Life on Earth

Chapter 26
The Nervous System and the Senses
[logo]
At a Glance
TopNext
At a Glance
Hyperlinks
Self-Quiz
Spacer
Search Engines
Newsgroups
E-Mail
Spacer
User Guide
Feedback
A Comparison of Nervous and Endocrine Communication

The Functions and Structure of Neurons
  • Dendrites receive signals from other neurons or the environment.
  • The cell body integrates electrical signals from the dendrites and maintains the neuron .
  • The axon carries electrical signals from the cell body to their destination.
  • Synaptic terminals communicate with other neurons, muscles, or glands at synapses.

    Building and Operating a Nervous System
  • Information processing requires four basic operations.
  • Neural pathways direct behavior.

    The Human Nervous System
  • The peripheral nervous system links the central nervous system to the body.
  • The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and brain.
  • The spinal cord is a cable of axons protected by the backbone.
  • The brain consists of several parts specialized for specific functions.

    Brain and Mind
  • The "left brain" and "right brain" are specialized for different functions.
  • The mechanisms of learning and memory are poorly understood.
  • Insights on how the brain creates the mind come from diverse sources.

    Receptor Mechanisms

    Sound Perception: Hearing
  • The structure of the ear helps capture, transmit, and transduce sound.
  • Sound transduction is aided by the structure of the cochlea.

    Sensing Light: Photoreception
  • The mammalian eye collects, focuses, and transduces light waves.
  • Binocular vision allows depth perception.

    Smell and Taste: Chemoreception
  • The ability to smell arises from olfactory receptors.
  • Taste receptors are found in clusters on the tongue.

    Sensing Pain

    Evolutionary Connections: Natural Selection Shapes Perception



  • PH Sower © 1997 by Prentice-Hall, Inc.
    Simon & Schuster/A Viacom Company
    Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

    Legal Statement