BSci 1- Human Anatomy and Physiology

LABORATORY MANUAL

NAME: ____________________________________________ DATE: __________

COURSE & SECTION:________________________________ GROUP NO.______

EXERCISE NO. 7
Nervous System: Brain and Spinal Cord

Nervous system is divided into Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous
System (PNS). The CNS is consists of your brain and spinal cord which primarily interpret
incoming sensory information and issue instructions based on that information and on past
experience. Whereas, PNS is consists of the cranial and spinal nerves, ganglia, and sensory
receptors. A nerve is a bundle of axons found in the PNS. Wrapped in connective tissue
coverings, nerves extend to and/or from the CNS and visceral organs or structures of the body
periphery such as skeletal muscles, glands, and skin. Like neurons, nerves are classified
according to the direction in which they transmit impulses. Sensory or afferent nerves
conduct impulses only toward the CNS. A few of the cranial nerves are pure sensory nerves.
Motor or efferent nerves carry impulses only away from the CNS. The ventral roots of the
spinal cord are motor nerves. Nerves carrying both sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent)
fibers are called mixed nerves; most nerves of the body, including all spinal nerves, are mixed
nerves.

I. Identify and label the parts of the brain as indicated in the line.

1.

Fig, 1 Lateral view of a brain

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LABORATORY MANUAL

2.

Fig. 2. Anterior view of the spinal cord and its meningeal coverings.

II. Answer the following questions.

1. Trace the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.

2. Briefly describe the difference between gyri, sulci, and fissures.

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LABORATORY MANUAL

3. Identify the different cranial nerves and their functions. Fill in the table below.

Number and Name Location Function

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 BSci 1- Human Anatomy and Physiology
LABORATORY MANUAL

4. List down as many spinal nerves with brief description and function.

References:

Hapan MFZ., Domingo, JD., Sadang, MGM. (2022). Human Physiology and Anatomy
Laboratory Manual. 4th Edition. C & E Publishing Inc.

Marieb, EN., Mitchell l., & Smith, LA. (2014). Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory
Manual. 11th edition. Pearson Education Inc.

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 BSci 1- Human Anatomy and Physiology
LABORATORY MANUAL

NAME: ____________________________________________ DATE: __________

COURSE & SECTION:________________________________ GROUP NO.______

EXERCISE NO. 8

Nervous System: Reflexes and Senses

Reflexes are rapid, predictable, involuntary motor responses to stimuli; they are
mediated over neural pathways called reflex arcs. Many of the body’s control systems are
reflexes, which can be either inborn or learned. Inborn or intrinsic reflexes are wired into our
nervous system and are unlearned. Learned or acquired reflexes result from practice or
repetition. Reflex testing is an important diagnostic tool for assessing the condition of the
nervous system. Distorted, exaggerated, or absent reflex responses may indicate
degeneration or pathology of portions of the nervous system, often before other signs are
apparent.
Sensory inputs from the body are classified as somatic senses. The body’s sensory
receptors react to stimuli. The tiny sensory receptors of the general senses react to touch,
pressure, pain, heat, cold, stretch, vibration, and changes in position and are distributed
throughout the body. In contrast to these widely distributed general sensory receptors, the
receptors of the special senses are large, complex sense organs or small, localized groups of
receptors. The special senses include vision, hearing, equilibrium, smell, and taste.

I. Modalities of Somatic Sensations

Materials:

• Pin • 5 different objects

• Thermometer • Blindfold
• 4 pcs Deep container or • Ice
bowl

Procedure:
Choose one or two of your groupmates to be your test subject.

A. Sensation of Pain.
1. Prick skin with a pin.
2. Pull the hair.
3. Touch skin with a heated pin.

B. Stereognosis by palpation without the aid of vision.

1. Blindfold the test subject.
2. Ask the student to identify by palpation five different objects which you can find in
the laboratory.

C. Referred Pain
1. Assign a test subject, a data collector, and a recorder. Choose a student with thin
arms.

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LABORATORY MANUAL

2. Ask the student to immerse his/her elbow into the beaker containing ice water for
two minutes. Ask him/her to describe the sensation felt (pain, tingling or discomfort
and where the sensation is located right after immersion.
3. Ask the student to describe again the sensation felt after two minutes, then after
four minutes. Have him/her remove his/her elbow from the beaker with ice water.
4. Record the results in observation sheet in table 2.

1. Briefly describe a reflex arc. Provide a flowchart how a reflex is initiated.

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 BSci 1- Human Anatomy and Physiology
LABORATORY MANUAL

Table. 1. Observation and result sheet

SOMATIC SENSATIONS RESULTS/OBSERVATIONS

A. Sensation of Pain Observation

1. Pricking with pin

2. Pulling of hair

3. Touching with heated pin

B. Stereognosis (write the object) Put a check if the subject was able to identify the
object
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

C. Referred Pain Time Sensation Location of

Sensation

Immediate:
Immersion of elbow

2 minutes

4 minutes

References:

Hapan MFZ., Domingo, JD., Sadang, MGM. (2022). Human Physiology and Anatomy
Laboratory Manual. 4th Edition. C & E Publishing Inc.

Marieb, EN., Mitchell l., & Smith, LA. (2014). Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory
Manual. 11th edition. Pearson Education Inc.

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BSci 1- Human Anatomy and Physiology
LABORATORY MANUAL