The nervous system Flashcards
What are the two major parts of the nervous system?
The central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
What is the central nervous system made up of?
The spinal cord and the brain.
How is the CNS connected to the rest of the body?
The CNS is connected to the rest of the body by the PNS.
What is the Peripheral nervous system made up of?
The Peripheral nervous system is made up of thick bundles of axons, called nerves, carrying messages back and forth between the CNS and the muscles, organs, and senses in the periphery of the body.
What are the two major subdivisions of the Peripheral nervous system?
The somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
What is the Somatic nervous system?
The SNS associated with activities traditionally thought of as conscious and voluntary.
What does the Somatic nervous system consist of?
It consists of sensory and motor neurones.
What is the Autonomic nervous system?
The autonomic nervous system controls our internal organs and glands and is considered to be involuntary
What is the Autonomic nervous system made up of?
It is made up of sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.
What role does the sympathetic nervous play?
It prepares us for stress-related activities.
What role does the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) play?
It is associated with returning the body to routine, day-to-day operations.
What is homeostasis?
A state of equilibrium, in which biological conditions (such as body temperature) are maintained at optimal levels.
What is the name of the subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that is is associated with returning the body to routine, day-to-day operations?
The parasympathetic nervous system
What is the name for the state of optimum that body levels are maintained at?
Homeostasis
The Brain?
The brain is a very complex organ made up of billions of interconnected neurons.
- It is a bilateral, or two-sided, structure that can be separated into distinct lobes.
