HOSA Behavioral Health

CNS (central nervous system)

Uses brain and spinal cord. Receives info from nerves → processes → responds with motor output

PNS (peripheral nervous system)

made up of nerves. carries messages between CNS and muscles, organs, senses.

Somatic (part of PNS)

Conscious, voluntary actions. Includes efferent fibers (carries info from CNS → muscles; e = exit) and afferent fibers (carries info from muscles → CNS; a = arrive)

Autonomic (part of PNS)

involuntary actions, autonomic = automatic. includes sympathetic and parasympathetic systems

Sympathetic (part of autonomic, which is part of PNS)

s = stress; prepares body for stress-related activities. includes dilating pupils, inhibiting salivation, increasing heart rate

Parasympathetic (part of autonomic, which is part of PNS)

p = peaceful; normal body routines. includes constricting (decreases) pupils, slows heart rate.

left & right hemispheres of brain

connected by corpus callosum; each hemisphere controls opposite side of body

major brain region: forebrain

largest section; has cerebral cortex (higher level processes like consciousness, thought, learning). each cerebral hemisphere has 4 lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital.

frontal lobe (part of forebrain)

reasoning, motor control (using motor cortex), emotion, decision making, language (broca’s area: controls speech. b = bro can’t talk).

parietal lobe (part of forebrain)

processing sensory info through somatosensory cortex (touch/sensation)

temporal lobe (part of forebrain)

t = tempo = sound. memory, emotion, hearing (wernicke’s area: understanding speech).

occipital lobe (part of forebrain)

o = optics = eyes. processes visual info using primary visual cortex

major brain region: hindbrain

back of head, connected to spinal cord. includes medulla, pons, cerebellum.

medulla (part of hindbrain)

controls automatic processes (autonomic system) including breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.

pons (part of hindbrain)

“bridge” to connect hindbrain to rest of brain; helps regulate brain activity during sleep

cerebellum (part of hindbrain)

controls balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills by receiving messages from muscles in ear; processes procedural memory (long-term memories).

major brain region: midbrain

deep inside brain, between forebrain and hindbrain. includes reticular formation: regulates sleep/wake cycle, arousal, and alertness.

Limbic system

processes emotions & memory through hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus.

hippocampus

learning and memory

amygdala

emotions and giving emotional meaning to memories

hypothalamus

regulated homeostasis (body temperature, appetite, blood pressure). also involved in regulated sexual motivation, behavior.

Thalamus

sensory relay; all senses (except smell) go through it to be sent to different parts of brain

endocrine system

glands make hormones (chemical messengers) that bind to receptors to send signals.

Hormone

widespread (through bloodstream), slower to take effect, longer lasting

neurotransmitter

local (released to nearby receptors), faster to take effect, shorter lasting

pituitary (major endocrine gland)

growth hormone; regulates growth & hormone release

thyroid (major endocrine gland)

thyroxine, triiodothyronine; regulated metabolism & appetite

pineal (major endocrine gland)

melatonin; regulated sleep cycles

adrenal (major endocrine gland)

epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (raise BP); stress response, increase metabolic activities

pancreas

insulin (lowers blood sugar levels), glucagon (raises sugar levels); regulates blood sugar levels

ovaries (major endocrine gland)

estrogen (female sexual development), progesterone (stabilizes body post-ovulation); mediate sexual motivation & behavior

testes (major endocrine gland)

androgens like testosterone (male sex hormone); mediate sexual motivation & behavior