By going through these Maharashtra State Board Class 11 Psychology Notes Chapter 7 Nervous System students can recall all the concepts quickly.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 Psychology Notes Chapter 7 Nervous System

Nervous system:

  • Nervous system is the complex network of neurons that carry signals from brain to body and body to brain.
  • Our nervous system consists of two major parts, viz, Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).
  • CNS consists of brain and spinal cord.
  • PNS consists of somatic and autonomic nervous system.
  • Somatic nervous system is further divided into sensory and motor system.
  • Autonomic nervous system is further divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.
  • Neurons are the building blocks of nervous system.
  • A neuron consists of dendrites, axon, cell body and terminal button or telodendria.
  • Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers.
  • Some important neurotransmitters are acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, glutamate and GABA (Gama Amino Butyric Acid).

Maharashtra Board Class 11 Psychology Notes Chapter 7 Nervous System

Brain:

  • The study of Psychology can’t be complete without studying the brain.
  • Our brain helps to adapt to the environment and plays a crucial role in every aspect of life.
  • The brain consists of three major parts, viz, hindbrain, midbrain and forebrain.
  • Hindbrain consists of cerebellum, brain stem and reticular activation system.
  • Midbrain consists of two parts, viz, superior and inferior colliculus,
  • Forebrain consists of cerebrum. The outside cover of cerebrum is called as cerebral cortex.
  • The surface of cerebral cortex is divided into two halves: right and left hemisphere.
  • Each hemisphere is divided into four lobes, viz, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe and temporal lobe.
  • The limbic system is also an important part of the brain.
  • The limbic system consists of hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus and hypothalamus.
  • The various pillars of better brain functioning are physical and mental exercise, nutrition, tackling medical problems, sleep and relaxation, mental fitness as well as social interaction.

Spinal cord:

  • The spinal cord extends from neck to waist.
  • Its main function is to send information from brain to body and from to body to brain.
  • It controls reflex actions like salivation, sneezing, knee jerk, blinking of eyes.
  • It is connected to the periphery through 31 pairs of spinal nerves.
  • Each spinal nerve is joined to spinal cord through two routes: dorsal and ventral route.

Maharashtra Board Class 11 Psychology Notes Chapter 7 Nervous System

Glands:

  • Glands are specialised groups of cells or organs that secrete chemical substances.
  • There are many glands. All glands fall into two categories, viz, endocrine and exocrine.
  • Exocrine glands are also called as duct glands. e.g. sweat gland, tear gland etc.
  • Endocrine glands are called as ductless glands. e.g. pituitary gland, thyroid gland etc.
  • Endocrine glands secrete vital chemical substances called hormones.
  • Hormones have strong impact on human behaviour.
  • Over (hyper) or under (hypo) secretion of hormones may lead to a variety of problems.