the human nervous system Flashcards
what is the nervous system?
- cells in our body and primary internal communication system –> based on electrical and chemical signals
2 main functions of the nervous system?
- collect, process and respond to info in the environment
- co-ordinate working at different cells ad organs in the body
components of human nervous system?
see diagram
- peripheral nervous system (PNS)
–> somatic nervous system, autonomic nervous system –> sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system
- central nervous system (CNS) –> brain, spinal cord
CNS- what is the role of it in human behaviour?
- acts as info processing and control centre for info we receive and responses we make
- body receives info from senses –> PNS sends it to CNS –> brain processes and integrates info from senses= generates response
what is the CNS made up of + what is it?
- made of brain + nerves in spinal cord
- central processor of info + control centre for human behaviour
CNS- brain role
- draws together info from all over body and sends it back out body in response
- involved in decision making + interpreting sensory info
CNS- spinal cord function
- contains nerves that carry messages between brain and body –> receives info to and from brain. Nerves connect to muscles + glands= allows reflexes to be made
- allows brain to monitor/regulate bodily processes
cerebrum- what is it?
- largest part of brain, has 4 lobes which each has different functions
- has 2 hemispheres
- outer layer= cerebral cortex (‘grey matter’)
- it regulates higher intellectual processes
2 brain hemispheres what is each one responsible for?
- right= creativity, intuition, movement of left side of body
- left=movement of right side of body, logic, language functioning etc
what can you say about the hemispheres?
- have contra-lateral control
- right hemisphere= responsible for movement of left side of body (vice versa)
what is the cerebellum role?
- controls motor skills, balance, coordinates muscles= allows for precise movement
what is the brain stem?
- regulates essential (involuntary processes) functions for life e.g. breathing, heartbeat etc
- made up of 3 parts: midbrain, pons, medulla
what is the diencephalon?
- contains thalamus and hypothalamus
whats the thalamus?
- relay station for nerve impulses from sense organs –> transfers info from parts of brain to cerebral cortex + regulates sleep, alertness, wakefulness
whats the hypothalamus?
- regulates body temp, hunger, control release of hormones
what is the peripheral nervous system?
- made of nerves all over body
- brain receives and processes info= sends message down spinal cord to activate PNS= makes body do what brain tells it to
- has 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves
Peripheral nervous system 2 divisions ?
autonomic nervous system
somatic nervous system
what’s the somatic nervous system ?
- transmits info from senses to and from CNS and outside world —> sensory receptors carry info to brain and spinal cord
- rome= carry sensory info from outside world to brain= muscle responses via motor pathways = we can respond to environment (reflexes) e.g. dodging a ball, moving hand from hot object
what’s the autonomic nervous system?
transmits info to and from internal organs to sustain life
- important part of homeostasis (maintain internal processss)
- carries actions without conscious awareness e.g. digestion, heart rate
what are the 2 divisions from the autonomic nervous system and their functions?
sympathetic nervous system= increases bodily activity. prepares us for fight or flight response
parasympathetic nervous system= decreases bodily activity, maintains homeostasis and reduces activities of body that have been increased in sympathetic nervous system.
