LIFESCI 7C Chapter 35.4 & 36.6: Chapter 35.4 & 36.6
Document Summary
Nervous systems are organized into peripheral and central components. Peripheral nervous system (pns): collectively, the sensory and motor nerves, including the cranial and spinal nerves, and interneurons and ganglia. Central nervous system (cns): in vertebrates, the brain and spinal cord; in invertebrates, centralized information-processing ganglia. Spinal cord: in vertebrates, a central tract of neurons that passes through the vertebrae to transmit information between the brain and the periphery of the body. Cranial nerve: in vertebrates, a nerve that links specialized sensory organs to the brain; most contain axons of both sensory and motor neurons. Spinal nerves: in vertebrates, a nerve running from the spinal cord to the periphery containing axons of both sensory and motor neurons. Peripheral nervous system shave voluntary and involuntary components. Voluntary component: describes the component of the nervous system that handles sensing and responding to external stimuli. Involuntary component: describes the component of the nervous system that regulates internal bodily functions.
