Nerve System
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What are the parts of the central nervous system (CNS)?
The brain and the spinal cord.
What structures make up the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)?
• All the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord • including the cranial nerves, spinal nerves, and all the sensory + motor nerves • that connect the CNS to the rest of the body.
What is the difference between a voluntary and involuntary response?
Voluntary: An action you choose to do; controlled by the cerebrum. You think about it before moving (ex: walking, picking something up). Involuntary: An automatic action your body does without thinking; controlled by the brain stem or spinal cord (ex: heartbeat, blinking, reflexes).
What are the major regions of the brain and what do they regulate?
Cerebrum (thinking & movement), cerebellum (balance), brain stem (breathing & heartbeat).
What is a neuron? What are its main components?
the three main components are the cell body (soma), which contains the nucleus; dendrites, which receive signals from other neurons; and the axon, which sends signals away from the cell body.
What is a threshold stimulus?
The smallest amount of stimulation needed to start a nerve impulse.
What two elements are most associated with nerve impulses?
Sodium (Na⁺) and potassium (K⁺).
What is a synapse?
The tiny gap between neurons where signals pass using chemicals.
Briefly, how does a nerve impulse begin and how is it transmitted?
A stimulus triggers the neuron → sodium & potassium move → electrical signal travels down the axon → neurotransmitters carry the message across the synapse.
What is the difference between an axon and a dendrite?
Axons transmit electrical impulses away from the cell body, while dendrites receive impulses and conduct them toward the cell body.