5.5.6-.7(The brain and reflexes)

Name the structures of the human brain

• The cerebellum

• The cerebrum

• The hypothalamus

• The pituitary gland

• The medulla oblongata

What connects the 2 hemispheres of the brain

• Corpus callosum

Describe the role of the cerebrum

• Involved in vision, memory, hearing, learning

Describe the role of the cerebellum

• It is involved in muscle coordination and balance

Describe the role of the hypothalamus

• It is the thermoregulatory of the body

• acts as internal thermoreceptor for the core body temperature

• Acts as an osmoregulator - monitors blood water potential

• Releases hormones that cause the pituitary gland to hormones

Describe the role of the pituitary gland

• Releases hormones and stimulates other glands to release hormones

Describe the role of the medulla oblongata

• Controls involuntary smooth muscle

• It regulates hearth rate, breathing rate

Describe what is a reflex arc

• It is a rapid automatic reflex which doens’t involve the brain used to avoid danger and prevent damage

Explain the importance of reflex actions

• They are automatic

• Prevent damage or harm

• Important role in homeostasis

• To help find food

• To escape predators

• For balance

Describe the process of how a reflex action occurs

• A stimulus is detected by a receptor which sends an impulse to the sensory neurone

• The sensory neurone then reaches the CNS where the impulse travels to the relay neurone

• Then onto the motor neurone where it travels to an effector which causes a response to occur

Describe the importance of the knee jerk reflex

• A spinal reflex which is involved in coordination and balance

• To prevent us from falling and damaging our body

• Rapid automatic reflex

Describe how a knee jerk reflex occurs

• It is a spinal reflex

• It is activated when the quadricep muscles on the thigh are stretched at the patella on the knee

• Special muscle spindles detect the increase in length of the muscle which causes the contraction of the muscle

What is the neurone pathway which is involved in the knee jerk reflex

• Sensory neurone the instantly onto the relay neurone