The Nervous System

what is the nervous system

A specialised network of cells in the human body and is our primary internal communication system

function of the nervous system

- collect, process and respond to environmental info

- co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body

what is the nervous system divided into

- Central Nervous System (CNS)

- Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

what is the function of the CNS

control behaviour and regulate physiological processes

structure of the CNS

consists of the brain and spinal cord

function of the brain

Centre of conscious awareness

Maintain all life processes and physiological processes

structure of the brain

cerebrum divided into 4 main lobes:

- frontal lobe

- temporal lobe

- parietal lobe

- occipital lobe

cerebellum sits beneath back of cerebrum

brain stem

frontal lobe

associated with higher order functions, including planning, abstract reasoning and logic

has Brocase area- deals with speech production

temporal lobe

Processes auditory information and language.

parietal lobe

integrates information from the different senses

occipital lobe

processes visual information

cerebellum

controls motor skills, balance and coordinating muscles

brain stem

connects brain and spinal cord and controls involuntary processes

function of spinal cord

relay info between brain and rest of body, control simple reflex actions

structure of spinal cord

connected to different parts of body by pairs of spinal nerves which connect with specific muscles and glands

circuits of nerve cells- perform simple reflexes

what is the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Sends info to CNS from outside world, transmitting messages from CNS to muscles and bodily glands

all nerves outside CNS

what is the PNS divided into

somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system

function of the somatic nervous system

Control voluntary response

transmit info from sense organs to the CNS and info from CNS to some effectors

structure of somatic nervous system

12 cranial nerve pairs and 31 spinal nerve pairs

includes both sensory and motor neurones

autonomic nervous system

- division of PNS

- motor neurone pathways to organs/glands

- regulates involuntary processes

- important in homeostasis

what is the autonomic nervous system divided into

sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system

what is the sympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that prepares body for action (fight or flight response)

what is the parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that is responsible for rest and recovery (rest and digest)

differences between autonomic and somatic nervous system

- autonomic consists of two sub components, somatic only has 1

- somatic has sensory and motor pathways, autonomic only has motor pathways

- autonomic controls internal organs and glands whilst somatic controls muscles and movement