Nervous System Overview Quiz

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls involuntary bodily functions like heart rate, digestion, and breathing. It operates without conscious control.

The somatic nervous system (SNS) controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles. You consciously decide to move your body.

A motor pathway in the ANS involves two neurons - a preganglionic neuron from the CNS that synapses with a postganglionic neuron, which then connects to the target organ.

A motor pathway in the SNS is a single neuron that directly connects the CNS to the skeletal muscle.

The ANS is involuntary, meaning you don't consciously control it. The SNS, on the other hand, is voluntary, giving you conscious control over your actions.

Reduced sensitivity to a constant stimulus.

Specialized nerve endings that detect pain.

Sharp, localized pain transmitted by fast nerve fibers (A-delta fibers).

Dull, diffuse pain transmitted by slower nerve fibers (C fibers).

Pain felt in a different location than its origin, due to shared nerve pathways.

The outer ear gathers sound waves.

The middle ear amplifies sound vibrations through three tiny bones (ossicles).

The inner ear converts sound vibrations into neural signals (hearing) and also detects balance.

Enkephalins and endorphins are natural pain blockers in the body. They work by blocking the transmission of pain signals in the nervous system.

This theory explains how non-painful stimuli can block pain signals. It suggests that there are 'gates' in the nervous system that control the flow of pain signals.

Sound waves travel through the ear, causing vibrations in the eardrum, ossicles, and fluid within the cochlea. These vibrations stimulate hair cells, generating nerve signals that are interpreted as sound by the brain.

Movement of the fluid (endolymph) in the inner ear stimulates hair cells, which send information about body position and movement to the brain.

Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami are the five basic tastes that our taste buds can detect.

Factors like smell, texture, temperature, genetics, and even your mood can influence how you perceive taste.

The olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity contains olfactory receptors that detect scent molecules.

Factors like age, adaptation to a particular smell, exposure to certain scents, and the concentration of the odor can affect your sense of smell.

The bending of light as it passes through the cornea and lens, allowing images to focus on the retina.

The ability of the lens to change shape and focus on objects at different distances.

Clouding of the lens, causing blurry vision.

Increased pressure inside the eye, damaging the optic nerve and potentially leading to blindness.

Damage to the macula, a central part of the retina, resulting in central vision loss.

The pathway light takes from the retina to the brain for processing.

The different types of photoreceptor cells in the retina that respond to specific wavelengths of light, enabling us to see colors.

The process by which different amounts of activation of red, green, and blue photopsins create our perception of color.

Thyroid hormone deficiency leads to weight gain, fatigue, and slow metabolism.

Excess thyroid hormone causes weight loss, nervousness, and increased metabolism.

Low cortisol levels due to adrenal gland insufficiency.

High cortisol levels due to adrenal gland overactivity.

The posterior pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain and releases ADH (antidiuretic hormone) and oxytocin.

A condition where light focuses in front of the retina, resulting in blurry distant vision.

A condition where light focuses behind the retina, leading to blurry near vision.

The central region of the retina with the highest concentration of cones, responsible for sharp, detailed vision.

The 'blind spot' on the retina where the optic nerve exits, lacking photoreceptors.

Photoreceptor cells in the retina sensitive to dim light, responsible for black and white vision.

Photoreceptor cells in the retina sensitive to bright light, responsible for color vision.

The nervous system uses electrical signals to communicate quickly, while the endocrine system uses hormones in the bloodstream for slower, longer-lasting actions.

Hormone receptors are specific to the hormone they bind to, and can be located on the cell membrane (for water-soluble hormones) or inside the cell (for lipid-soluble hormones).