Psychology 2030A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Central Nervous System, Reticular Formation, Peripheral Nervous System

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2030A/B
• Professor: Ian Nicholson

Document Summary

2 main parts of the human nervous system are the central nervous system (cns) and the peripheral nervous system (pns) Central nervous system consists of approximately 86 billion nerve cells or neurons. Soma: cell body which contains the nucleus. Dendrites: (fingerlike projections that extend from the soma) branch out and receive information from other neurons. Axon terminals: the branched features at the end of the axon that form synapses. Synapses: points of communication with dendrites or cell bodies of other neurons. Brain stem: controls most of the fundamental biological functions associated with living (e. g - breathing) Hindbrain: regulates breathing, heart beat and motor controls (activities required for life that occur automatically) The hindbrain consists of the medulla, pons, and the cerebellum. The term lesions refers to an area of damage or abnormality. Midbrain: a coordinating center that brings together sensory information with movement, and houses the reticular activating system which regulates our sleep and arousal systems.