NERVOUS SYSTEM

Nervous System is the “Highway” along which your brain sends and
receives information about what is happening inside the body
This highway is made up of billions of neurons throughout the body which
joins together to make nerves.

2 MAJOR DIVISIONS OF NERVOUS SYSTEM

1. CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS)
2. PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS)

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS)

- THE BRAIN AND THE SPINAL CORD MAKE UP YOUR

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.
- BRAIN LIES PROTECTED INSIDE THE SKULL AND FROM
THERE, IT CONTROLS ALL THE BODY FUNCTIONS.

THE BRAIN

- IT IS THE CONTROL CENTER OF THE ENTIRE BODY AND

THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGAN OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.
- THE BRAIN IS DIVIDED INTO THREE MAJOR PARTS. THE
CEREBRUM, CEREBELLUM AND THE BRAINSTEM.

CEREBRUM
 - LARGEST PART OF THE BRAIN THAT CONTROLS YOUR
THOUGHTS, SENSES, THINKING AND IMAGINATION.

CEREBELLUM

- LOCATED BELOW THE CEREBRUM RESPONSIBLE IN

CONTROLLING MOTION, BALANCE AND LEARNING AND
ACQUIRING NEW THINGS.

BRAIN STEM

- ALSO KNOWN AS THE “MEDULLA OBLONGATA” THAT

CONNECTS THE BRAIN TO THE SPINAL CORD.
- IT IS RESPONSIBLE IN REGULATING AUTOMATIC FUNCTIONS
SUCH AS BREATHING, HEART RATE, DIGESTION AND BLOOD
PRESSURE.

THE SPINAL CORD

A CYLINDRICAL BUNDLE OF NERVE FIBERS THAT IS ENCLOSED

IN THE SPINE AND CONNECTS ALL PARTS OF THE BODY TO THE BRAIN.

SPINAL CORD IS CONNECTED TO THE BRAIN AND IS ABOUT THE

DIAMETER OF A HUMAN FINGER.

IT IS PROTECTED BY A BONY VERTEBRAL COLUMN AND

SURROUNDED BY A CLEAR FLUID CALLED CEREBROSPINAL FLUID
(CSF) THAT ACTS AS CUSHION AGAINST TRAUMA AND DAMAGE.
NERVES WITHIN THE SPINAL CORD ARE GROUPED TOGETHER INTO
TWO: ASCENDING TRACT AND DESCENDING TRACT.

ASCENDING TRACT

- CARRY SENSORY INFORMATION FROM THE BODY TOWARDS

THE BRAIN SUCH AS TOUCH, SKIN TEMPERATURE, PAIN AND
OTHERS.

DESCENDING TRACT

- CARRY INFORMATION FROM THE BRAIN DOWNWARDS TO

INITIATE MOVEMENT AND CONTROL BODY FUNCTIONS.

FOUR MAIN GROUPS OF SPINAL NERVE

CERVICAL NERVES “C” (NERVES IN THE NECK)

- SUPPLY MOVEMENT AND FEELING TO THE ARMS, NECK AND

UPPER TRUNK. IT ALSO CONTROLS BREATHING.

THORACIC NERVES “T” (NERVES IN THE UPPER BACK)

- SUPPLY THE TRUNK AND ABDOMEN.

LUMBAR NERVES “L” AND SACRAL NERVES “S” (NERVES IN THE

LOWER BACK)

- SUPPLY THE LEGS, THE BLADDER, BOWEL AND SEXUAL

ORGANS.
 PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) connects the central nervous system to the
organs and limbs of the body.

2 main divisions
Somatic Nervous System

– associated with the voluntary control of body movements

Autonomic Nervous System

–associated with the involuntary control of body movements

Somatic Nervous System has two main parts:

1. Spinal Nerves

– carry motor and sensory signals between the spinal cord and the body

2. Cranial Nerves

– nerve fibers that carry information into and out of the brain stem.

Autonomic Nervous System has two main parts:

1. Sympathetic Nervous System

– activated when the body is in dynamic role or stress

2. Parasympathetic Nervous System

– maintains body functions and restores the body to normal or relaxed mode

THE NERVE CELL

The nerve cell (neuron) is the basic unit of the nervous system.
There are billions of neurons in the body.

PARTS OF A NERVE CELL

 ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

Endocrine System

- complex network of glands and organs which uses hormones to control and
coordinate the body’s metabolism, energy level, reproduction, growth and
development, response to injury/stress, and mood.

8 GLANDS OF THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

1. PITUITARY GLAND

- ALSO KNOWN AS THE “MASTER GLAND.”

- STIMULATES GROWTH AND IT CONTROLS THE ACTIVITIES OF OTHER

ENDOCRINE GLANDS.

