The Central Nervous System

Question 1

What does vestigial mean?

Answer 1

The retention of genetically determined attributes that have lost some of their function.
E.g. eyebrow flashing - completely unconscious & indicates a desire for social contact.

Question 2

What are the subdivisions of the nervous system?

Answer 2

Central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system

Question 3

What are the subdivisions of the central nervous system?

Answer 3

Brain
Spinal cord

Question 4

What are the subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 4

Autonomic NS
Somatic NS

Question 5

What are the subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 5

Sympathetic NS
Parasympathetic NS

Question 6

What are the subdivisions of the somatic NS?

Answer 6

Sensory neurones
Motor neurones

Question 7

What are dendrites?

Answer 7

Where the neurone receives electrochemical input from other neurones.
Critical in integrating synaptic inputs and determining action potentials produced by the brain.

Question 8

What is the role of the axon?

Answer 8

It carries input away from the neurone and transmits information to other neurones

Question 9

What is the myelin sheath?

Answer 9

Insulates the axon.
Increases the rate at which electrochemical signals pass down the axon.

Question 10

Why are the nodes of ranvier important?

Answer 10

They allow the electrical impulse to move quickly down the axon.

Question 11

Why are synapses useful?

Answer 11

Allows a neurone to communicate its electrochemical signal to a neurone via the dendrites.

Question 12

What is the role of neuroglia cells?

Answer 12

Provides and controls nutrients and chemicals to neurones.
Insulates neurones from each other avoiding electrochemical messages being disrupted.

Question 13

Why are astrocytes important?

Answer 13

Responsible for forming the blood-brain barrier and providing neurones with nutrients.

Question 14

Why are oligodendrocytes important?

Answer 14

Cells that form the myelin sheath which are found exclusively in the CNS.

Question 15

What are unipolar neurones?

Answer 15

Only one neurite extends from the soma.

Question 16

What are bipolar neurones?

Answer 16

Has two neurites, are usually specialised for sense.

Question 17

What are multipolar neurones?

Answer 17

A single axon but many dendrites.

Question 18

What are the roles of each part of the brain:
Corpus Callosum?

Answer 18

Fibres passing between two hemispheres.

Question 19

Thalamus?

Answer 19

Sensory information

Question 20

Hypothalamus?

Answer 20

Biological needs e.g. thirst, hunger etc.

Question 21

Pituitary gland?

Answer 21

‘Master’ gland for endocrine glands

Question 22

Cerebrum?

Answer 22

Thinking, emotion etc.

Question 23

Cerebellum

Answer 23

Coordinates muscle movement

Question 24

Hippocampus?

Answer 24

Learning, memory etc.

Question 25

Amygdala?

Answer 25

Emotion, aggression etc.

Question 26

Medulla?

Answer 26

Vital functions

Question 27

Motor cortex? Include where it's situated.

Answer 27

Voluntary movements Frontal lobe

Question 28

Sensory cortex? Include where it's situated.

Answer 28

Body sensations Parietal lobe

Question 29

Brocca's area? Include where it's situated.

Answer 29

Speech production Frontal lobe, just above the temporal lobe.

Question 30

Wernicke's area? Include where it's situated.

Answer 30

Understanding speech. Temporal lobe, just below the parietal lobe.

Question 31

What is the role of the somatic NS?

Answer 31

Allows you to sense and respond to the environment that you're in.

Question 32

What is the role of the autonomic NS?

Answer 32

Regulates the body's internal environment. Controls the glands, involuntary muscles from major organs and the blood vessels.

Question 33

What is the role of the sympathetic NS?

Answer 33

Has an activation function and can affect several organs at once. Activates when there's stress and helps you to deal with the stressor.

Question 34

What is the role of the parasympathetic NS?

Answer 34

Involved in slowing down bodily processes and maintaining calm in a stressful situation.