section 1. (5)Outline the role of the nervous system in detecting and responding to environmental changes Flashcards
What is the function of the nervous system?
coordination- it detects information about the organisms internal and external environment, transfers the information to the control centre and processes the information in the control centre to create a response
What are the 2 parts of the nervous system?
- the CNS (central nervous system)
2. the PNS (periphery nervous system)
What is the CNS?
- consists of the brain and the spinal chord
- coordinates responses
What is the PNS?
- consists of the nerves and ganglia outside the brain
- transmits information between the CNS and receptors/effectors
What do receptors do?
receptors detect changes and transmit information about them in the form of electrochemical nerve impulses via sensory neurons to the CNS
What does the CNS do with the information given to it by the receptors?
processes this information and passes it onto the effectors via motor neurons
what are the 3 types of neurons?
- sensory/ afferent neurons
- interneurons
- motor/ efferent neurons
What do sensory neurons do?
o harness information from the different sensory organs such as the eyes, nose, ears, tongue and skin
What do interneurons do?
o Serve as connectors of neurons
o Projection interneurons have long axons that join brain regions that are far from one another.
o Local interneurons feature shorter axons that create small circuits between near brain cells or regions.
What do motor neurons do?
o Transmit signals from the brain to the spinal cord to the muscles to initiate action or response to stimuli.