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Myers 14th Ed. Ch. 2
The Nervous System 2.6 -
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| antagonist | a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter action |
| nervous system | the peripheral and central nervous system |
| (PNS) peripheral nervous system | the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body |
| nerves | bundled axons |
| motor (efferent) neurons | neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands |
| (ANS) autonomic nervous system | the peripheral nervous system that control the glands and the muscle of the internal organs |
| sympathetic nervous system | the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy |
| parasympathetic nervous system | the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving energy |
| sensory (efferent) neurons | neurons that carry incoming information from the body's tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord |
| somatic nervous system | the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscle (skeletal nervous system) |
| reflex | a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus (ex: a knee jerk) |
| endocrine system | "slow" chemical communication system; glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream |
| hormones | chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands; travel through the bloodstreams, and affect other tissues |
| hypothalamus | brain region controlling the pituitary gland |
| adrenal glands | glands that sit on top of kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) in times of stress |
| pituitary gland | regulates growth and control other endocrine glands |