U3 Nervous system: Organisation of the nervous system

Question 1

What are the two main divisions of the nervous system?

Answer 1

• Central nervous system
• Peripheral nervous system

Question 2

What does the central nervous system consist of?

Answer 2

The brain and spinal cord

Question 3

What does the peripheral nervous system do?

Answer 3

• Take messages from receptors to the central nervous system
• Take messages from the central nervous system to effectors

Question 4

What are the two divisions of the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 4

Efferent/motor division:
- Efferent neurons that carry impulses away from the central nervous system to an effector (muscle/gland)

Afferent/sensory division
- Afferent neurons that carry sensory information from receptors into the central nervous system

Question 5

What are the divisions of the efferent division of the nervous system?

Answer 5

Autonomic nervous system
- Takes impulses from the central nervous system to involuntary muscles (heart, glands)

Somatic nervous system
- Takes impulses from the central nervous system to the skeletal muscles (voluntary muscles)

Question 6

What are the divisions of the afferent division of the nervous system?

Answer 6

Somatic sensory division
- Brings impulses from the skin and muscles

Visceral sensory division
- Bring impulses from internal organs

Question 7

What are the divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 7

Sympathetic nervous system
- “Fight or flight”
- Prompts body to perform/react in an emergency
- Increased heart rate and breathing rate

Parasympathetic nervous system
- “Rest and digest”
- Calms the body to conserve energy
- Controls digestion
- Decreases heart rate and breathing rate