NEUROLOGIC FUNCTION

Anatomic and Physiologic Review

 Nervous System

Brain and Cranial nerves;

Spinal Central Peripheral Spinal Nerves; and
Cord Nervous Nervous System Autonomic Nervous
System (CNS) (PNS) System

Sensory or Motor or
afferent efferent

Somatic motor Autonomic

sympathetic parasympathetic enteric

 D I V I S I O N S O F T H E N E RV O U S S Y S T E M
 CNS- integrates the information that it receives from, and
coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies

 PNS- connects the CNS to limbs and organs

 Sensory or afferent- conducts action potential from sensory

receptors to CNS
 Sensory neurons- transmits action potentials from periphery
to the CNS

 Motor or efferent-conducts action potentials from CNS to

effector organs
 Motor neurons- transmits action potentials from CNS
towards periphery
 D I V I S I O N S O F T H E N E RV O U S S Y S T E M

 Motor nervous system- transmits action potentials of CNS to

skeletal muscles

 Autonomic Nervous System- transmits action potentials from

CNS to cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and glands.

 Sympathetic- mobilize the body's resources under stress; fight-

or-flight response.

 Parasympathetic- responsible for stimulation of activities that

occur when the body is at rest; rest-and-digest.
 CE L LS OF T HE NE RVOU S SYST EM

 Neurons- basic functional unit

of the brain

 Dendrites- branch-type
structures for receiving
electrochemical messages.

 Axon- a long projection that

carries electrical impulses away
from the cell body.

 Myelinated sheath- increases

speed of conduction
CE LL S OF T HE NE RVOU S SYST EM
 Ganglia or nuclei- nerve cell bodies occurring in clusters

 Center- a cluster of cell bodies with the same function

 Neuroglial cells- serve to support, protect, and nourish

neurons.
 NEUROTRANSMITTERS

 Communicates messages from one neuron to another, or from

one neuron to a specific target tissue

 Manufactured and stored in synaptic vesicles.

 Potentiates , terminates and modulates a specific action, and it

can either excite or inhibit activity of target cell
 CNS: BRAIN

 TheBrain
2% of total body
weight, approximately
1400g for young adult
and 1200 in elderly
person.
major areas: cerebrum,
brain stem, cerebellum,
and diencephalon.
 CNS: BRAIN

 CEREBELLUM
Means little brain

Cerebellar penduncles- attached to the brainstem by

several large connections.
These connections provides routes of

communication between cerebellum and other

parts of the CNS.
 CNS: BRAIN
 Diencephalon
 Thalamus
 Influences mood and registers an unlocalized, uncomfortable

perception of pain.
 act as a relay between a variety of subcortical areas and

the cerebral cortex

 Epithalamus
 Involved in emotional and visceral response to odors and pineal
body.
 Pineal body: an endocrine gland that may influence puberty

 Hypothalamus
 Plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis.
 Control of body temp, hunger and thirst
 CNS: BRAIN

 CEREBRUM
Largest part of the brain

Longitudinal fissure- divides cerebrum into right

and left hemisphere

Gyri-numerous folds found on the surface of

hemisphere

Sulci-intervening grooves
 CNS: BRAIN

 Frontal lobes- control of voluntary motor functions,

motivations, aggression, mood, and olfactory(smell)
reception.

 Parietal
lobes- principle center for the reception and
conscious perception of the most sensory
information, (touch, temperature, balance and taste)

 Central sulcus- separates the frontal and parietal lobe

 CNS: BRAIN

 Occipitallobe- functions in the reception and

perception of visual input and is not distinctly
separate from the other lobes

 Temporal lobe- involved in olfactory and auditory

hearing sensations and plays an important role in
memory.

 Lateral
fissure- separates most of the temporal lobe
from the rest of the cerebrum
 CNS: BRAIN
 Brainstem- connects spinal cord to the remainder of the brain.
 Medulla Oblongata-regulation of heart rate and blood vessel
diameter
 Pyramids-transmits action potentials from brain to motor

neurons of spinal cord; is involved in conscious control of

skeletal muscle.

