The Central Nervous System

Question 1

What does CNS stand for?

Answer 1

Central Nervous System

Question 2

What does the CNS comprise of?

Answer 2

Brain
and
Spinal cord

Question 3

What is the main function of the CNS?

Answer 3

The control of behaviour and the regulation of the body’s physiological processes.

Question 4

In order for the brain to be able to control behaviour and regulation of the body’s physiological processes what muct occur?

Answer 4

The brain must receive imformation from sensory receptors ( eyes, ears, skin etc)
and
send messages to the muscles and glands of the body

Question 5

What is the main function of the spinal cord?

Answer 5

Relay information between the brain and the rest of the body

Question 6

What does the relaying of information through the spinal cord allow the brain to do?
Examples

Answer 6

Monitor and regulate bodily processes
For example
digestiona and breathing, and coordinate bodily movements

Question 7

How is the spinal cord connected to different parts of the body?

Answer 7

By pairs of spinal nerves
which
branch off from the thoracic region of the spinal cord, carry messages to and from the chest and parts of the abdomen.

Question 8

What do the circuit of nerve cells enable us to perform?

Answer 8

Small simple reflexes without direct involvement of the brain
For example,
Pulling your hand away from something that it hot

Question 9

What happens if the spinal cord is damaged?

Answer 9

Areas supplied by spinal nerves below the damages site will be cut off from the brain and will stop functioning

Question 10

What are the four main areas the brain is divided into?

Answer 10

• cerebrum
• cerebellum
• diencephalon
• brain stem

Question 11

Which is the largest section of the brain?

Answer 11

cerebrum

Question 12

How many sections is the cerebrum divided into?

Answer 12

Four different lobes

Question 13

What are the two halves of the cerebrum called?

Answer 13

Cerebral hemisphere

Question 14

What is the corpus callosum?

Answer 14

How the two hemispheres communicate

Question 15

Where is the cerebellum located?

Answer 15

Beneath the back of the cerebrum

Question 16

What is the cerebellum function?

Answer 16

Controlling a person’s motor skills and balance

Coordinating the muscles to allow precise movements

Question 17

What can abnormalities in the cerebellum cause?

Answer 17

Problems with speech and motor problems, including epilepsy

Question 18

Where is the diencephalon located?

Answer 18

Beneath the cerebrum and on top of the brain stem

Question 19

What two important structures are within the diencephalon?

Answer 19

Thalamus and the hypothalamus

Question 20

What does the thalamus act as?

Answer 20

A relay station for nerve impulses coming from the senses

routing them to the appropriate part of the brain where they can be processed

Question 21

What are some of the important functions of the hypothalamus?

Answer 21

regulation of body temperature, hunger and thirst

Question 22

What is the brain stem responsible for?

Answer 22

Regulating the automatic functions that are essential for life
Including:
Breathing, heart beat and swallowing