the nervous system

• what is the nervous system?

  its a specialised network of cells in the human body and is our primary internal communication system
• what are the two main functions of the nervous system?

  -to collect, process and respond to information in the environment

  -to co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body
• what are the divisions of the nervous system?

  the NS is split into two: central NS and the peripheral NS.

  the CNS is split into: brain and spinal cord

  the PNS is split into: somatic NS and autonomic NS

  the ANS is split into: sympathetic NS and parasympathetic NS
• what is the CNS?

  its the central nervous system and it processes, interprets, stores information; issues orders to muscles, glands, organs
• what is the PNS?

  it is the peripheral nervous system which transmits information to and from the CNS
• what is the Somatic NS?

  controls skeletal muscles and receives information form sensory receptors.
• what is the autonomic NS?

  it regulates glands, blood vessels and internal organs. it governs vital functions of the body such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal and stress response.
• what is the parasympathetic NS?

  conserves energy, maintains the resting state
• one difference between the ANS and the SNS.

  SNS has sensory and motor pathways, whilst ANS has only motor pathways
• one difference between the ANS and the SNS.

  the ANS controls internal organs and glands, whilst SNS controls skeletal muscles and movement
• one difference between ANS and SNS.

  the ANS control centres are in the brain stem, whilst the SNS carries commands from the motor cortex