PSYA01H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Primary Motor Cortex, White Matter, Endocrine System
Document Summary
Divisions of the nervous system: central nervous system (cns): consists of the brain and spinal cord. Receives information from brain and stimulates nerves that extend out into the body, producing movement. Receives information from sensory nerves and transmits it back to brain. Critical for survival: peripheral nervous system (pns): transmits signals between the brain and the rest of the body and is divided into two subcomponents: Somatic nervous system: consists of nerves that control skeletal muscles, which are responsible for voluntary and reflexive movement; also consists of nerves that receive sensory input from body. Any voluntary behaviour makes use of this system. Autonomic nervous system: regulating the activity of organs and glands. Sympathetic nervous system: responsible for fight-or-flight; preparing the body for action: helps direct energy where it is most needed. Parasympathetic nervous system: helps maintain homeostatic balance in the presence of change; following sympathetic arousal, it works to return the body to a baseline, nonemergency state.