- IT IS LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE BRAIN AND IS ABOUT THE SIZE

OF A PEA.
 HORMONES OF THE PITUITARY GLAND

SOMATOTROPIN

- ALSO KNOWN AS “GROWTH HORMONE” FOR THE DEVELOPMENT

OF MUSCLES AND BONES.

PROLACTIN

- STIMULATES MILK PRODUCTION DURING PREGNANCY.

OXYTOCIN

- STIMULATES MUSCLE CONTRACTION DURING CHILDBIRTH.

VASOPRESSIN

- causes the narrowing of the arteries and raises blood pressure.

ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE (ACTH)

- Hormones that stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce natural

corticosteroids.

LUTEINIZING HORMONE (LH)

- A hormone that controls the production of progesterone from the female gonads.

FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE (FSH)

- A hormone that stimulates the release of estrogen from the female gonads.
2. PINEAL GLAND

- SMALL CONE-SHAPED GLAND LOCATED NEAR THE CENTER OF THE

BRAIN BETWEEN TWO HEMISPHERES.

HORMONE

MELATONIN

- REGULATES DAILY WAKE AND SLEEP PATTERNS.

- PREVENTS TOO EARLY SEXUAL MATURATION.
- REGULATES DAILY WAKE AND SLEEP PATTERNS.
- PREVENTS TOO EARLY SEXUAL MATURATION.

3. THYROID GLAND

- BUTTERFLY-SHAPED GLAND LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE NECK

BELOW THE LARYNX (Voice Box).
- IT PRODUCES THREE KINDS OF HORMONES.
THREE HORMONES PRODUCE BY THYROID GLAND

THYROXIN

- regulates body metabolism.

TRIIODOTHYRONINE

- Hormone that contains iodine.

CALCITONIN

- Increases the deposit and storage of calcium in bones.

4. PARATHYROID GLAND

- BEAN-SHAPED STRUCTURES AT THE BACK OF THE THYROID.

HORMONE:

PARATHYROMONE/ PARATHORMONE

- Controls the calcium level in the body and normalizes bone growth.

5. THYMUS GLAND

- LOCATED ABOVE THE THORAX, IN FRONT OF THE HEART.

- IT REACHES MAXIMUM SIZE DURING CHILDHOOD BUT SHRINKS

WHEN YOU REACH ADULTHOOD.

HORMONE:

THYMOSIN

- Enables the body to produce certain antibodies which help in development

of the immune system.
6. ADRENAL GLAND

- TWO PYRAMID-SHAPED GLANDS FOUND ON TOP OF EACH KIDNEY.

- THEY PRODUCE THREE KINDS OF HORMONES.

HORMONES

EPINEPHRINE AND NOREPINEPHRINE

- SECRETED DURING EMERGENCIES THAT INCREASE THE NORMAL

BODY FUNCTIONS.

CORTISOL

- REGULATES PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATE AND FAT METABOLISM.

7. PANCREAS

- CELLS INSIDE THE PANCREAS ARE CALLED “ISLETS OF

LANGERHANS” THAT PRODUCE 2 HORMONES.

- THE ONLY GLAND THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED AS BOTH EXOCRINE

AND ENDOCRINE.

HORMONES:

GLUCAGON

- BREAK DOWN GLYCOGEN INTO GLUCOSE THAT RAISES THE BLOOD

SUGAR.

INSULIN

- REGULATES AND CONTROLS THE GLUCOSE LEVEL.

8. GONADS

- ALSO KNOWN AS REPRODUCTIVE GLANDS OR SEX GLANDS.

- MALES AND FEMALES HAVE DIFFERENT SEX GLANDS THAT
PRODUCE DIFFERENT SEX HORMONES.
 - SEX HORMONES ARE NECESSARY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS IN BOTH MALES AND
FEMALES.

HORMONES OF THE MALE GONADS (TESTES)

ANDROGEN AND TESTOSTERONE

- responsible in developing secondary sex characteristics in males.

HORMONES OF THE FEMALE GONADS (OVARIES)

ESTROGEN

- responsible in developing secondary sex characteristics in females.

PROGESTERONE

- prepares the womb to promote and maintain pregnancy.

 The endocrine system consists of glands that secrete chemicals called

hormones to control various body processes. This control system usually
brings about slow changes in the body because chemical messengers move
more slowly than nerve impulses
 Some hormones have short-term effects while other hormones have long-
term effects such as those that control our growth and the changes at the
onset of puberty. During puberty, there are many hormonal changes that
happen in your body. One moment you laugh, and then suddenly you feel
like crying. Sudden mood swings are relatively caused by the increasing
amount of hormones in the body at this stage. It is therefore important to
maintain a positive outlook in life and remember that these changes are
only temporary and will stabilize with time.
 Hormones act in very small amounts. If the organ and hormones do not
produce the regulated amount of chemicals to your body, it may result in an
abnormality of your body. This condition is called hormonal imbalance.