 Pons- (bridge)
 relays information from between the cerebrum and

cerebellum
 functions such as breathing , swallowing and balance are

controlled in the lower pons

 Chewing and swallowing
 CNS: BRAIN

 Midbrain-
 Coordination of eye movement, control of pupil
diameter and lens shape.
 Colliculi-mounds found on the dorsal part

 Two inferior: relay centers for auditory nerve

pathways in the CNS pathway

 Two superior: visual reflexes

 Substantia nigra- black nuclear mass involved in the

regulation of general body movements.

 CNS: BRAIN

 Meninges and Cerebrospinal Fluid

 Meninges- protects the brain and spinal cord

 Dura mater: most thickest and superficial

 surrounds the brain and the spinal cord and is

responsible for keeping in the cerebrospinal fluid.

 Arachnoid: interposed between the two other meninges

 separated from the pia mater by the subarachnoid space.

 attached to the inside of the dura, surrounds the brain

and spinal cord but does not line the brain down into
its sulci
 CNS: BRAIN

 Pia mater: the delicate innermost layer 

 envelops the entire surface of the brain

 supplies blood to the superficial areas of the cortex and

supports larger blood vessels passing over the surface

of the brain
 Astrocytes- anchors pia mater to the brain
 CNS: BRAIN
Cerebrospinal Fluid-

a clear bodily fluid that occupies the

subarachnoid space and the ventricular
system around and inside the brain and spinal
cord

acts as a "cushion" or buffer for the cortex,

providing a basic mechanical and immunological
protection to the brain inside the skull.
 CNS: SPINAL CORD
 The Spinal Cord
 Extends from the foramen
magnum at the base of the
skull to the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

 Cauda equina: the inferior end

of the spinal cord and the
spinal nerves exiting there w/c
resembles a horse’s tail.

 functionsprimarily in the
transmission of neural signals
between the brain and the rest
of the body.
 CNS: SPINAL CORD
 contains neuralcircuits that can independently control
numerous reflexes and central pattern generators

 The spinal cord has three major functions:

 Serve as a conduit for motor information, which

travels down the spinal cord.

 Serve as a conduit for sensory information, which

travels up the spinal cord.

 Serve as a center for coordinating certain reflexes
PNS: CRANIAL NERVES
No Name Gen. Function Specific Function

I Olfactory S Smell
II Optic S Vision
III Occulomotor M,P Eye movement, pupil constriction, lens
accommodation

IV Trochlear M Eye movement

V Trigeminal S,M Sensory to face and teeth ; mastication

VI Abducent M Eye movement

VII Facial S,M,P Taste; facial expression; and salivary &
tear glands
VIII Vestibulocochlear S Hearing and balance
IX Glossopharyngeal S,M,P Taste and touch(back of tongue);
swallowing; salivary glands
X Vagus S,M,P Pharynx, larynx and viscera
XI Accessory M Two neck and upper back muscle
XII Hypoglossal M Tongue muscles
PNS: SPINAL NERVES
 PNS: SPINAL NERVES
 Dorsal roots: sensory
 Transmits sensory impulses from specific areas of body called
“dermatomes” to the dorsal horn ganglia.

 Somatic: from tendons, joints and body surfaces

 Visceral: from the internal organs

 Ventral: motor
 Transmits impulses from the spinal cord to the body

 Somatic and visceral

 Visceral: includes autonomic fibers that control cardiac muscle

 AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

 Regulates the activities

of internal organs

 Maintains and restores

the internal
homeostasis

 Two main divisions:

Sympathetic
Parasympathetic
(fight-or-flight)
 AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
Structure/ Activity Parasympathetic Effects Sympathetic Effects

Pupil of Eye Constricts Dilate

Heart rate and force Decreases Increases

BP Decreases Increases

Bronchioles Constricts Dilates

RR Decreased Increased

Peristaltic movement Increased Decreased