PSY 2012 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Somatic Nervous System, Peripheral Nervous System, Autonomic Nervous System
Document Summary
Central nervous system (cns: brain and spinal cord. Peripheral nervous system (pns: network of nerves connecting cns to body, two subdivision, somatic nervous system, autonomic nervous system. Complex neural network carrying information throughout the body. Composed of the brain and spinal cord. Spinal cord is the primary means for transmitting messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Made of neurons with long axons and dendrites. Branches out from the spinal cord and brain to reach the extremities of the body. Somatic division of the peripheral nervous system. Somatic division consists of sensory and motor nerves. Sensory neurons: carrying messages to the central nervous system. Motor neurons: carrying messages from the central nervous system to the voluntary muscles. Somatic nervous system: sensory information from skin and muscles to cns. Autonomic nervous system: messages to and from internal organs, two subdivisions, sympathetic nervous system -> arousing, parasympathetic nervous system -> calming.
