Basic Nervous System Anatomy

1. What does CNS and PNS stand for? CNS-Central Nervous System; PNS-Peripheral Nervous System
2. What are the parts of the CNS? Brain and spinal cord.
3. Describe something that you do on a regular basis that your PNS controls. Maintain digestion.
4. What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system and what does each control? Sympathetic-controls the body in times of stress, worry, fear, and emergency. Parasympathetic-brings the body back to a normal state and allows for rest and relaxation to occur.
5. What are the three main types of neurons? What is the function of each? Sensory Neuron-sends a message to your brain to tell you when something hurts etc.; Motor Neuron-Carries the impulse from the CNS to your muscle for an action Interneuron-Converts the impulse through the CNS
6. What is the function of the axon of a nerve cell? The dendrite? The axon is the sending end of a neuron and a dendrite is the receiving end.
7. What is a synapse? The sparking or jumping of a neural impulse from one neuron to another.
8. Sketch a neuron and label the axon and the dendrite.