nervous system

Cards (14)

what is the central nervous system?
brain and spinal cord
what the the peripheral nervous system?
all the nerves that branch out from the brain and spine
what are the 2 branches of the peripheral nervous system?
the sensory (afferent) division and the motor (efferent) division
what are the branches of the motor division?
The somatic and autonomic nervous systems
what is the function of the somatic nervous system?
Voluntary control of body movements like skeletal movement
what is the function of the autonomic nervous system?
Regulating involuntary bodily functions like breathing and heartbeat.
what are the branches of the autonomic nervous system?
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
what is the function of the sympathetic division?
it prepares the body for strenuous physical activity and controls the "fight-or-fight" response
what is the function of the parasympathetic division? 
It relaxes the body promoting rest and digestion
What are schwann cells?
they wrap around axons and creates a "myelin sheath" which promotes faster transmission of electrical impulses.
what is the function of dendrites?
To receive messages from other neurons
what is the function of an axon?
they carry messages to other neurons
The gap between 2 neurons is called a synapse
In the synapse, neurotransmitters drop off the axon terminal of one neuron and attach to to the dendrites of another.