PHAR 100 Lecture Notes - Diazepam, Autonomic Nervous System, Hindbrain
Document Summary
Physiological and pharmacological aspects of the central nervous system. Functions of the nervous system: divisions of the nervous system, central nervous system, neurotransmission. Parts of a neuron: action potentials, neurotransmitters in the cns. Brain: receives and processes information, generates thoughts and emotions. Spinal cord: conducts signal to and from the brain, controls reflex (automatic) activities e. g. breathing. Cns: brain: cerebral cortex (cerebrum, largest part of the brain, divided into two hemispheres: left and right, subdivided into 4 lobes, occipital: vision, temporal: hearing, parietal: sensory perception, frontal: higher-level cognitive functions. Thalamus: relay station for sensory and motor information to cerebral cortex. Integration of the autonomic nervous system: e. g. sleeping, body temperature, controls hormonal output of the pituitary gland, e. g. hormone releasing factors. Cns: cerebellum connected to brainstem by large fibre tracts integration of movement and posture does not initiate movement, but organizes voluntary activity initiated elsewhere alcohol: depresses cerebellum, causing loss of balance and co-ordination (drunkenness)