NERVOUS

SYSTEM
ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY:

NERVOUS CONTROL
NERVOUS SYSTEM
• The nervous system’s function is rapid communication by
electrical and chemical signals.
• Functions:
• 1. Sensory Input
• uses millions of sensory receptors to monitor changes occurring
both inside and outside the body and gather information
• 2. Integration
• processes and interprets the information and makes decisions
about what should be done at each moment
• 3. Motor Output
• effects a response by activating muscles or glands
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NEURON
• nerve cells
• functional units of the nervous
system
• cell that communicates either with
one another or with muscles and
glands
• sends messages by conveying a
neural impulse
• Neural impulses are signals
resulting from the movement of
charged ions across the cell
membrane.
NEURON
• Parts:
• 1. Cell Body
• enlarged & rounded, has the nucleus, mitochondria that supply
ATP, ribosomes that manufacture proteins, and other organelles
NEURON
• Parts:
• 2. Dendrites
• short, branched extensions that transmit information toward the
cell body
NEURON
• Parts:
• 3. Axon
• also called the nerve fiber, a single long extension but branched
at its tip, conducts nerve impulses away from the cell body
NEURON
• Myelin Sheath
• component of the axon in some nerve cells
• composed of fatty material, coats sections of the axon speeding
up nerve impulse conduction
NEURON
• Classes:
• 1. Sensory / Afferent Neuron
• bring information to the central nervous system from the rest of
the body; neurons responding to light, sound, pressure, heat,
touch, pain, and chemicals detected as odors or taste
NEURON
• Classes:
• 2. Interneuron / Association Neuron
• connect one neuron to another within the spinal cord and brain;
receive information from sensory neurons, process the
information, and generates messages to motor neurons
NEURON
• Classes:
• 3. Motor / Efferent Neuron
• conduct message from the central nervous system toward a
muscle or gland cell; stimulate muscle cells to contract and
stimulate glands to secrete their products into the bloodstream
NEURON
• Functions:
• 1. Irritability
• Irritability is the ability to respond to a stimulus and convert it
to a nerve impulse.
• The transmission of a nerve impulse along a neuron from one
end to the other occurs as a result of electrical changes across
the membrane of the neuron.
IRRITABILITY
NEURON
• Functions:
• 2. Conductivity
• Conductivity is the ability to transmit the impulse to other
neurons, muscles, or glands.
• When a nerve impulse reaches the end of an axon, the axon
releases chemicals called neurotransmitters.
• Neurotransmitters
• chemical signal that travels (from a “sending” cell to a
“receiving” cell) across the synapse between the axon and
the dendrite of the next neuron and bind to the membrane
of the dendrite
CONDUCTIVITY
• Synapse
• specialized junction at which a signal from one neuron’s axon
flows to another cell.

• Synaptic Cleft
• space between 2 communicating nerve cells
• Synaptic Terminal
• contains many small sacs, or vesicles, that hold
neurotransmitter molecules
CONDUCTIVITY
CONDUCTIVITY
NERVOUS SYSTEM
• Structural Classification:
• 1. Central Nervous System
(CNS)
• The CNS consists of the brain
and spinal cord, which act as
the integrating and command
centers of the nervous system.
• 2. Peripheral Nervous System
(PNS)
• The PNS consists mainly of the
nerves that extend from the
brain and spinal cord.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

• Types of Nervous Tissue:

• 1. Gray Matter
• The gray matter consists of neuron cell bodies and dendrites,
along with the synapses by which they communicate with other
cells. Information processing occurs in the gray matter.
• 2. White Matter
• The white matter consists of myelinated axons transmitting
information throughout the central nervous system.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
BRAIN
• Brain
• largest and the most complex
mass of nerve tissue in the
body; functions to exert
centralized control over the
other organs
• The surface exhibits elevated
ridges called gyri (gyrus),
separated by shallow grooves
called sulci (sulcus). Both
function to increase the brain’s
surface area.
BRAIN

• Subdivisions of
the Brain:
• 1. Hindbrain
• 2. Midbrain
• 3. Forebrain
BRAIN
• 1. Hindbrain
• The hindbrain is located toward
the lower back of the skull.
• Parts:
• A. Cerebellum
• largest part of the hindbrain
• neurons of the cerebellum refine
motor messages and coordinate
muscle movements
subconsciously
BRAIN
• 1. Hindbrain
• Parts:
• B. Medulla Oblongata
• continuation of the spinal cord
• regulates breathing, blood
pressure, and heart rate
• contains reflex centers for
vomiting, coughing, sneezing,
defecating, swallowing, and
hiccupping
BRAIN

