The Nervous
system
, Human nervous system
TERMINOLOGY
Central nervous system (CNS): brain & spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system (PNS): all nerves sense organs outside CNS
Sensory (afferent) neuron: transmits impulses from sense organs to
spinal cord & brain
Motor (efferent) neuron: transmits impulses from spinal cord/brain to various muscles/glands.
Meninges: three membranes, enclose & protect tissue of CNS
Grey matter: outer layer of brain, greyish nervous tissue, contains mostly cell bodies
Myelin sheaths: fatty sheaths/layers, insulate neurons, allowing impulses travel at high speed
White matter: inner section of brain & spinal cord, paler tissue consists of axons, or nerve fibres
with myelin sheaths
Autonomic nervous system (ANS): system controls involuntary muscles & regulates activity of
certain glands; made of sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous systems
Pituitary gland/hypophysis: major endocrine gland found at base o brain
Neuron: basic unit of nervous system; aka nerve cell
Ventricles: hollow spaces/chambers, inside brain, filled w/cerebrospinal fluid
Cerebrum: largest part of brain; emotions, personality, intelligence, problem solving & speech;
interprets sensory impulses; sight, sound & touch; controls voluntary muscular movement
Corpus callosum: mass of white matter/thick band of nerve fibres connects left & right
hemispheres of cerebrum
Cranial nerve: twelve pairs of nerves from PNS connected to brain
Spinal nerve: 31 pairs of nerves from PNS connected to spinal cord
Sympathetic nervous system: part of autonomic nervous system, stimulates organ activity
Parasympathetic nervous system: part of autonomic nervous system, decreases organ activity
Cell body: part of neuron containing nucleus
Nerve tissue: different types of neurons
Schwann cells: cells wrap themselves round axon & nourish, inner layers fuse, form myelin sheath
system
, Human nervous system
TERMINOLOGY
Central nervous system (CNS): brain & spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system (PNS): all nerves sense organs outside CNS
Sensory (afferent) neuron: transmits impulses from sense organs to
spinal cord & brain
Motor (efferent) neuron: transmits impulses from spinal cord/brain to various muscles/glands.
Meninges: three membranes, enclose & protect tissue of CNS
Grey matter: outer layer of brain, greyish nervous tissue, contains mostly cell bodies
Myelin sheaths: fatty sheaths/layers, insulate neurons, allowing impulses travel at high speed
White matter: inner section of brain & spinal cord, paler tissue consists of axons, or nerve fibres
with myelin sheaths
Autonomic nervous system (ANS): system controls involuntary muscles & regulates activity of
certain glands; made of sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous systems
Pituitary gland/hypophysis: major endocrine gland found at base o brain
Neuron: basic unit of nervous system; aka nerve cell
Ventricles: hollow spaces/chambers, inside brain, filled w/cerebrospinal fluid
Cerebrum: largest part of brain; emotions, personality, intelligence, problem solving & speech;
interprets sensory impulses; sight, sound & touch; controls voluntary muscular movement
Corpus callosum: mass of white matter/thick band of nerve fibres connects left & right
hemispheres of cerebrum
Cranial nerve: twelve pairs of nerves from PNS connected to brain
Spinal nerve: 31 pairs of nerves from PNS connected to spinal cord
Sympathetic nervous system: part of autonomic nervous system, stimulates organ activity
Parasympathetic nervous system: part of autonomic nervous system, decreases organ activity
Cell body: part of neuron containing nucleus
Nerve tissue: different types of neurons
Schwann cells: cells wrap themselves round axon & nourish, inner layers fuse, form myelin sheath
