Nervous System Divisions

Question 1

What are the two major parts of the nervous system?

Answer 1

Central nervous system

Peripheral nervous system

Question 2

What is the Central Nervous System made up of?

Answer 2

Brain and Spinal cord

Question 3

What is the CNS connected to?

Answer 3

The rest of the body by the PNS

Question 4

What is the PNS made up of?

Answer 4

The PNS is made up of thick bundles of axons, called nerves, carrying messages back and forth between the CNS and the muscles, organs, and senses in the periphery of the body.

Question 5

What are the two major subdivisions of the PNS?

Answer 5

The somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system

Question 6

What is the somatic nervous system associated with?

Answer 6

Activities traditionally thought of as conscious and voluntary

Question 7

What is the somatic nervous system involved in?

Answer 7

It is involved in the relay of sensory and motor information to and from the CNS. It consists of sensory and motor neurones.

Question 8

Sensory neurones carry information from _______ ______ to the CNS and are ________ (“moving toward”) fibres.

Answer 8

sensory neurones, afferent

Question 9

Motor neurons carry information from the ___ to the _____ of the body and are _______ (“moving away from”) fibres.

Answer 9

CNS, muscles, efferent

Question 10

What does the autonomic nervous system controls?

Answer 10

Our internal organs and glands and is considered to be involuntary.

Question 11

What is the autonomic nervous system made up of?

Answer 11

Sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions

Question 12

What is the sympathetic nervous system involved in?

Answer 12

The sympathetic nervous system is involved in preparing the body for stress-related activities.

Question 13

What is the parasympathetic nervous system associated with?

Answer 13

The parasympathetic nervous system is associated with returning the body to routine, day-to-day operations.

Question 14

What is homeostasis?

Answer 14

A state of equilibrium, in which biological conditions (such as body temperature) are maintained at optimal levels.

Question 15

The sympathetic and parasympathetic have ____________ functions. They work in tandem to maintain the body’s homeostasis.

Answer 15

complementary

Question 16

What is a reflex?

Answer 16

Reflexes are reactions to stimuli that are rapid and automatic as sensory input is immediately acted upon by the spinal cord without input from the brain. When a sensory message meets certain parameters, the spinal cord starts an automatic reflex.
The signal passes from the sensory nerve to a simple processing centre, which starts a motor command.
Seconds are saved, because messages don’t have to go the brain, be processed, and get sent back.

Question 17

How does the SNS helps us to deal with emergencies (fight or flight)?

Answer 17

Increasing heart rate, blood pressure, dilating blood vessels in the muscles. Neurons from the SNS travel to virtually every organ and gland within the body, preparing the body for the rapid action necessary when the individual is under threat.

Question 18

How does the PNS help to relax us again once the emergency has passes?

Answer 18

The PNS slows the heartbeat down and reduces blood pressure. Another benefit is that digestion will begin again under PNS influence. Because the PNS is involved with energy, conservation and digestion, it’s sometimes referred to as the body’s rest and digest system.