18 flashcards · Shared on 19 August 2026 by AtomAI Library
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What are the two main divisions of the human nervous system?
Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system
What are the two main divisions of the human nervous system?
Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system
Which structures make up the central nervous system?
The brain and spinal cord
What is the main role of the somatic nervous system?
Carrying information between the central nervous system and the senses and skeletal muscles
The autonomic nervous system mainly controls which processes?
Involuntary functions such as heart rate and digestion
Which change is typically produced by the sympathetic nervous system during a stressful situation?
An increase in heart rate
How does the parasympathetic nervous system generally affect the body after a threat has passed?
It returns bodily activity towards a resting state
What is the primary function of a sensory neuron?
To carry impulses from receptors towards the central nervous system
What does a motor neuron do?
Carries impulses from the central nervous system to effectors
Where are relay neurons mainly found?
Within the central nervous system
What is a synapse?
The junction between neurons where signals are transmitted
Which sequence correctly describes chemical transmission across a synapse?
Neurotransmitters cross the synaptic gap and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron
What is the effect of an excitatory neurotransmitter on a postsynaptic neuron?
It makes the neuron more likely to fire
Which area of the cerebral cortex is primarily involved in processing visual information?
Visual cortex
Damage to the motor cortex is most directly likely to disrupt which ability?
Producing voluntary movement
What is meant by hemispheric lateralisation?
Some mental and neural functions are mainly associated with one cerebral hemisphere
What is Broca's area most strongly associated with?
Producing speech
What difficulty is commonly associated with damage to Wernicke's area?
Difficulty understanding language
What does brain plasticity refer to?
The brain's ability to change its structure or function in response to experience or damage