Unit 3: Neurobiology and immunology - Divisions of The Nervous System and Neutral Pathways

Question 1

What are the 2 main parts the nervous system can be broken down into?

Answer 1

The central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

Question 2

What makes up the central nervous system?

Answer 2

The brain and the spinal cord.

Question 3

What makes up the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 3

The somatic and autonomic nervous system.

Question 4

What makes up the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 4

The sympathetic and parasympathetic system.

Question 5

What does the somatic nervous system contain?

Answer 5

Sensory and motor neurons.

Question 6

What do sensory neurons do?

Answer 6

Sensory neurons take impulses from sense organs to the CNS.

Question 7

What do motor neurons do?

Answer 7

Take impulses from the CNS to muscles and glands. which leads to the appropriate contractions by muscles or secretions from glands.

Question 8

What does the autonomic nervous system consist of?

Answer 8

The sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

Question 9

How do the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems work and what does this mean?

Answer 9

They work antagonistically which means that they affect many of the same structure but have the opposite effects on them.

Question 10

What does the sympathetic system do generally?

Answer 10

It prepares the body for action (fight or flight).

Question 11

What does the parasympathetic system do in general?

Answer 11

It rests and relaxes the body for rest and digest.

Question 12

Is the autonomic nervous system voluntary or involuntary and what does this mean?

Answer 12

Involuntary meaning done without will or conscious control.

Question 13

What is the antagonistic action of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems on the effect of heart rate?

Answer 13

Sympathetic increases cardiac output. Parasympathetic decreases cardiac output.

Question 14

What is the antagonistic action of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system on the effect of breathing rate?

Answer 14

Sympathetic increases intake of air. Parasympathetic decreases intake of air.

Question 15

What is the antagonistic action of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems on the effect of peristalsis?

Answer 15

Sympathetic decreases the rate of peristalsis. Parasympathetic increases the rate of peristalsis.

Question 16

What is the antagonistic action of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems on the effect of the production of intestinal secretions?

Answer 16

Sympathetic decreases production of intestinal secretions. Parasympathetic increases production of intestinal secretions.

Question 17

What are neurons?

Answer 17

The cells of the nervous system.

Question 18

What does converging mean?

Answer 18

To come together and meet at a common point.

Question 19

Where do converging pathways occur?

Answer 19

Converging pathways occur where impulses from several neurons travel to one neuron.

Question 20

What do converging neural pathways do?

Answer 20

Converging neural pathways increase the sensitivity to excitatory or inhibitory signals.

Question 21

What is an example of a converging neural pathway?

Answer 21

An example is where the neurons from rods in the retina/eye converge - this increases sensitivity to low levels of light.

Question 22

What does to diverge mean?

Answer 22

To branch out from a common point.

Question 23

What happens in a diverging neural pathway?

Answer 23

Impulses from one neuron travel to several neurons, therefore affecting more than one destination at the same time.

Question 24

What is an example of a diverging pathway?

Answer 24

The fine motor control in the fingers.

Question 25

What does reverberation mean?

Answer 25

Reverberation means a sound that occurs repeatedly, as in an echo.

Question 26

What happens in a reverberating pathway and what does this allow to happen?

Answer 26

Neurons later in the pathway link with branching neurons, sending the impulse back through the pathway. This allows repeated simulation of the pathway.

Question 27

What are reverberating pathways used in?

Answer 27

Repetitive activities such as breathing.