The Nervous System

1. The Nervous System What do you think?

2. Functions of the Nervous System • Receives information about what is happening both inside and your body. • It directs that way your body responds to information. • It also helps maintain homeostasis.

3. Neuron or Nerve Cells Dendrites Axon Tips Cell body Axon Nucleus

4. Divisions of the Nervous System • Central Nervous System – consists of the brain and spinal cord. • Peripheral Nervous System – consists of all the nerves located outside of the central nervous system.

5. The Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System  Central Nervous System 

6. The BRain • Controls most body functions • Sends and receives messages all over the body • Consists of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem

7. Cerebrum Functions • Interprets input from the senses • Controls the movement of skeletal muscles • Carries out complex mental processes such as learning, remembering, and making judgments • Divided into two halves– the right and left • The left side of your brain controls the right side of your body and vice versa • Right – creativity • Left – mathematics and logic

8. Cerebellum Functions • Coordinates the actions of your muscles and helps you keep your balance. • Trick! The two l’s in cerebellum look like two legs keeping you balanced while you’re standing up

9. Brainstem Functions • Controls your body’s involuntary actions. • Which body functions are involuntary? • Examples: breathing, digestion, swallowing, heartbeat, etc.

10. Project! • Work with a partner to create a poster that shows your understanding of which activities each part of your brain controls. • You must include the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem. • Also show the difference between the left and right sides of the cerebrum.