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Nervous System
Term | Definition |
---|---|
nervous system | controls all the other body systems; consists of brain, spinal cord, and network of nerves |
nerve | carries messages from inside or outside the body; messages pass from one to another |
neuron | special cells that carry impulses from the nervous system to different parts of the body (brain consists of millions of these) |
autonomic | carries out the activities of our body without thinking |
brain | core of the nervous system; collects information and makes decisions; basic functions controlled include breathing, movement, thinking, sleeping |
cerebellum | back of the brain; controls all body movement and maintain balance (voluntary responses) |
cerebrum | largest part of brain (2 halves); receives and interprets information from sense organs; aids in thinking and decision making |
cornea | protects the inner parts of the eye; has a curved shape which helps the eye focus objects as light passes through it |
react | response to what is going on around you; brain tells your body what to do |
reflex | perform automatically; natural reactions |
voluntary response | involve purposeful movement (fine motor movements, balance) |
retina | like the film in the camera; catches the image we see and sends it to our brain through the optic nerve |
senses | see (eye), hear (ear), smell (noes), taste (tongue), touch (skin); gather information outside your body and send messages to the brain |
spinal cord | main pathway for messages between the brain and rest of the body |
spine | made up of many bones called vertebrae; protects the spinal cord that carries messages to and from the brain |
stimulus | respond to a situation by changing what you are doing |
medulla | rests at the base of the brain connecting it to the spinal cord; controls heartbeat, digestion, and breathing (all involuntary responses) |
involuntary response | occur on their own and do not require thought (heartbeat, breathing, digestion) |
brain stem | controls involuntary action |