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Module 6: The Nervous System and the Endocrine System: Communicating Within the Body .... 3
Learning Outcomes ..................................................................................................................... 3
LO6.1: The Nervous System ........................................................................................................ 3
Progress Check ........................................................................................................................ 4
Discussion Questions .............................................................................................................. 6
LO6.2: The Endocrine System: Of Chemicals and Glands ........................................................... 7
Progress Check ........................................................................................................................ 7
Discussion Questions .............................................................................................................. 8
Learning Outcomes
6.1: Explain how the structures of the nervous system are linked together.
6.2: Describe the operation of the endocrine system and how it affects behavior.
3. Sensory (afferent) neurons – Transmit information from the perimeter of the body to the
central nervous system.
4. Motor (efferent) neurons - communicate information from the nervous system to muscles
and glands.
5. Interneurons – connect sensory and motor neurons and carry messages between the two.
6. Peripheral Nervous System - the part of the nervous system that includes the autonomic and
somatic subdivisions, is made up of neurons with long axons and dendrites, and branches out
from the spinal cord and brain to reach the extremities of the body.
7. Somatic division - the part of the peripheral nervous system that specializes in the control of
voluntary movements and the communication of information to and from the sense organs.
8. Autonomic division - the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary
movement of the heart, glands, lungs, and other organs.
9. Sympathetic division - the part of the autonomic division of the peripheral nervous system
that acts to prepare the body for action in stressful situations, engaging all the organism’s
resources to respond to a threat.
10. Parasympathetic division – the part of the autonomic division of the peripheral nervous
system that acts to calm the body after the emergency has ended.
12. Genes – the inherited material that controls the transmission of traits.
14. DNA – chemical pairs that are the basic component of genes
Progress Check
Matching I:
C. Somatic Division
D. Autonomic Division
1. _______ - The part of the peripheral nervous system that specializes in the control of
voluntary movements and the communication of information to and from the sense organs.
2. _______ - The part of the autonomic division of the peripheral nervous system that acts to
prepare the body for action in stressful situations, engaging all the organism’s resources to
respond to a threat.
3. _______ – The part of the nervous system that is composed of brain and spinal cord.
4. _______ - The part of the nervous system that includes the autonomic and somatic
subdivisions, is made up of neurons with long axons and dendrites, and branches out from the
spinal cord and brain to reach the extremities of the body.
5. _______ – The part of the autonomic division of the peripheral nervous system that acts to
calm the body after the emergency has ended.
6. _______ - The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary movement of
the heart, glands, lungs, and other organs.
Answers:
1. C 2. E 3. A 4. B 5. F 6. D
Matching II
A. Reflexes F. Genes
D. Interneurons I. Genome
E. Behavioral Genetics
3. _______ - Communicate information from the nervous system to muscles and glands.
6. _______ – Transmit information from the perimeter of the body to the central nervous
system.
8. _______ – Connect sensory and motor neurons and carry messages between the two.
Answers:
1. I 2. E 3. C 4. A 5. F 6. B 7. G 8. D 9. H
Discussion Questions
You may recall that the autonomic division of the nervous system contains two parts that work
together to regulate many functions in the body:
• The Sympathetic Division - the part of the ANS that acts to prepare the body for action
in stressful situations, engaging all the organism’s resources to respond to a threat. This
response is often called the “fight-or-flight” response.
• The Parasympathetic Division – the part of the ANS that acts to calm the body after the
emergency has ended. It also directs the body to store energy for emergencies.
1. How do these two systems work together when people face unexpected danger?
2. After a dangerous situation, do you think people can accurately recall the details when trying
to describe the situation to authorities?
3. When the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is giving a fight-or-flight
response, do people actually think before responding?
The endocrine system is a chemical communication network that sends messages throughout
the body via the bloodstream by secreting hormones.
Hormones are chemicals secreted by the endocrine system that travel throughout the body via
the bloodstream and regulate the functioning or growth of the body.
