U3 AOS 1 The central and peripheral nervous systems

Question 1

Central nervous
system (CNS)

Answer 1

the brain and
the spinal cord;
processes and
coordinates
responses to
sensory stimuli

Question 2

Brain

Answer 2

a complex
structure that
receives and
processes
sensory stimuli
from the body
and coordinates
responses,
including
voluntary
movements,
emotions and
conscious
thought

Question 3

Spinal cord

Answer 3

a dense bundle
of nerves that
carries sensory
information from
the body to the
brain and motor
information from
the brain to
the body

Question 4

Spinal reflex

Answer 4

an involuntary
and unconscious
response to
a stimulus
involving the
spinal cord,
which occurs
without input
from the brain

Question 5

Sensory receptor

Answer 5

a sensory
nerve ending
that produces
an afferent or
sensory impulse
when stimulated

Question 6

Sensory neuron

Answer 6

a nerve cell
that carries
sensory signals
throughout the
nervous system

Question 7

Interneuron

Answer 7

a nerve cell in
the spinal cord
that connects
motor and
sensory neurons
by relaying
information
between the two

Question 8

Motor neuron

Answer 8

a nerve cell that
transmits motor
impulses from
the spinal cord
to the skeletal
and smooth
muscles

Question 9

Peripheral
nervous system

Answer 9

all the nerves
outside of the
central nervous
system that
carry messages
between the
central nervous
system and
muscles, organs
and glands
throughout the
body

Question 10

Somatic nervous
system

Answer 10

a subdivision of
the peripheral
nervous
system that
carries sensory
information
to the central
nervous system
and motor
information to
the body

Question 11

Autonomic
nervous system

Answer 11

a subdivision of
the peripheral
nervous system
that controls the
body’s internal
environment in
an autonomous
or self-regulated
manner

Question 12

Sympathetic
nervous system

Answer 12

a subdivision of
the autonomic
nervous system
that increases
our arousal,
readying the
body for a quick
response

Question 13

Parasympathetic
nervous system

Answer 13

a subdivision of
the autonomic
nervous system
that dominates during day-to-day activities and after threat returns the body back to homeostatsis

Question 14

Unconscious
response

Answer 14

any response
of our nervous
system that
does not require
awareness

Question 15

Conscious
response

Answer 15

any response
of the nervous
system that
requires
awareness