Nervous system p2

• The medulla oblongata, located near the base of the brainstem, controls involuntary functions such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, swallowing, vomiting, sneezing, coughing, and digestion.
• The cerebellum, located at the back of the skull, coordinates voluntary movements and maintains posture and balance.
• The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of gray matter that covers most of the brain's surface.
• The cerebellum is responsible for coordinating voluntary movements and maintaining balance and posture.
• Nerve cell


  Also called a neuron
• Nerve cell


  • Long
  • Thin
  • Lots of branch connections to either end
  • Adapted to carry electrical impulses from one point to another
• Synapse


  Connection between nerve cells where electrical impulses are converted to chemical signals to pass between cells
• Nerve cell communication


  1. Electrical impulse hits end of nerve

  2. Causes release of chemicals

  3. Chemicals diffuse across gap to next nerve cell

  4. Triggers another electrical impulse

  5. Electrical impulse continues along new neuron
• Central nervous system


  • Made up of brain and spinal cord
  • Where 'thinking' takes place
  • Takes in sensory information, decides what to do, sends out orders to the body
• Sensory neurons


  Carry information from receptors all over the body to the central nervous system
• Motor neurons


  Carry impulses from the central nervous system to effectors (muscles or glands)
• Reflex arc


  Nerve pathway that underlies unconscious reflexes
• Reflex arc


  1. Stimulus detected by receptor cells

  2. Sensory neuron carries impulse to spinal cord

  3. Relay neuron transfers impulse to motor neuron

  4. Motor neuron carries impulse to effector (muscle) to cause movement
• The spinal cord has three main regions: cervical region (neck), thoracic region (chest), and lumbosacral region (lower back).
• The spinal cord consists of white matter (myelinated axons) and gray matter (cell bodies).
• The parietal lobe processes sensory information from touch, temperature, pain, and body position/movement.