Nervous System: the main system of communication within the body.

2 main divisions of nervous system:

 

1. Central Nervous System (CNS):

 

• Brain (contains about 80 billion neurons) - structure located in the skull and is crucial for sensation, movement, and information processing.

 

• Spinal Cord (contains about 1 billion neurons) - runs inside the bone of spinal column that transmits signals between the brain and the rest of the body.

 

 

2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS):

 

 

 

PNS has 2 systems:

a) autonomic nervous system (ANS):

 

 

 

 

 

 

• parasympathetic nervous system:

 

 

 

 

• sympathetic nervous system:

 

 

 

 

b) somatic nervous system:

 

 

 

• efference nerves: nerves that run from the brain and spinal cord to the limbs (to activate the muscles)

 

 

• afferent nerves: nerves that run from the limbs to the spinal cord and brain. (to provide information about touch and pain)

 

 

Brain Anatomy & Functioning:

The Brain Stem:

• Medulla - connects the brain and spinal cord

   

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• Pons -

   

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• Cerebellum -

   

   

   

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• Reticular Formation -

   

   

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• Thalamus -

   

   

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The Limbic System - structures surrounding thalamus which promotes survival of the individual and thus continuation of the species.

 

• Hypothalamus - important for a variety of functions

 

 

 

 

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• Amygdala -

   

   

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• Hippocampus -

   

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The Cerebral Cortex - the outer layer of the brain responsible for higher processing (ours is much larger than other species) -- consists of many folds to increase surface area for more processing.

 

• Cerebral Hemispheres:

 

 

 

 

• each hemisphere consists of four lobes:

   

  

   

   

   

 

Primary Cortical Areas:

• motor cortex: area in frontal lobes

   

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• Sensory Areas:

   

  • Parietal lobe -

   

   

  • Temporal lobe -

   

   

  • Occipital lobe -

   

 

 

 

 

 

Association Areas: -

 

 

• frontal lobe -

   

  • also important for emotion and personality -

     

     

    e.g. Phineas Gage - (1848)

     

     

     

     

• Language association area -

 

 

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  • Broca's area:

     

     

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      e.g. when asked about family dentist appointment said "Monday...Dad and Dick ... Wednesday nine o'clock ... doctors and teeth"

       

       

     

  • Wernicke's area:

     

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      e.g. "Mother is away here working her work to get her better, but when she's looking the two boys looking in the other part. She's working another time."