Unit 1: The Nervous System Flashcards
Week 1
The Nervous System is Divided into 2 parts
- Central Nervous System (CNS)
- Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
What does the Central Nervous System Consist of?
- Brain
- Spinal Cord
What does the Peripheral Nervous System Consist of?
- Cranial Nerves
- Spinal Nerves
- Autonomic nervous system (Sympathetic and Parasympathetic)
What does the Nervous Systems Do?
maintain homeostasis and coordination of the bodys functions
- CNS
- PNS
How does the Neurological System Work?
works through electrical and chemical messages transmitted from sensory organs to the brain and spinal cord
-reciprocating messages transmitted back to target organs and cells
The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
includes:
- 12 Cranial Nerves
- 31 Spinal Nerves
- Autonomic Nervous System (sympathetic/ parasympathetic/ enteric)
The Enteric System
“nervous system” of the gastrointestinal tract (GI)
- “second brain”
- autonomous control of the process of digestion
- segment of the autonomous nervous system (ANS)
Neurons
impulse conducting cells that facilitate communication within the nervous system
- Afferent: sensory
- Efferent: motor
Neuroglial cells
specialized cells that support and protect the neurons
Action Potential of a nerve cell
facilitates the transmission of information from a presynaptic neuron to a receptor
-occurs when the action of the sodium-potassium pump creates changes in the electrical balance between the outside and inside of the cell
The Synapse
site where electrical impulses (information) travel from one neuron to another neuron, gland, or muscle
Excitatory Neurotransmitters
open sodium channels, causing depolarization in the postsynaptic membrane, initiating an action potential
Inhibitory Neurotransmitters
open chloride channels, allowing negatively charged chloride ions into the cell
The Brain is divided into 3 parts:
- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Brainstem
Cerebrum
largest portion of the brain
-covered by a thin layer of gray matter; cerebral cortex
-divided into 4 lobes: (highest functioning levels occur front to back)
>Frontal
>Parietal
>Temporal
>Occipital
-contains thalamus, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, and limbic system
Cerebrum: Frontal Lobe
located in the front area of the brain
- motor movement
- personality
- speech
- behavior
- judgement
- problem solving
Cerebrum: Parietal Lobe
located behind frontal lobe
- controls sensation and perception
- controls body position
Cerebrum: Temporal Lobe
located on the sides of the brain, beneath the parietal lobes
- controls sound recognition
- speech
- long term memory
Cerebrum: Occipital Lobe
located at the back of the brain
-vision (think “O” for optic)
Brain: Thalamus
relay center for sensory impulses to cerebral cortex
- pain
- temperature
- taste
- smell
- hearing
- equilibrium
- vision
- touch
- also relays info from the cerebellum and basal ganglia to the cerebral cortex; regulate motor control
Brain: Basal ganglia
regulates movement
- in coordination with the cerebellum, regulates movement
- sends information back and forth through the thalamus to the cerebral cortex
- basal ganglia is inhibitory; cerebellum is excitatory; coordinated movement is achieved through balance of both systems operating properly
- problems in basal ganglia = movement disorders