The Nervous System Flashcards
What are the three principal functions of the nervous system?
- Sensory input.
- Integration
- Motor output
What does the central nervous system consist of?
The brain and spinal cord
What does the central nervous system do?
Receives information from the sensors and controls the bodies responses
What is the peripheral nervous system?
Part of the nervous system that it outside of the brain and spinal chord.
It is composed of all the nerves that branch off the brain and spine that allow the CNS to communicate with the rest of the body
What is the PNS involved with?
Carries sensory and motor info to and from the CNS
How is the PNS divided?
It is subdivided into the somatic nervous system and the autonomatic nervous system
what does the somatic nervous system do?
Carries sensory and motor info to, and from the central nervous system
Controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles
Made up of cranial and spinal nerves, which both have sensory and motor neurons
What does the autonomic nervous system do?
Controls involuntary movements of non-skeletal muscles
Controls internal body systems
It is self regulating
How is the autonomic nervous system divided?
It is divided into two subdivisions called the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?
Relaxes the body after a threat is no longer present
Involved in energy, conservation and digestion
What does the sympathetic nervous system do?
Associated with fight or flight when there is a threat present and mobilises body into action
What is the afferent division of the PNS?
It is the sensory division that sends sensory input to the CNS
What is the efferent division of the PNS?
It is the motor division that sends motor signals from the CNS to muscles and glands
What is involved with the CNS?
Integrates, sensory info, that the peripheral nervous system collect from all over the body
Coordinates both conscious and unconscious activities in response to sensory input by sending messages to muscles and glands
Controls behavioural responses and regulating of the bodys physiological processes
What are the four lobes of the cerebrum?
Frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe and temporal lobe
What is the frontal lobe?
Involved in thoughts, speech, production and learning
What is the parietal lobe?
Processes, sensory info
What is the occipital lobe?
Processes, visual info
What is the temporal lobe?
Involved with hearing and memory
What is the cerebellum?
It’s it’s beneath the back of the cerebrum and is involved in controlling motor skills, balance and coordinating muscles
What is the brainstem responsible for?
Regulating automatic, functions, essential for life
Motor and sensory neurons travel through the brainstem, allowing impulses to pass through the brain and spinal cord
Where is the diencephalon located?
It’s it’s on top of the brain stem
What are the two structures that the diencephalon contains?
The thalamus and hypothalamus
What does the thalamus do?
It relieves nerve impulses from senses to appropriate parts of the brain for processing
What does the hypothalamus do?
It has several functions, and is the link between the endocrine system and the nervous system
It regulates body temperature, hunger and thirst 
What is the spinal cord and what does it do?
It is a bundle of nerve fibres enclosed within the spinal column that connects nearly all parts of the body with the brain
What are the main functions of the spinal cord?
Relays info between brain and the rest of the body
Allows the brain to monitor and regulate bodily processes e.g. digestion and breathing
coordinates voluntary movements
What are cranial nerves?
Refers to the nerves that emerge directly from the brain, including the brain stem. They relate info between the brain and different parts of the body.
What are spinal nerves?
Refers to the nerves that emerge directly from the spinal cord
What are the physiological effects of the parasympathetic branch?
Decrease in heart rate
Increases stomach activity
Increases saliva production
Peoples become contracted
Bronchi of lungs, constrict
Glucose is stored and energy is conserved
What are the physiological effects of the sympathetic branch?
Increase in heart rate
Reduces stomach activity
Inhibits, saliva production
Peoples become Dilated
Bronchi of lungs, relax
Glucose released into the bloodstream
Expands energy for flight or fight
