From Senses to Responses - Middle School Life Science

All nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. Connects CNS to body parts for sensory and motor functions.

A muscle or gland that produces a response. End target that carries out the nervous system's commands.

A rapid, automatic response to a stimulus. Bypasses conscious brain processing for faster protection.

Spinal cord. Processes reflexes without brain involvement for speed.

Receptor → sensory neuron → CNS → motor neuron → effector. Standard neural pathway from stimulus detection to response.

Stronger synapses. Repeated activation strengthens synaptic connections.

Information stored for long periods through lasting neural changes. Repeated use strengthens synaptic connections permanently.

Temporary information storage used for immediate tasks. Lasts seconds to minutes; limited capacity of 7±2 items.

Processing emotions, especially fear, linked to memory. It connects emotional responses to memory formation.

Forming new long-term memories. This brain structure converts short-term to long-term memories.

Interprets sensory information and supports conscious decisions. The largest brain region handles complex sensory processing.

Chemical messengers that carry signals across synapses. They enable neuron-to-neuron communication across gaps.

Receptor → sensory neuron → brain → motor neuron → effector. This pathway requires brain processing for conscious actions.

Spinal cord. Reflexes are processed here without brain involvement for speed.

A fast pathway: receptor → sensory neuron → CNS → motor neuron → effector. This pathway bypasses the brain for rapid protective responses.

A muscle or gland that carries out the response. Effectors execute the body's response to stimuli.

Carries signals from the CNS to muscles or glands. These neurons trigger muscle contractions or gland secretions.

Processes information within the CNS. They connect sensory and motor neurons for complex processing.

Central nervous system; brain and spinal cord. The CNS processes all sensory input and coordinates responses.

Carries signals from receptors to the CNS. These neurons transmit sensory information for processing.

A change in the environment that can be detected. Examples include light, sound, touch, or temperature changes.

Information detected by receptors and sent to the nervous system. Receptors convert external stimuli into electrical signals for processing.

Occipital lobe. Located at back of brain for visual processing.

Hippocampus. Converts short-term memories into permanent storage.