NERVOUS

SYSTEM
 Nervous System is:

 A physical connected network of cells, tissues and organs that allows us to

communicate with and react to the environment and perform life activities.
 Master controlling and communicating system.
 The organized network of nerve tissue in the body.
 Also, nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and complex network nerves.
 NERVOUS SYSTEM HAS TWO MAIN DIVISION;

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM- the CENTRAL NERVOUS

SYSTEM (CNS) includes the brain and spinal cord.

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM- Your PERIPHERAL

NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS) is that part of your nervous system
that lies outside your brain and spinal cord.
 FOUR PRIMARY FUNCTION OF NERVOUS
SYSTEM:

 Sensing the world

 Vision, Hearing, Smell, Taste, Touch
 Transmitting information
 Processing information
 Producing a response
 ORGANIZATION

A. Central Nervous System (CNS)

- brain & spinal cord
- integrative and control centers
* receives, interprets and sends signals to PNS
B. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
- Nerves (31 pairs of spinal nerves, 12 pairs of cranial nerves)
- Communication lines between CNS and rest of body

TWO DIVISION:
1. SENSORY (AFFERENT) DIVISION: Sensory redeptors – CNS
2. MOTOR (EFFERENT) DIVISION: CNS- effectors (muscles & glands)
 MOTOR DIVISION

 SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (voluntary) controls skeletal muscles

 AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS) (involuntary)
- regulate smooth muscles, cardiac, glands
SUBDIVISIONS:
• Sympathetic:
- “fight or flight’
- Activate during emergencies, exercise or vigorous physical activity
- Revs up body to respond to situations that upset homeostasis
• Parasymphatetic:
-
“rest & digest”
- Reduces energy use
-PROMOTES-
-Storage of energy
 THE COMPLEX BRAIN

 The mammalain brain is highly complex, containing many specialized regions that carry
out specific functions.
 Generally, the brain is divided into:
- Hindbrain
- Midbrain
- Forebrain
 HINDBRAIN

 MEDULLA:
- The medulla oblongata or simply medulla is a long stem-like
structure which makes up the lower part of the brainstem. It is anterior and
partially inferior to the cerebellum. It is a cone-shaped neuronal mass
responsible for autonomic functions, ranging from vomiting to sneezing.
 PONS:
- The pons is part of the brainstem that in humans and other
mammals, lies inferior to the midbrain, superior to the medulla oblongata and
anterior to the cerebellum. The pons is also called the pons Varolii, after the
Italian anatomist and surgeon Costanzo Varolio.
 CEREBELLUM:
-The cerebellum is a major feature of the hindbrain of all
vertebrates. Although usually smaller than the cerebrum, in some animals such
as the mormyrid fishes it may be as large as it or even larger. In humans, the
cerebellum plays an important role in motor control.
 MIDBRAIN

 Located between the hindbrain and forebrain.

 All sensory and motor information that travels between the forebrain and the spinal cord passes
through the midbrain.
 Making it a relay station for the central nervous system.
 The “traffic cops” of the brain.
 Filters sensory input, which allows us to concentrate.
 Filtering can be affected by higher thoughts.
 FOREBRAIN

 THALAMUS:
- The thalamus is a paired gray matter structure of the diencephalon located near
the center of the brain. It is above the midbrain or mesencephalon, allowing for nerve fiber
connections to the cerebral cortex in all directions — each thalamus connects to the other via
the interthalamic adhesion.
 LIMBIC SYSTEM:
- The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in our behavioural
and emotional responses, especially when it comes to behaviours we need for survival: feeding,
reproduction and caring for our young, and fight or flight responses.
 CORTEX:
- The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of your brain's surface, located on top of
the cerebrum. The cerebral cortex carries out essential functions of your brain, like memory,
thinking, learning, reasoning, problem-solving, emotions, consciousness, and sensory functions.
 LIMBIC SYSTEM
“CONTROLS: EMOTIONS AND MEMORIES’

 HYPOTHALAMUS:
- The hypothalamus is a structure deep within your brain.
It's the main link between your endocrine system and your nervous system. Your
hypothalamus keeps your body balanced in a stable state called homeostasis.
 AMYGDALA:
- Your amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure inside of
your brain. It's part of a larger network in your brain called the limbic system. When
it comes to your survival, your amygdala and limbic system are extremely
important. These are parts of your brain that automatically detect danger.
 HIPPOCAMPUS:
- Hippocampus is a complex brain structure embedded deep into
temporal lobe. It has a major role in learning and memory. It is a plastic and
vulnerable structure that gets damaged by a variety of stimuli. Studies have shown
that it also gets affected in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
 CORTEX

 VARIOUS AREAS:
- The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of
your brain's surface, located on top of the
cerebrum.
 SPINAL CORD

