The Nervous System Flashcards
What is the 2 main functions of the central nervous system (CNS)
Control of movement
Regulation of psychological processes (NTs)
What does the CNS comprise of ?
The brain and spinal cord
What does the brain receive ?
The brain receives information from our senses and the messages are sent to the spinal cord and along the nerves to the glands ,muscles so we act in response to this
The spinal cord main function
It’s main function is to relay info between the brain and the rest of the body
What is the spinal cord connected to
The spinal cord is connected to different parts of the body through pairs of spinal nerves
E.g those that branch of the thoracic region carry messages to and from the chest area
What does the spinal cord enable us to do
The spinal cord enables us to perform simple reflexes without a message from the brain
E.g moving your hand away when somethings hot
What happens if the spinal cord is damaged
It will cause multitude of problems
E.g paralysis
What does the peripheral nervous system contain
Somantic nervous system (SNS)
Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
What is the SNS made of
Made up of 12 pairs of cranial nerves (nerves that emerge from the underside of the brain)
Made up of 31 pairs of spinal nerves (nerves that emerge from the spinal cord)
These nerves have sensory,motor and relay neurons
SNS (sensory neuron)
The sensory neuron relays message to the CNS
The SNS (motor neuron)
Motor neuron relays info from the CNS to other parts of the body
What is the ANS do
Carried out involuntary actions without your conscious awareness
E.g breathing ,indigestion
Without the ANS our body would function efficiently
What are the 4 main parts of the brain
Cerebrum
Cerebellum
Brain stem
Diencephalon
What is the function of the cerebrum
Divided into 4 lobes
Split down the middle ,2 halves are called cerebral hemispheres
They cerebral hemispheres are specialised for particular behaviour
The 2 halves communicate through the corpus callosum
What is the function of the cerebellum
Controlling a person motor skill and balance ,coordinating the muscle to allow precise movements
Abnormalities can result to problems e.g speech,motor problems and epilepsy
What is the function of the brain stem
Regulating automatic functions that are essential for life e.g breathing
Motor and sensory neurons travel through the brain stem ,allowing impulses to the brain and the spinal cord
What is the function of the diencephalon
Contains 2 structures :thalamus and hypothalamus
The thalamus is a relay station for nerve impulses coming from the senses .routing to the important part if the brain
The hypothalamus regulates body temperature,hunger and thirst which is a link between the endocrine and nervous system
What are the 4 lobes of the brain
Frontal lobes
Pariental lobes
Occipital lobes
Temporal lobes
What is the frontal lobe
The frontal lobe are lobes involved with functions such as speech ,thought and learning
What is the pariental lobe
The pariental lobes are lobes that process sensory information such as touch,temperature and pain
What is the occipital lobe
The occipital lobe is a lobe that processes vital information
What is the temporal lobe
The temporal lobe is a lobe that is involved with hearing and memory
