Nervous Co-ordination Practice Flashcards

A set of 15 question-and-answer flashcards covering the anatomy and physiology of the mammalian nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral divisions.

How is co-ordination defined in the context of animal organ systems?

The process in which one or more tissues or organs interact and complement the function of each other to maintain the homeostasis of the body.

Which specific structured forms the link between the hormonal (endocrine) and nervous systems?

The hypothalamus of the brain.

What is the name of the band of fibres that connects and protects the two cerebral hemispheres?

Corpus callosum

In the cerebrum, what characterizes the 'grey matter' versus the 'white matter'?

The grey matter (cerebral cortex) consists of grey cell bodies of neurones, while the white matter contains nerve fibres that are white in colour.

What are the primary functions of the thalamus?

It is the center of sensation for pain, touch, taste, and anger, and acts as an important relay centre for motor impulses between the cerebrum and the spinal cord.

Name the functions regulated by the hypothalamus.

It regulates body temperature, water balance, sleep, blood pressure, appetite, and controls hormone secretion from the pituitary gland.

What are the optic lobes of the midbrain responsible for?

Sight/vision.

What is the consequence of damage to the cerebellum?

Damage might cause jerky unco-ordinated movement because it is responsible for muscle actions in voluntary responses and body posture.

What structural crossover occurs in the medulla oblongata?

The right and left motor fibres from the brain cross over, so that the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body and the right hemisphere controls the left side.

What is the function of the pons varolii?

It carries impulses from one hemisphere of the cerebellum to the other, coordinating muscular movement in the two sides of the body.

List the three layers of meninges that protect the spinal cord from the outermost to the innermost layer.

Dura matter, arachnoid matter, and pia matter.

Describe the arrangement and shape of grey matter in the spinal cord.

The grey matter is H-shaped and situated in the inner part of the spinal cord, surrounded by white matter.

How many pairs of cranial and spinal nerves constitute the somatic nervous system in humans?

$12$ pairs of cranial nerves and $31$ pairs of spinal nerves.

What is the functional difference between the dorsal root and the ventral root of a spinal nerve?

The dorsal root contains sensory neurons and carries impulses from the body to the spinal cord, while the ventral root contains motor neurons and carries impulses away from the spinal cord.

How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems differ in their effect on the heart?

The sympathetic nervous system accelerates the heartbeat, while the parasympathetic nervous system slows down the heart beat.