PSY-P 155 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Action Potential, Parasympathetic Nervous System, Sympathetic Nervous System
Document Summary
The nervous system is the body"s electrochemical communication circuitry. The field that studies the nervous system is called neuroscience. The human nervous system is made up of billions of communicating nerve cells, and it is likely the most intricately organized aggregate of matter on the planet. When an impulse travels down a nerve cell, or neuron, it does so electrically. When that impulse gets to the end of the line, it communicates with the next neuron using chemicals. The nervous system has specialized pathways that are adapted for different functions. These pathways are made up of afferent nerves, efferent nerves, and neural networks. Afferent nerves or sensory nerves carry information to the brain and spinal cord. These sensory pathways communicate information about the external environment (for example, the sight of a sunrise) and internal conditions (for example, fatigue or hunger) from sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.
