Physiological Flashcards
Somatic Nervous System
Sensory and Motor Neurons distributed throughout skin and muscles
sensory neurons transmit info through AFFERENT fibers (ascend to brain)
Motor impulses travel along efferent fibers (exit brain to muscles)
Describe the human nervous system
Central Nervous System (Brain and spinal cord)
Peripheral nervous system (somatic and automatic nervous systems)
Auromatic nervous system (Parasympathetic and Sympathetic nervous systems)
Autonomic (automatic) Nervous System
Walter Cannon= Pioneer
regulates heart beat, body temperature, respiration, digestion & glandular sectretions= manages involuntary muscles
parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic
Conserve energy
resting and digesting
Acetylcholine
Sympathetic
Fight or flight
Human brain (3 parts)
Hindbrain
Midbrain
Forebrain
Hindbrain
Located where the brain meets the spinal cord
Function- balance, motor coordination, breathing, digestion, general arousal (sleeping and waking)
Vital functioning necessary for survival
Midbrain
Located just above the hindbrain
Messages sensorimotor reflexes that also promote survival (receives sensory and motor info
Forebrain
Located above the midbrain
Manages complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes
Also emotion and memory
*had the greatest influence on human behavior
Hindbrain
Medulla oblongata
Lower brain structure
Responsible for regulating vital functions
Ex) breathing, heart beat, blood pressure
Hindbrain
Pons
Located above medulla oblongata
Contains sensory and motor tracts between the cortex and medulla
Hindbrain
Cerebellum
Mushrooms out of pons
Helps maintain posture and balance and coordinates body movements
**damage causes clumsiness, slurred speech, loss of balance
(Cerebellum is impaired by alcohol)
Hindbrain
Reticular Formation
Composed of intricate network of nerve fibers
Regulates arousal, alertness (sleeping/ waking), and attention
Anesthetics depress activity of this area
Midbrain
Involuntary reflex responses
Triggered by visual or auditory stimuli
Contains several prominent nuclei
- superior (seeing) colliculus- received visual sensory
- inferior (I hear) colliculus- receives auditory sensory (reflexive reactions to sudden noises)
Forebrain- divided into two hemispheres
Thalamus
Important relay station for incoming sensory info (all senses except for smell)
Thalamus sorts them and transmits them to appropriate cerebral cortex areas
Forebrain
Hypothalamus
Homeostatic function- Walter Cannon
Key player in emotional experience
(Increased arousal, aggressive, and sexual behaviors)
Also controls some endocrine functions and autonomic nervous system
Divided into lateral hypothalamus and anterior hypothalamus
Receptors regulate metabolism, temperature, and water balance
When any of the functions are out of balance, the hypothalamus detects the problem and signals the body to correct it- drive behaviors (hunger, thirst, sex)
*osmoregulation ( the maintenance of water balance) is preformed by osmoreceptors in hypothalamus
Lateral hypothalamus (LH) Lack of Hunger
Hunger center has special receptors thought to detect when your body needs food or fluids
ApHaGia (HunGry) when LH is destroyed one will starve themselves if not forced to eat
Also plays role in rage and fighting behaviors
Ventromedial Hypothalamus (VMH) Very Hungry
Satiety center
Tells you when you’ve had enough to eat
hYperpHaGia (You’re too HunGry) Brain lesions in this area lead to obesity
Hypothalamus and cortex
Hypothalamus manages fight or flight associated with sympathetic nervous system
When cortex was removed in cat= no rage and no flight or fight instinct, lacked ability to organize emotional responses
Anterior hypothalamus (Asexual)
Electrical stimulation causes increase in aggressive sexual behavior (will jump anything)
Damage to this area means permanent inhibition (asexual)
Parasympathetic
Main goal is to conserve energy
Acetylcholine is neurotransmitter
Decelerates heart beat and increases digestion
Resting and sleeping states decrease heart beat and respiration
Sympathetic nervous system
Activated in stressful situations= fight or flight
Increase heart rate, blood sugar, and respiration
Decrease digestive process, pupils in eyes dialate
Adrenaline is neurotransmitter and increase in energy is from adrenaline