• 1. Hindbrain
• Parts:
• C. Pons
• pons means “bridge”
• connects the forebrain with
medulla and cerebellum
BRAIN
• 2. Midbrain
• a narrow region that connects
the hindbrain with the
forebrain
• parts of the midbrain help
control consciousness and
participate in hearing and eye
reflexes
BRAIN
• Brain Stem
• made up of the midbrain and
parts of the hindbrain
• a stalk-like lower portion of
the brain that regulates
essential survival functions
such as breathing and
heartbeat
 BRAIN

• 3. Forebrain
• front of the brain
• largest part of the human
brain which contains
structures that participate
in complex functions such
as learning, memory,
language, motivation, and
emotion
 BRAIN
• 3. Forebrain
• Parts:
• A. Cerebrum
• controls the qualities of
what we consider the
“mind” that is personality,
intelligence, learning,
perception, and emotion
• occupies 83% of the
brain’s volume
 BRAIN
• Cerebrum
• divided into 2 hemispheres that
gather and process information
simultaneously:
• Left: speech, language skills,
mathematical ability and reasoning
• Right: spatial, intuitive, musical and
artistic abilities
• Each hemisphere controls the
opposite side of the body.
BRAIN

• Cerebrum:
• Corpus Callosum
• a very large fiber tract
that connects the
cerebral hemispheres
BRAIN
• Cerebrum Structures:
• 1. Cerebral Cortex
• A. Frontal Lobe
• B. Parietal Lobe
• C. Temporal Lobe
• D. Occipital Lobe
• 2. Limbic System
• A. Hippocampus
• B. Amygdala
 BRAIN

• Cerebrum structures:
• 1. Cerebral Cortex
• outer layer of the
cerebrum that consists of
gray matter that processes
information
BRAIN
• Cerebral Cortex:
• A. Frontal Lobe
• primary motor area that allows the
conscious movement of the
skeletal muscles
• B. Parietal Lobe
• somatic sensory area, allows
recognition of pain, coldness and
light touch
• body’s sensory receptors are
localized and interpreted in this
area
BRAIN

• Cerebral Cortex:
• C. Temporal Lobe
• auditory and olfactory area
• D. Occipital Lobe
• visual area
BRAIN

• Cerebral structures:
• 2. Limbic System
• emotional center of the brain
• A. Hippocampus
• long term memory formation
• B. Amygdala
• center of emotions such as
pleasure and fear
BRAIN
• 3. Forebrain
• Parts:
• B. Thalamus
• mass of gray matter
located between the
midbrain & the cerebrum
• central relay station that
processes incoming
sensory information and
sends it to the
appropriate part of the
cerebrum
BRAIN
• 3. Forebrain
• Parts:
• C. Hypothalamus
• neural and hormonal
signals from the
hypothalamus regulate
body temperature,
heartbeat, water
balance, and blood
pressure, along with
hunger, thirst, sleep,
and sexual arousal
SPINAL CORD

• Spinal Cord
• The spinal cord is the
continuation of the brain stem
and provides a 2-way conduction
pathway to and from the brain.
• It is a major reflex center.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
• Other Structures:
• A. Meninges
• The meninges are layered membranes that jacket the central
nervous system.
• B. Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
• The CSF bathes and cushions the brain and the spinal cord. This
fluid further insulates the CNS from injury.
• C. Blood-Brain Barrier
• The blood-brain barrier lines the brain’s capillaries and helps
protect the brain from harmful chemicals.
OTHER CNS STRUCTURES
PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

• The PNS consists mainly of the nerves that extend from the
brain and spinal cord.
• Cranial nerves – emerge directly from the brain and carry
impulses to and from the brain. These nerves control
movements of the eyes, face, neck, and mouth along with the
senses of taste and hearing.
• Spinal nerves – carry impulses to and from the spinal cord
and controls most functions from the neck down.
CRANIAL NERVES
SPINAL NERVES
PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

• Functional Classification:
• 1. Sensory or Afferent Division
• The sensory or afferent division consists of nerve fibers that
convey impulses to the CNS from sensory receptors located in
various parts of the body.
• 2. Motor or Efferent Division
• The motor or efferent division carries impulses from the CNS
to the effector organs, the muscles and glands.
MOTOR / EFFERENT DIVISION

• Motor / Efferent Subdivisions:

• 1. Somatic Nervous System
• allows conscious or voluntary control on skeletal muscle
• known as the Voluntary Nervous System
• 2. Autonomic Nervous System
• regulates events that are automatic or involuntary, such as
the activity of the smooth and cardiac muscles and glands
• known as the Involuntary Nervous System.
PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
• 2 Parts of the Autonomic Nervous System:
• 1. Sympathetic Nervous System
• activated during stress and emergencies
• slows digestion and boosts blood flow toward vital organs like
the heart, brain, and muscles
• hormones are secreted for “fight or flight”
• 2. Parasympathetic Nervous System
• returns body systems to normal
• heart rate and respiration slow down and digestion resumes
• “rest and digest”
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM