PSYCH 15 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Sympathetic Nervous System, Dura Mater, Pia Mater
Document Summary
Nervous system: a communication network consisting of nerve cells both inside and outside of the brain and spinal cord. Nervous system -> central nervous system & peripheral nervous system (cns & pns) Pns: somatic nervous system & autonomic nervous system. Efferent nerves: sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. Located outside of the skull and spine. Serves to bring info into the cns and carry signals out of the cns. Afferent from sensory systems (eyes, ears, skin) Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves usually have opposite effects. Afferent from internal organs to cns (sensation); efferent from. Sympathetic ns arouses (fight or flight) : pupils are dilated, heartbeat accelerated, relaxes bladder, inhibits digestion. Parasympathetic ns calms (rest and digest) : contracts pupils, slows heartbeat, stimulates digestion, stimulates gallbladder, contracts bladder. Cns encased in bone and covered by 3 meninges. Csf - fluid serves as a cushion. The blood brain barrier : tightly packed cells of blood vessel walls prevent entry of many molecules.
