The Nervous System Biology Notes

Nervous system functions and vocabulary

Nervous System Function

Responsible for the control of the body and communication among its parts

Sensory Nerves

Carry signals from sensory receptors to the spinal cord

Motor Nerves

Send stimulus info from CNS to the organs (CNS → PNS)

PNS

Peripheral Nervous System

CNS

Central Nervous System

When the body is using the sympathetic nervous system:

* Increased heart rate


* Stimulate glucose release
* Digestion stops
* Adrenaline / Cortisol is released

When the body is using the parasympathetic nervous system:

* Stimulates stomach activity


* Slows heart rate


* Inhibits glucose release

Neurologists

Specialists who treat diseases of the brain and spinal cord, peripheral nerves and muscles.

Reflex Arc

A reaction that involves only a few neurons and the information goes only from your body to your spinal cord.

Brain

Controls bodily functions

Spinal cord

Connects the PNS and the CNS

Stroke

When blood circulation is cut off from brain tissue and part of the brain tissue dies

Somatic Nervous System

Controls *voluntary* reactions

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls *involuntary* actions

Parasympathetic

When nothing is stimulating/stressing the organism out

Sympathetic

When the body is introduced with a stimulus that causes the body to prepare for action

Sensory Receptor

A receptor that responds to a signal in the environment

Sensory Neuron

Carry signals from sensory receptors to the spinal cord

Effector

Structure by which animal responds (muscle, gland, etc)