biopychology: the nervous system

What is the role of the central nervous system

controls the functions of the body, uses brain and spinal cord

What is the role of the peripheral nervous system

Nerves here carry sensory impulses to the brain and carry motor impulses from the brain to the muscles and glands

What is the cerebal cortex in the brain

the outer layer of the brain, grey matter. involved in higher cognitive thoughts, emotional,sensory and motor movements

what does the left hemisphere of the brain do

rational half of the brain, anaylitical thinking

what does the right hemisphere do

creativity, musical abilities

what is the spinal cord

white bundle of nerves, 40cm long and wide as a thumb

what is the spinal cords function

to pass messages to and from the brain, involved in reflex actions

what is the peripheral nervous system (PNS) split into first

somatic and autonomic nervous systems

what does the somatic nervous system (SNS) do

voluntary movement, skeletal movements, eg posture

what does the autonomic nervous system (ANS) do

involuntary movements, non skeletal movements, controls metabolism

What is the autonomic nervous system split into

sympathetic and parasympathetic

What does the sympathetic system do

activated when threatened or under stress, 'fight or flight'

what does the parasympathetic

activated when threat has passed,allows body to return to homeostasis

what does the sensory neuron do

picks up signals through senses

sends info from PNS to CNS, most have long dendrites and short axons

what does the motor neuron do

It sends information from the brain or spinal cord to the muscles and organs of the body, telling them what to do. >Long axons short dendrites

what does the relay neuron do

passes electrical impulses between sensory and motor neurones , Interneurons