Nervous System Division

What does the nervous system divide into?

Central and Peripheral

What is the central nervous system?

Brain and Spinal Cord

What is the peripheral nervous system?

Nerves to and from the central nervous system (CNS)

What does the peripheral nervous system divide into?

Efferent and Afferent?

What do the efferent nerves do?

Commands from the brain (Exits the brain - Efferent)

What does the afferent nerves do?

Input to the brain (Arriving - Afferent)

What does the efferent nerves divide into?

Somatic and Autonomic

What does the Somatic System do?

Supplies motor impulses to skeletal muscles (voluntary) (SOMatic = SOMETHING you consciously move)

What does the autonomic system do?

Motor impulses to cardiac, smooth and glandular tissues (involuntary) (AUTOnomic = AUTOmatic)

Explain the Sensation, Integration and Motor Response of the Somatic System

• Sensation:  Conscious perception of environmental changes (light, sounds, molecules in food, movement temperature, touch, etc) through somatic sensory neuros of PNS

• Integration:  Information processed in brain and spinal cord (CNS)

• Motor Response: Voluntary and reflex response via skeletal muscles

Explain the Sensation, Integration and Motor Response of the Autonomic System

• Sensation: Unconscious perception of external or internal changes (light, molecules, organ, stretch, etc) through visceral sensory neurons in both CNS and PNS

• Integration: Information processed in brain (particularly hypothalamus and brainstem) and spinal cord (CNS)

• Motor Response: Involuntary movement of cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, glands. Also called the ANS (Autonomic Nervous System)

What does the autonomic nervous system divide into?

Sympathetic and parasympathetic

What is the sympathetic division?

Mobilizes body systems during activity ("fight or flight") Prepares the body for fight or flight by increasing heart rate, dilating the pupils and slowing digestion.

What is the parasympathetic division?

• Conserves energy

• Promotes "housekeeping" functions during rest

• Helps the body rest and digest by slowing heart rate, constricting the pupils and stimulating digestion.