3/7/2012

Objectives
• List the functions of the nervous system
• List the cells found in the nervous
Nervous System system and tell the general function
of each
• Describe the structure of a neuron and
the general function of each part
Overview • List the structural and functional
divisions of the nervous system
• Explain what happens during a nerve
impulse transmission
• List the parts of a reflex arc and tell the
function of each part

General Functions Sensory input

Monitor environment
• receptors
Integration
• stimuli

Integration
Respond to stimuli
• effectors Motor output

Structural Classification Functional Classification

PNS structures only
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Sensory (afferent) division
• brain
• sensory information to CNS
• spinal cord
• somatic sensory fibers
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) • visceral sensory fibers
• cranial nerves Motor (efferent) division
• spinal nerves • impulses from CNS to effectors

1
 3/7/2012

Motor Division
Somatic Nervous System
• voluntary
• skeletal muscle effectors

Autonomic Nervous System

• involuntary
• smooth, cardiac muscle, glands
• sympathetic & parasympathetic

Supporting Cells
Nervous Tissue
CNS (neuroglia)
Supporting cells—neuroglia
Astrocytes—blood-brain barrier
• support, protect, insulate
Microglia—phagocytes
Neurons Ependymal cells—CSF formation
• conduct nerve impulses
Oligodendrocytes—myelin sheath
• excitable, conductive
Gliomas

Supporting Cells

PNS

Schwann cells—myelin sheath

Satellite cells—cushioning,
protection

2
 3/7/2012

Neurons
dendrites
Irritable and conductive cells axon terminals
Conduct nerve impulses
cell body
Cell parts
• dendrite axon
• cell body
• axon

Axon terminals
• ends of axon
• release neurotransmitter
Node of
Myelin sheath (neurilemma)
Ranvier
• Schwann cells wrap axon
• insulate—faster transmission
• space between cells—Nodes of Schwann
Ranvier cell

Multiple Sclerosis More Terms

• autoimmune disease CNS

• myelin sheath destroyed
• nerves short-circuit
• progressive loss of muscle
function
• nuclei—cluster of cell bodies
• tract—bundle of nerve fibers
PNS
• ganglion—cluster of cell bodies
• nerve—bundle of nerve fibers

3
 3/7/2012

Functional Classification
White matter of Neurons
• myelinated axons Sensory or afferent
• cell bodies outside CNS
Gray matter • dendrites associated with
receptors
• unmyelinated fibers and cell
bodies • receptors collect information
• simple (touch) to complex (eye)

Functional Classification
of Neurons Function of Neurons
Motor or efferent neurons
• carry impulses to effector Irritable cells
• cell body inside CNS
Conduct nerve impulses
Association or Interneurons
• connect sensory and motor
neurons
• cell body inside CNS

Physiology of a Nerve Impulse Nerve Impulse Generation

• Polarized (resting)
– Slightly positive outside, slightly
Excitable cells have resting negative inside
– Has to do with arrangement of
membrane potential (polarized) ions
– Membrane impermeable to ions

• Depolarization
(outside) + + + + + + + + + + + + + – Stimulus changes permeability of
“patch” of membrane
(inside) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - – Na+ gates open, Na+ enters cell
changing polarity
– Action potential

Same number of positive and negative • Action potential (nerve impulse)-

– Polarity change intiates opening of
ions inside and outside of cell, but not next Na+ gate
– Propogation of nerve impulse
the same ions

4
 3/7/2012

Nerve Impulses Nerve cells

do not directly
• Repolarization-
– Immediately after Na+ gates close, K+
touch other
gates open cells
– K+ flows out of cell—hyperpolarization
– Na+/K+ pump restores ion balance
– Membrane goes back to being polarized
– Can’t conduct again until repolarization
Synapse
occurs
Synaptic cleft

Neurotransmitter
release causes
membrane potential change in next cell

Initiation of Depolarization
Nerve impulses require energy to
• light fuel ion pumps (ATP)
• mechanical Need good supply of oxygen and
• electrical nutrients (blood)
Cold and pressure inhibit blood flow
• chemical (neurotransmitter)
(numbness, “go to sleep” feeling)
Cause Na+ gates to open Sedatives and anesthetics inhibit
Once depolarization starts— opening of sodium gates—no action
self-perpetuating potential

Reflexes Reflex Arc

Rapid, predictable, involuntary
Sensory Integration Motor
Response to stimuli
neuron center neuron
Maintain homeostasis
Autonomic Reflexes
• smooth & cardiac muscle Receptor Effector
• glands
Skeletal muscle
Somatic Reflexes Smooth muscle
• skeletal muscle Gland Heart

5
 3/7/2012

Spinal Reflex
Somatic reflexes
• patellar (knee-jerk)
Reflexes • withdrawal
mediated Autonomic reflexes
by spinal • sweating
cord • increased heart rate when frightened

Abnormal or distorted reflexes indicate

nervous system disorders

The part of a neuron that transmits a signal to the next cell The glial cell that is responsible for phagocytosis is the
A. axon A. oligodendrocyte
B. dendrite B. astrocyte
C. cell body C. microglia
D. nodes of Ranvier D. ependymal cell

The ion that enters a cell to induce an action potential is A reflex

A. potassium A. is rapid, involuntary and predictable
B. calcium B. is usually mediated by the spinal cord
C. sodium C. helps maintain homeostasis
D. acetylcholine D. all of the above