NSCI 175 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Describe the gross organization of the mammalian nervous system in terms of the two
divisions: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) -
Answer -The CNS is made up of the brain and spinal cord.
The PNS consists of all parts of the nervous system outside of the brain and spinal
cord.
The Central Nervous System (CNS) - Answer -The CNS is made up of the brain and
spinal cord. The CNS is responsible for processing and interpreting sensory input,
responding to sensory input, and serving as a conduit for signals between the brain.
The Peripheral Nervous System - Answer -The PNS consists of all parts of the nervous
system outside of the brain and spinal cord. The Somatic PNS commands skeletal
muscles, skin, and joints (uses motor axons). The Autonomic/Visceral PNS controls
viscera (body organs and smooth muscle) using visceral motor fibers. This system
controls physical reactions that are out of our control, such as butterflies in the stomach.
The Cranial Nerves - Answer -12 pairs of nerves that carry sensory and motor
messages to and from the brain
-Convey information about olfaction, vision, eye movement, touch/pain, taste, hearing,
balance, visceral feelings, muscle movement, and more
Efferent - Answer -Exiting motor information
-Efferent motor information is carried from the spinal cord to the muscles through the
ventral root
Afferent - Answer -Incoming motor information
-Afferent sensory information from the body to the spinal cord is carried into the spinal
column through the dorsal root
Somatic Nervous System - Answer -A subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that
controls conscious and subconscious actions through its control of skeletal muscles,
skin, and joints
-The body's somatic motor neurons (somas in ventral spinal cord of CNS, axons in
PNS) command muscle contraction
-The cell bodies of somatosensory neurons (which collect info from skin, muscles, and
joints) lie in the dorsal root ganglia
-Signals originate from upper motor neurons in the primary motor cortex
Autonomic/ Visceral Nervous System - Answer -The branch of the nervous system that
deals with unconsciously controlled actions; further broken down into Parasympathetic
and Sympathetic
-Innervates internal organs, blood vessels, and glands
-Contract and relax smooth muscles using visceral muscle fibers
,-Manages bodily responses that our "our of our control" such as blushing and butterflies
in the stomach
-Signals originate from the visceral motor nuclei in the hypothalamus
Dorsal vs Ventral Roots - Answer -Dorsal roots carry sensory information to the spinal
cord from the body and carry afferent sensory signals while the ventral roots carry motor
information from the spinal cord to the body and carry efferent signals
The Sympathetic Nervous System - Answer -The division of the autonomic nervous
system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
-Increased heart rate and blood pressure
-Increased glucose production
-Decreased salivation and digestion
-Controls fight/flight response
-Norepinephrine is released from the adrenal glands
**** Everything speeds up/activity increases ****
Parasympathetic Nervous System - Answer -The division of the autonomic nervous
system that calms the body, conserving its energy
-Slows heart rate
-Stimulates digestion
-Constricts airways
-Stimulates salivation and digestion
-Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter
**** Slows everything down/activity decreases ****
Sketch a Brain - Answer -Label the cerebrum, cerebellum, lobes, brain stem, thalamus,
ventricles, spinal cord
Cerebrum - Answer -Wrinkly/folded area of the brain responsible for sensation,
perception, cognition, and motor control
Cerebellum - Answer -The "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include
processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance
-movement control center
Temporal Lobe - Answer -Hearing, learning, memory
-Sides of the brain near ears
Frontal Lobe - Answer -The portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the
forehead. Involved in decision making, motor movements, language, executive
functioning, attention, memory, impulsivity, planning/strategizing, and inhibition to obtain
goals
-Seen as what makes humans unique
-Very high number of neurons
, Parietal Lobe - Answer -Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and
toward the rear. Contains the primary somatic sensory areas, visual processing, and
language processing
Occipital Lobe - Answer -Region of the cerebral cortex at the back of the head that
manages sight
-Primary visual cortex
Insular Lobe - Answer -The lobe tucked away in the lateral sulcus (inside, side of the
brain) that serves as the gustatory cortex, controls emotion, empathy, compassion, and
psychopathology
Brain Stem - Answer -Connection to the spinal cord. Filters information flow between
the peripheral nervous system and the rest of the brain.
-Made up of Thalamus, Pons, Medulla, and Spinal Cord
Thalamus - Answer -Sensory processing and gateway to the cortex
Pons - Answer -Relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain,
primarily about movment
Medulla - Answer -The base of the brainstem that controls heartbeat, breathing, and
sensory motor functions
Ventricles - Answer -Canals inside the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid. There are 5
Spinal Cord - Answer -Relays sensory information to the brain and motor information
from the brain
Dorsal - Answer -Up/ towards the top
Ventral - Answer -Down/ towards the bottom
Rostral - Answer -Towards the front (nose)
Caudal - Answer -Towards the back (tail)
Midsagittal Plane brain - Answer -The plane dividing the brain into equal right and left
halves
Horizontal Plane - Answer -A plane dividing the brain into equal top and bottom halves
Coronal Plane - Answer -A plane that cuts the brain into front and back halves
Ipsilateral - Answer -On the same side of the body
Describe the gross organization of the mammalian nervous system in terms of the two
divisions: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) -
Answer -The CNS is made up of the brain and spinal cord.
