Organisation of the nervous system

Question 1

what is the mammalian nervous system organised structurally into?

Answer 1

• The central nervous system (CNS) - consists of your brain and spinal cord
• The peripheral nervous system (PNS) -
  
  • consists of all the neurones that connect the CNS to the rest of the body
  • these are the sensory neurones which carry nervce impulses from the receptor to the CNS
    
    • and the motor neurones which carry nerve impulses away from the CNS to effectors

Question 2

What are the two functional organisation systems?

Answer 2

somatic nervous system

autonomic nervous system

Question 3

What is the somatic nervous system?

Answer 3

this system is under consicous control - it is used when you voluntarily decide to do something

the somatic nervous system carries impulses to the body’s muscles

Question 4

What is the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 4

this system works constantly

it is under subconscous control and is used when the body does something automatically without you deciding to do it

it is involuntary

carries nerve impulses tot gland, smooth muscle (e.g walls of intestine) and cardiac muscle

Question 5

What can the autonomic nervous system be furhter divided into by function?

Answer 5

the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system

Question 6

What does the effect of these two autonomic nervous systems have?

Answer 6

generally:

sympathetic - outcome increases activity

parasympathetic - outcome decreases activity