3 Brain and Nervous System Organization Free Online FlashCards

What structures make up the central nervous system?

The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord; it integrates information and coordinates responses.

In which direction do sensory (afferent) pathways carry signals?

Sensory, or afferent, pathways carry signals from receptors toward the CNS.

What does the somatic nervous system control?

The somatic nervous system carries sensory information from the body and controls skeletal muscles.

What is a key role of the thalamus?

The thalamus relays and processes much incoming information on its way to the cerebral cortex.

What are axon bundles called in the CNS and PNS?

In the CNS, bundles of axons connecting regions are called tracts; in the PNS, bundles of axons are called nerves.

How do gray matter and white matter differ?

Gray matter is rich in neuron cell bodies and local connections; white matter is rich in axons, many of them myelinated.

How many pairs of spinal nerves are there, and how are they distributed?

There are 31 pairs: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal pair.

What is the peripheral nervous system’s main role?

The peripheral nervous system includes neural structures outside the brain and spinal cord and carries information between the CNS and the rest of the body.

What do motor (efferent) pathways carry?

Motor, or efferent, pathways carry commands from the CNS to muscles and glands.

What does the autonomic nervous system regulate?

The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary functions through connections to smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands.

Which functions does the hypothalamus help regulate?

The hypothalamus helps regulate autonomic and endocrine functions.

Which structures form the brainstem?

The brainstem consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla. It connects the brain with the spinal cord and contains pathways and centers for sensory, motor, and basic bodily functions.