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Summary The Nervous System
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It describes the parts and functions of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. It discusses the different parts of the brain and their functions.
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UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPEPSYCHOLOGY 112
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
• Consists of over 100 billion cells known as neurons
• Responsible for collecting information from the environment and sends this
information to the right places in the body and then responds to this information
The nervous system can be divided into two parts:
Central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
• Consists of the spinal cord and brain
• The spinal cord:
– is in the spinal column (down the middle of the back)
– communicates with all the muscles and sense organs below the head
– consists of two parts:
Inner: shaped like an H, known as grey matter
Outer: lighter tissue, known as white matter (provides insulation)
– Pairs of spinal nerves are attached to the spinal cord at 31 points on the spine
– Spinal nerves pass signals from the environment to the spinal cord and from the
spinal cord to the body
• Brain
– Size of a large grapefruit with a wrinkly appearance
– The brain is protected by:
1. Cerebrospinal fluid: nourishes and protects the brain from knocks
2. Meninges: membranes surrounding the brain, stores cerebrospinal fluid
3. Skull: surrounds the meninges
– The brain can be divided into the hindbrain, midbrain and forebrain
The hindbrain consists of the:
– medulla oblongata > involuntary behaviours like breathing, heart functioning,
and circulation
– pons > relay station between the brain and the spinal cord; sleeping and waking,
e.g. Narcolepsy
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