human bio lecture 9 nervous system 1

What are the primary components of the nervous system?

The Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).

What is the role of the Central Nervous System (CNS)?

It serves as the main control center, integrating sensory information and coordinating responses.

What does the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) consist of?

Cranial nerves and spinal nerves, functioning as a relay between the CNS and the rest of the body.

What does the autonomic nervous system control?

Involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate.

What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

The sympathetic division (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic division (rest and digest).

How is the brain organized?

It is divided into the forebrain, hindbrain, and midbrain, with various lobes each responsible for specific functions.

What structure connects the two hemispheres of the brain?

The corpus callosum.

What is the function of afferent pathways in the PNS?

They carry sensory information into the CNS from sensory receptors.

What is the function of efferent pathways in the PNS?

They carry motor commands from the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands.

What is a neurone?

A specialized cell that transmits nerve impulses throughout the nervous system.

What is the difference between a neurone and a nerve?

Neurones are the individual cells that transmit impulses, whereas nerves are bundles of neurones.

What is the organization of the spinal cord?

It consists of gray matter on the inside and white matter on the outside, along with 31 pairs of spinal nerves.

What is decussation in the nervous system?

The crossing over of neural pathways, where information from one side of the body is processed in the opposite hemisphere of the brain.

What role does the thalamus play in the brain?

It acts as a relay station for sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex.

What is the role of effectors in the nervous system?

They are muscles and glands that respond to signals from the nervous system to enact a response.