PSYCH 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Parasympathetic Nervous System, Spinal Cord, Sympathetic Nervous System

• School: UW
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 101
• Professor: Mc Laughlin Judith

Document Summary

Nervous system made of cns (brain and spinal cord) and pns (nerves and ganglia outside of the brain and spinal cord that connect the cns to the rest of the body) Pns has two major divisions: somatic nervous system. Carries input from sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, etc. ) to the brain (input), bringing sensory input to cns. Also carries information from brain/spinal cord to skeletal muscles (output) Controls voluntary, conscious, sensory and motor functions; carried out by 43 pairs of nerves (31 spinal, 12 cranial: autonomic nervous system. Controls vital automatic activities in body (heart rate, blood pressure, etc. ) Controls normal operations of the body (blood pressure, digestion, and respiration) Hindbrain: where spinal cord enlarges and enters the skull, oldest and innermost region of the brain, contains brainstem and cerebellum. Brainstem has structures important for life support. Controls heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, coughing, swallowing. Bridge between lower brain regions and higher regions.