The Nervous System Flashcards
Three main parts of the nervous system?
-Central Nervous System
-Peripheral Nervous System
-Autonomic Nervous System
Which two organs make up the central nervous system?
Brain and Spinal Cord
What are the two ‘nerves’ of the peripheral nervous system called?
Cranial nerves and spinal nerves
What two categories does the autonomic nervous system break down into?
Parasympathetic and Sympathetic
Parasympathetic is responsible for…?
Day-to-day functioning
Sympathetic is responsible for…?
Fight or flight
Function of the central nervous system
Receive inputs from the sense organs (skin, nose, eyes, ears, mouth) and sends signals to the muscles/glands via the peripheral nervous system
Function of the peripheral nervous system
Carry information to/from central nervous system via afferent/efferent neurons
What is the other name for an afferent neuron and what is its function?
-Sensory neuron
-Receive information from outside (sensory receptors) and sends it to the CNS so the body can produce a response
What is the other name for an efferent neuron and what is its function?
-Motor neuron
-Receive information from CNS and sends it to effectors (muscles, glands) that produce a response
Parts of a neuron?
-Dendrites
-Cell body
-Axon
-Axon Terminal
-Nodes of Ranvier
-Schwann cell
-Myelin sheath
Function of the cell body?
Control centre of the cell
Function of the dendrites?
Increase? Receive? Carry?
-Increase surface area of the cell body
-Receive stimuli
-Carry information towards the cell body
Function of the axon
-Transmit electrical signals away from the cell body
-Larger the axon = faster the transmission of information
Function of the schwann cells/myelin sheath?
Wrapped around the axons for insulation
