NERVOUS SYSTEM

NERVOUS SYSTEM
Both the nervous and endocrine
systems have the same objective:
to keep controlled conditions
within limits that maintain life.
The nervous system regulates
body activities by responding
rapidly using nerve impulses; the
endocrine system responds by
releasing hormones. The excitable
characteristic of nervous tissue
allows for the generation of nerve
impulses (action potentials) that
provide communication with and
regulation of most body organs.
Functions of the Nervous System:
• Sensory Function - input
• Integrative Function - process
• Motor Function - output
 NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIZATION OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Two main subdivisions of the nervous system:
• Central Nervous System (CNS)
- consist of the brain with 85 billion neurons and the spinal cord with 100
million neurons
• Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
- consist of all nervous tissue outside the CNS. Includes nerves (a bundle of
hundreds to thousands of axons plus associated connective tissue and blood
vessels that lies outside the brain and spinal cord) & sensory receptors
(refers to a structure of the nervous system that monitors changes in the
external or internal environment. Examples of sensory receptors include
touch receptors in the skin, photoreceptors in the eye, and olfactory (smell)
receptors in the nose.)
- divided into sensory or afferent division (conveys input into the CNS from
sensory receptors in the body); and motor or efferent division (conveys
output from the CNS to effectors (muscles and glands).
 NEURON
Soma – the cell body; also known
as the perikaryon; contains a
nucleus surrounded
by cytoplasm that includes typical
organelles like lysosomes,
mitochondria &
golgi bodies.
Nissl Bodies - referring to the
free ribosomes and RER of the
neuronal cell bodies
Axon Hillock – cone-shaped
projection in where the axon and
the cell body joins
Schwann Cells – cells that
encircles the PNS axons and forms
the myelin sheath
Myelin Sheath – a segmented
Schwann sheath that covers the
axon
Axon - a long, slender projection of a
NEURON
nerve cell that conducts electrical
impulses away from the cell body;
propagates nerve impulses toward
another neuron
Dendrites – a neuronal process that
carries electrical signals toward the cell
body; are the receiving or input portions
of a neuron.
Myelin - speeds up the signals between
the cells, enabling the brain cells to
quickly send and receive messages.
Nodes of Ranvier – the gaps between
the myelinated Schwann Cells
Synapse - the functional junction
between two neurons or between a
neuron and an effector, such as a muscle
or gland; may be electrical or chemical.
Axon collateral – side branches typically
in the axon at a right angle
Axon terminals – axon telodendria; fine
processes of the axon & collaterals end
NEURON
NEURON
 TYPES OF NEURON
1. Anaxonic neurons consist only of
dendrites and nerve cell bodies.
2. Bipolar neurons have one main
dendrite and one axon. They are found in
the retina of the eye, the inner ear, and
the olfactory area (olfact = to smell) of
the brain.
3. Unipolar neurons have dendrites and
one axon that are fused together to form
a continuous process that emerges from
the cell body. These neurons are more
appropriately called pseudounipolar
neurons because they begin in the
embryo as bipolar neurons.
4. Multipolar neurons usually have
several dendrites and one axon. Most
neurons in the brain and spinal cord are
of this type, as well as all motor neurons.
TYPES OF NEURON
TYPES OF NEURON (Functions)
1. Sensory neurons or afferent neurons either
contain sensory receptors at their distal ends
(dendrites) or are located just after sensory
receptors that are separate cells. Once an
appropriate stimulus activates a sensory receptor,
the sensory neuron forms an
action potential in its axon and the action
potential is conveyed into the CNS through
cranial or spinal nerves. Most sensory neurons
are unipolar in structure.
2. Motor neurons or efferent neurons convey
action potentials away from the CNS to effectors
(muscles and glands) in the periphery (PNS)
through cranial or spinal nerves. Motor neurons
are multipolar in structure. FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION Functionally,
3. Interneurons or association neurons are mainly neurons are classified
according to the direction in which the nerve
located within the CNS between sensory and
impulse (action potential)
motor neurons. Interneurons integrate (process) is conveyed with respect to the CNS
incoming sensory information from sensory
neurons and then elicit a motor response by
activating the appropriate motor neurons.