 GREY MATTER:
- The grey matter also extends from the
brain into the spinal cord. The grey matter creates a hornlike
structure throughout the inside of the spinal cord while the white
matter makes up the surrounding sections of the spinal cord. The
grey matter does extend to the spinal cord to make signaling more
effective.
 WHITE MATTER:
- The white matter of the spinal cord
is subdivided into dorsal (or posterior), lateral, and ventral (or
anterior) columns, each of which contains axon tracts related to
specific functions. The dorsal columns carry ascending sensory
information from somatic mechanoreceptors (Figure 1.11B).
 NERVOUS TISSUE
1. NEURONS (nerve cells)
* Neurons are nerve cells that send messages all over your body to allow you to do everything from breathing to talking, eating,
walking, and thinking.
ANATOMY:
- Cell Body - The cell body is the spherical part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and connects to the dendrites, which bring
information into the neuron, and the axon, which sends information to other neurons.
- Dentrite - A dendrite (tree branch) is where a neuron receives input from other cells.
- Axon - An axon (from Greek ἄξων áxōn, axis) or nerve fiber (or nerve fibre: see spelling differences) is a long, slender projection
of a nerve cell, or neuron, in vertebrates, that typically conducts electrical impulses known as action potentials away from the nerve
cell body.
- Axon terminals - Axon terminals are the ends of axons which transmit messages to other cells via use of neurotransmitters at
synapses. Meanwhile, axon collaterals are branches off a main axon that allow a neuron to communicate with even more and
different types of cells.
- Synaptic cleft/synapse - The space between two neurons across which the impulse is transmitted by a neurotransmitter is known
as synaptic cleft.
 NERVOUS TISSUE

2. SUPPORTING CELLS (Neurogilla)

• CNS: astrocytes, microglia, ependymal cells, oligodendrocytes
- barrier between capillaries and neurons
- protect neurons
- immune/defense
- line brain and spinal cord cavities wrap nerve fibers
- produces myelin sheaths (covering)
• PNS: Schwann cells, satellite cells
- surround large neurons protect & cushion
* CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM
* PERIPHERAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM
MYELIN
- MYELIN IS AN INSULATING LAYER, OR SHEATH THAT FORMS
AROUND NERVES, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE BRAIN AND SPINAL
CORD. IT IS MADE UP OF PROTEIN AND FATTY SUBSTANCES.

SCHWANN CELLS
- SCHWANN CELLS ARE THE GLIAL CELLS THAT FORM THE MYELIN
SHEATH ON AXONS OUTSIDE THE BRAIN. UNLIKE
OLIGODENDROCYTES, SCHWANN CELLS DO NOT HAVE MULTIPLE
CELLULAR EXTENSIONS, BUT INSTEAD EACH CELL ENGULFS A
SEGMENT OF AXON AND FORMS A MULTILAYERED MYELIN SHEATH
AROUND IT.
MYELIN SHEATH
- THE MYELIN SHEATH IS A GREATLY EXTENDED AND MODIFIED
PLASMA MEMBRANE WRAPPED AROUND THE NERVE AXON IN A
SPIRAL FASHION [1]. THE MYELIN MEMBRANES ORIGINATE FROM AND
ARE A PART OF THE SCHWANN CELLS IN THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM (PNS) AND THE OLIGODENDROCYTES CELLS IN THE CENTRAL
NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) (SEE CHAP.
NODES OF RANVIER
- THE NODES OF RANVIER ARE CHARACTERIZED BY SHORT (1UM),
SPECIALIZED REGIONS IN THE AXONAL MEMBRANE THAT ARE NOT
INSULATED BY MYELIN. ALTHOUGH IT IS BARE OF MYELIN AT THE
NODE, THE AXON IS IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE MICROVILLI OF
THE SCHWANN CELLS IN THE PNS, OR WITH PROCESSES OF
ASTROCYTES IN THE CNS.
- GANGLIA: This is a plural term for
“ganglion.” Ganglia are groups of nerves or brain
cells that are closely related. They might share
connections and jobs or work together as part of a
bigger subsystem of your nervous system.

- Bundles of nerve fibers = tracts (CNS) or nerves

(PNS).

- WHITE MATTER: Dense collections of

myelinated fibers.

- GRAY MATTER: Unmyelinated fibers & cell

bodies, ( nerve cell bodies, axon terminals,
bundles of unmyelinated axons and neuglia ( gray
color )
 THE NEURON

 Dendrites receive signals.

 The cell body integrates signals.

 The axon transmits action potential. The myelin sheath

makes the signal travel faster.

 Synaptic terminals signals.

 NEURONS

 NEURON FUNCTION
> Irritability:
> ability to respond to stimulus & convert to nerve impulse
 CONDUCTIVITY:
> Transmit impulse to other neurons, muscles, or glands
 CLASSIFICATION OF NEURON
> Functional Classification
> Structural Classification
 1. FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION
Direction nerve impulse is travelling
SENSORY MOTOR INTERNEURONS
NEURONS NEURONS
Carry impulse from sensory Carry impulse from CNS to impulse & Connect sensory & motor neurons
receptors to CNS glands

Vision, hearing, equilibrium,

taste, smell, pain, pressure,
heat
 2. STRUCTURAL CLASSIFICATION
Process extending from cell body
MULTIPOLAR BIPOLAR UNIPOLAR

1 axon, several, dendrites 1 axon, 1 dendrite 1 process

Most common Rare Short with 2 branches ( sensory CNS)

(90%)

Eg. Motor neurons, interneurons Eg. Retina, nose, ear Eg. PNS ganglia