PSYC 395 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Somatic Nervous System, Autonomic Nervous System, Peripheral Nervous System
Document Summary
The pns is not encased in bone. The pns carries out sensory and motor functions. The pns consists of the somatic and autonomic systems. The somatic nervous system transmits messages from the senses to the cns and from the cns to the skeletal muscles. (voluntary) The autonomic nervous system transmits messages between the cns and the heart, lungs, stomach, glands and other organs. (automatic) The sympathetic system mobilizes the body for action in the face of stress ( fight or flight ). The parasympathetic system regulates the body"s functions in order to conserve energy. (figure 2. 8 p. 61) The cns is composed of the spinal cord and the brain. The cns is totally encased in bone. The cns is the central processing unit of the entire body. The spinal cord receives signals from peripheral senses and relays them to the brain. The spinal cord carries signals from the brain to the muscles.
