The Nervous System

Question 1

What does the nervous system do?

Answer 1

The nervous system monitors what’s going on in your internal and external environment and organises a response

Question 2

What are the two main parts of the nervous system?

Answer 2

Somatic
Autonomic

Question 3

What does the Somatic Nervous System deal with?

Answer 3

The somatic nervous system deals with skeletal (voluntary) muscle and the skin over it

Question 4

What does the Autonomic Nervous System deal with?

Answer 4

The autonomic nervous system deals with involuntary muscles- internal organs and blood vessels

Question 5

Do somatic and autonomic nerve cells ever travel in the same nerves?

Answer 5

Yes sometimes autonomic and somatic nerve cells travel in the same nerves

Question 6

Name two places where a ‘decision’ can be made in the nervous system

Answer 6

The brain
The gut (enteric nervous system)

Question 7

List 7 somatic sensations

Answer 7

Touch
Pressure
Heat
Vibration
Cold
Pain
Proprioception

Question 8

List 5 special senses

Answer 8

Taste
Smell
Hearing
Vision
Balance

Question 9

Why are we able to detect different types of sensation?

Answer 9

Because we have different types of receptor cells on the ends of our nerve cells

Question 10

What is the spinal cord largely made up of?

Answer 10

The spinal cord is made largely or nerve cells going up and down with cross connections and supporting tissues

Question 11

Which kind of neurones (sensory or motor) go up the spinal cord and which sort go down the spinal cord?

Answer 11

Sensory neurons travel up the spinal cord.
Motor neurons travel down the spinal cord.

Question 12

How many neurones are there in the sensory pathway to the cortex of the brain?

Answer 12

3

Question 13

How many neurones are there in the somatic motor pathway from the cortex of the brain to the muscle?

Answer 13

2

Question 14

In which side of the brain are sensations of the right side of the body perceived?

Answer 14

Left

Question 15

Which side of the brain controls voluntary movements on the left side of the body?

Answer 15

Right

Question 16

What type of neurones go into the back of the spinal cord (sensory or motor)?

Answer 16

Sensory neurons go into the back of the spinal cord.

Question 17

What type of neurones come out of the front of the spinal cord (sensory or motor)?

Answer 17

Motor neurons come out the front of the spinal cord

Question 18

What is the dorsal root?

Answer 18

The dorsal root is where the sensory neurons enter the spinal cord

Question 19

A single nerve cell may be a metre or more long: true or false?

Answer 19

True

Question 20

All the plexi are formed from the ventral primary divisions of the peripheral nerves : true or false?

Answer 20

True

Question 21

What is a plexus?

Answer 21

A plexus is a crossing over

Question 22

Where in the body is the brachial plexus?

Answer 22

The brachial plexus is in the neck and shoulder, behind the clavicle and in front of the first rib.

Question 23

What are the 5 main nerves that emerge from the brachial plexus?

Answer 23

Musculocutaneous
Ulnar
Axillary
Median
Radial

Question 24

Why do nerve cells from different parts of the body occupy different amounts of space in the cortex of the brain?

Answer 24

Because some areas have more nerve cells coming from them, which occupy more space (and give greater sensitivity)

Question 25

Once a conscious decision is made in the brain, from which part of the brain is the message to act sent?

Answer 25

The message to act is sent from the motor cortex

Question 26

How many pairs of spinal peripheral nerves are there in the full length of the spinal cord?

Answer 26

31

Question 27

How many pairs of cranial nerves are there?

Answer 27

12

Question 28

Do some skeletal muscles have both somatic and autonomic nerves attaching to them? If so, give an example

Answer 28

Yes
One example is the diaphragm

Question 29

What are the 2 main parts of the autonomic Nervous System?

Answer 29

Sympathetic
Parasympathetic

Question 30

Are most organs connected to the sympathetic, the parasympathetic, or both?

Answer 30

Both

Question 31

Under normal (unstressful) conditions, which part of the autonomic nervous system is dominant?

Answer 31

Parasympathetic

Question 32

Under abnormal stressful conditions, which part of the autonomic nervous system is dominant?

Answer 32

Sympathetic

Question 33

Which part of the autonomic nervous system promotes conservation and restoration of energy, and which part of the autonomic NS promotes mobilsation of energy?

Answer 33

Parasympathetic NS promotes conservation of energy.
Sympathetic NS promotes mobilisation of energy.

Question 34

From which part of the spinal cord do sympathetic motor neurones emerge?

Answer 34

T1 to L2 (rib area)

Question 35

How do sympathetic motor neurones get to all levels of the spinal cord, even though they only emerge from levels T1 to L2?

Answer 35

They get there via the sympathetic chain (trunk)

Question 36

If the sympathetic motor neurones emerge from the ‘middle’ of the spinal cord, where do the parasympathetic motor neurones emerge from?

Answer 36

Parasympathetic motor neurons emerge from the top and bottom of spinal cord

Question 37

Which cranial nerves have parasympathetic motor neurones?

Answer 37

3
7
9
10

Question 38

Which sacral nerves have parasympathetic motor neurones?

Answer 38

S 2
S 3
S 4

Question 39

Where are the ‘joins’ (synapses) between the pre-ganglionic and post ganglionic neurones in the parasympathetic motor system?

Answer 39

In the target organs

Question 40

Where in the brain is the sensory information from the autonomic nervous system integrated and a decision made about what action to take ?

Answer 40

Hypothalamus

Question 41

What is the Enteric Nervous System?

Answer 41

“The brain of the gut”