephalon
 Brainstem

Question 11

CNS: Spinal Cord-function:

Answer 11

 Act as a conduit for impulse conduction to and from the brain

 It integrates incoming information and produces
response through reflex mechanisms

Question 12

CNS: Spinal Cord-what are the 3 reflex’s?

Answer 12

◦ Stretch reflex
◦ Golgi tendon reflex
◦ Withdrawal reflex

Question 13

PNS: what are the 2 subcategories of the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 13

 Sensory (afferent) division

 Motor (efferent) division

Question 14

PNS: what is the Sensory (afferent) division?

Answer 14

◦ Transmits electrical signals (action potentials) from sensory receptors to CNS

Question 15

PNS: what is the Motor (efferent) division?

Answer 15

◦ Transmits action potentials from the CNS to effector organs, such as muscles and glands

◦ Divided into the somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous
system (ANS)

◦ Somatic system- transmits action potentials from the CNS to skeletal muscle

◦ ANS- transmits action potentials from the CNS to smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and certain glands

◦ ANS- is subdivided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions

Question 16

what are the 2 types of Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)?

Answer 16

 Parasympathetic

 Sympathetic

Question 17

what is Parasympathetic?

Answer 17

◦ Conservation of energy “rest and digest” feed and breed”

◦ Selective regulation of visceral effectors

◦ Visceral effects e.g. slowing of HR, increased activity of the GI tract.

Question 18

what is Sympathetic?

Answer 18

◦ Mobilization of energy (fight or flight)

◦ Total activation of visceral effects

◦ Visceral effects e.g. increased HR and stroke volume, increased blood glucose, vasodilatation of skeletal muscle blood vessels