BODY AND BEHAVIOR
Year 1 Bachelor Psychology,
Period 2
Maastricht University
Britt Fleischeuer
, PROBLEM 1 YOUR POINT OF VIEW
GENERAL LAYOUT OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Nervous system Function
Central nervous system (CNS) The division of the nervous system located within the skull
(brain) and spine (spinal cord).
Peripheral nervous system The division of the nervous system located outside the
skull and spine. (cranial nerves)
Somatic nervous system (SNS) Interacts with the external environment. It is composed of
afferent nerves that carry sensory signals from the skin,
skeletal muscles, joints, eyes, ears and so on to the central
nervous system and efferent nerves that carry motor
signals from the central nervous system to the skeletal
muscles.
Autonomic nervous system Regulates the body’s internal environment. It is composed
(ANS) of afferent nerves that carry sensory signals from internal
organs to the CNS and efferent nerves that carry motor
signals from the CNS to internal organs.
Sympathetic nerves Automatic motor nerves that project from the CNS in the
lumbar (small of the back) and thoracic (chest area)
regions of the spinal cord.
- Some distance from their target
- Function: stimulate, organize and mobilize energy
resources in threatening situations.
- Psychological arousal
Parasympathetic nerves Automatic motor nerves that project from the brain and
sacral (lower back) region of the spinal cord.
- Near their target
- Function: conserve energy
- Psychological relaxation
,MENINGES, VENTRICLES AND CEREBROSPINAL FLUID
Meninges
- CNS protected by three membranes (from outside to inside)
1. Dura mater: sticky, tough membrane
2. Arachnoid membrane: spider-web like membrane
3. Subarachnoid space: contains many large blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid.
4. Pia mater: adheres to the surface of the CNS.
Cerebrospinal fluid
- Protects the CNS, supports and cushions the brain.
- Produced by choroid plexuses (process poorly understood)
- Fills the subarachnoid space, the central canal of the spinal cord, and the cerebral
ventricles of the brain.
• Central canal: a small central channel that runs the length of the spinal cord.
• Cerebral ventricles: the four large internal chambers of the brain (the two lateral
ventricles, the third ventricle and the fourth ventricle) → protects your brain
, DIRECTIONS IN THE VERTEBRATE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Anterior or rostral Towards the nose end
Posterior or caudal Towards the tail end
Dorsal Towards the back or top of the head
Ventral Towards the chest or bottom of the head
Medial Towards the middle
Lateral Away from the middle
Inferior Lower or below
Superior Upper or above
Proximal “Close” (CNS)
Distal “Far” (CNS)
Ipsilateral Located on the same side of the body
Contralateral Located on the opposite side of the body
Planes of the brain
Coronal or frontal
plane/transverse
Horizontal or axial plane
Sagittal or lateral plane
Cross A section cut at a right angle to any long, narrow structure, such as
sectional/transverse the spinal cord or a nerve.
Year 1 Bachelor Psychology,
Period 2
Maastricht University
Britt Fleischeuer
, PROBLEM 1 YOUR POINT OF VIEW
GENERAL LAYOUT OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Nervous system Function
Central nervous system (CNS) The division of the nervous system located within the skull
(brain) and spine (spinal cord).
Peripheral nervous system The division of the nervous system located outside the
skull and spine. (cranial nerves)
Somatic nervous system (SNS) Interacts with the external environment. It is composed of
afferent nerves that carry sensory signals from the skin,
skeletal muscles, joints, eyes, ears and so on to the central
nervous system and efferent nerves that carry motor
signals from the central nervous system to the skeletal
muscles.
Autonomic nervous system Regulates the body’s internal environment. It is composed
(ANS) of afferent nerves that carry sensory signals from internal
organs to the CNS and efferent nerves that carry motor
signals from the CNS to internal organs.
Sympathetic nerves Automatic motor nerves that project from the CNS in the
lumbar (small of the back) and thoracic (chest area)
regions of the spinal cord.
- Some distance from their target
- Function: stimulate, organize and mobilize energy
resources in threatening situations.
- Psychological arousal
Parasympathetic nerves Automatic motor nerves that project from the brain and
sacral (lower back) region of the spinal cord.
- Near their target
- Function: conserve energy
- Psychological relaxation
,MENINGES, VENTRICLES AND CEREBROSPINAL FLUID
Meninges
- CNS protected by three membranes (from outside to inside)
1. Dura mater: sticky, tough membrane
2. Arachnoid membrane: spider-web like membrane
3. Subarachnoid space: contains many large blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid.
4. Pia mater: adheres to the surface of the CNS.
Cerebrospinal fluid
- Protects the CNS, supports and cushions the brain.
- Produced by choroid plexuses (process poorly understood)
- Fills the subarachnoid space, the central canal of the spinal cord, and the cerebral
ventricles of the brain.
• Central canal: a small central channel that runs the length of the spinal cord.
• Cerebral ventricles: the four large internal chambers of the brain (the two lateral
ventricles, the third ventricle and the fourth ventricle) → protects your brain
, DIRECTIONS IN THE VERTEBRATE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Anterior or rostral Towards the nose end
Posterior or caudal Towards the tail end
Dorsal Towards the back or top of the head
Ventral Towards the chest or bottom of the head
Medial Towards the middle
Lateral Away from the middle
Inferior Lower or below
Superior Upper or above
Proximal “Close” (CNS)
Distal “Far” (CNS)
Ipsilateral Located on the same side of the body
Contralateral Located on the opposite side of the body
Planes of the brain
Coronal or frontal
plane/transverse
Horizontal or axial plane
Sagittal or lateral plane
Cross A section cut at a right angle to any long, narrow structure, such as
sectional/transverse the spinal cord or a nerve.