The pituitary gland controls the functioning of the endocrine system. It is called the “master
gland” because it controls the functioning of the other glands and it also controls growth.
Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) is when artificial hormones are used to replace deficient
hormones.
Progress Check
Matching:
B. Hormones
2. _______ are chemicals secreted by the endocrine system that travel throughout the body via
the bloodstream and regulate the functioning or growth of the body.
3. _______ controls the functioning of the endocrine system. It is called the “master gland”
because it controls the functioning of the other glands and it also controls growth.
4. _______ is a chemical communication network that sends messages throughout the body
via the bloodstream by secreting hormones.
Answers:
1. D 2. B 3. C 4. D
Discussion Questions
In today’s society, height is looked upon as a favorable condition for men. Some men, however,
are not tall. What do you think about using hormones during the growth stage to make
“shorter” people grow taller? Can you think of any negative impacts from doing this?
Additional Activities
Have you ever ridden a roller coaster at an amusement park? Close your eyes and think about
the slow climb up the first hill. As the roller coaster reaches the peak, does your heart start
beating faster? Do you feel fear? You know that roller coasters have a very safe record, but
you still feel fear? As the roller coaster slowly goes over the top, it rapidly accelerates and
zooms down the hill. Before you know it you are zooming up the second hill and possibly
experiencing twists and loops at fast speeds. After the ride is over, your heart is pounding and
your legs are shaking. Your brain knows that you are not in any real danger, but your body
responds as if you are. Research why the body produces the fight-or-flight response from the
autonomic division of our nervous system when we go on a thrill ride.
Journal Exercises
Journal Exercise #1: Dangerous Situations
Think of a time when you encountered a dangerous situation. Describe the situation. Did you
notice any physiological reactions in your body? Was your heart pounding or did you begin
sweating? What physiological symptoms did you notice after the danger was over? If you
encounter a similar situation, does your body immediately react?
In-Class Activities
#1: A Scary Movie – Does Your Brain Know the Difference?
Show students a 15 to 20 minute clip from a scary movie. I recommend the movie Urban
Legend. Turn off the lights in the classroom. Choose a scene from the movie that slowly builds
fear. Right at the moment of intense fear, pause the movie. Ask students if they notice any
physiological differences in their body. Are their muscles tenser? Are they staring intently at
the screen? Does anyone feel their heart beating rapidly? Are these reactions stronger when
sitting in a dark movie theatre?
Ask students to discuss why the body has physiological reactions to visual stimuli in a scary
movie. People realize that they are really in a safe environment. The mind knows that this is
just a movie, yet the body reacts with physiological signs of stress. Challenge students to
research this answer to find out what is happening.
When exposed to a fearful situation, the autonomic division of the sympathetic nervous system
produces a fight-or-flight response. Nerve cells fire messages to certain glands to release
hormones like adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol into your blood stream. The patterns of
nerve cell firing and chemical release cause our body to undergo a series of very dramatic
changes. Our breathing rate increases, our pupils dilate, our awareness intensifies, our sight
sharpens, our impulses quicken, our perception of pain diminishes, and blood is pushed away
from the digestive tract and sent into the muscles and limbs to enhance running and fighting.
When we watch a scary movie, the sensory receptors in our eyes send similar messages to our
brain. These messages signal the neurons to fire warning signals to our glands that we may be
in danger. Our glands react by releasing those same hormones to prepare us for impending
danger. The reactions will not be as intense as if you were in the real situation, but the body
still has physiological reactions to watching the movie.
In today’s society, people are under a constant source of stress. On a daily basis, toxic stress
hormones flow into our bodies for events that pose no real threat to our physical survival.
What happens when these hormones build up in our bodies? Are there any negative effects?
Read the following article to learn how to metabolize the build-up of stress hormones.
http://www.thebodysoulconnection.com/EducationCenter/fight.html