The PNS consists of all parts of the nervous system outside of the brain and spinal
cord.
The Central Nervous System (CNS) - Answer -The CNS is made up of the brain and
spinal cord. The CNS is responsible for processing and interpreting sensory input,
responding to sensory input, and serving as a conduit for signals between the brain.
The Peripheral Nervous System - Answer -The PNS consists of all parts of the nervous
system outside of the brain and spinal cord. The Somatic PNS commands skeletal
muscles, skin, and joints (uses motor axons). The Autonomic/Visceral PNS controls
viscera (body organs and smooth muscle) using visceral motor fibers. This system
controls physical reactions that are out of our control, such as butterflies in the stomach.
The Cranial Nerves - Answer -12 pairs of nerves that carry sensory and motor
messages to and from the brain
-Convey information about olfaction, vision, eye movement, touch/pain, taste, hearing,
balance, visceral feelings, muscle movement, and more
Efferent - Answer -Exiting motor information
-Efferent motor information is carried from the spinal cord to the muscles through the
ventral root
Afferent - Answer -Incoming motor information
-Afferent sensory information from the body to the spinal cord is carried into the spinal
column through the dorsal root
Somatic Nervous System - Answer -A subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that
controls conscious and subconscious actions through its control of skeletal muscles,
skin, and joints
-The body's somatic motor neurons (somas in ventral spinal cord of CNS, axons in
PNS) command muscle contraction
-The cell bodies of somatosensory neurons (which collect info from skin, muscles, and
joints) lie in the dorsal root ganglia
-Signals originate from upper motor neurons in the primary motor cortex
Autonomic/ Visceral Nervous System - Answer -The branch of the nervous system that
deals with unconsciously controlled actions; further broken down into Parasympathetic
and Sympathetic
-Innervates internal organs, blood vessels, and glands
-Contract and relax smooth muscles using visceral muscle fibers
,-Manages bodily responses that our "our of our control" such as blushing and butterflies
in the stomach
-Signals originate from the visceral motor nuclei in the hypothalamus
Dorsal vs Ventral Roots - Answer -Dorsal roots carry sensory information to the spinal
cord from the body and carry afferent sensory signals while the ventral roots carry motor
information from the spinal cord to the body and carry efferent signals
The Sympathetic Nervous System - Answer -The division of the autonomic nervous
system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations
-Increased heart rate and blood pressure
-Increased glucose production
-Decreased salivation and digestion
-Controls fight/flight response
-Norepinephrine is released from the adrenal glands
**** Everything speeds up/activity increases ****
Parasympathetic Nervous System - Answer -The division of the autonomic nervous
system that calms the body, conserving its energy
-Slows heart rate
-Stimulates digestion
-Constricts airways
-Stimulates salivation and digestion
-Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter
**** Slows everything down/activity decreases ****
Sketch a Brain - Answer -Label the cerebrum, cerebellum, lobes, brain stem, thalamus,
ventricles, spinal cord
Cerebrum - Answer -Wrinkly/folded area of the brain responsible for sensation,
perception, cognition, and motor control
Cerebellum - Answer -The "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include
processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance
-movement control center
Temporal Lobe - Answer -Hearing, learning, memory
-Sides of the brain near ears
Frontal Lobe - Answer -The portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the
forehead. Involved in decision making, motor movements, language, executive
functioning, attention, memory, impulsivity, planning/strategizing, and inhibition to obtain
goals
-Seen as what makes humans unique
-Very high number of neurons
, Parietal Lobe - Answer -Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and
toward the rear. Contains the primary somatic sensory areas, visual processing, and
language processing
Occipital Lobe - Answer -Region of the cerebral cortex at the back of the head that
manages sight
-Primary visual cortex
Insular Lobe - Answer -The lobe tucked away in the lateral sulcus (inside, side of the
brain) that serves as the gustatory cortex, controls emotion, empathy, compassion, and
psychopathology
Brain Stem - Answer -Connection to the spinal cord. Filters information flow between
the peripheral nervous system and the rest of the brain.
-Made up of Thalamus, Pons, Medulla, and Spinal Cord
Thalamus - Answer -Sensory processing and gateway to the cortex
Pons - Answer -Relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain,
primarily about movment
Medulla - Answer -The base of the brainstem that controls heartbeat, breathing, and
sensory motor functions
Ventricles - Answer -Canals inside the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid. There are 5
Spinal Cord - Answer -Relays sensory information to the brain and motor information
from the brain
Dorsal - Answer -Up/ towards the top
Ventral - Answer -Down/ towards the bottom
Rostral - Answer -Towards the front (nose)
Caudal - Answer -Towards the back (tail)
Midsagittal Plane brain - Answer -The plane dividing the brain into equal right and left
halves
Horizontal Plane - Answer -A plane dividing the brain into equal top and bottom halves
Coronal Plane - Answer -A plane that cuts the brain into front and back halves
Ipsilateral - Answer -On the same side of the body
