OBJECTIVE

At the end of the lesson, the students will be

able to;
❑ Describe how the nervous system

coordinates and regulates these feedback

mechanisms to maintain homeostasis.
HOMEOSTASIS
❑ Refers to the internal stability which is
important to living organisms for
survival.
❑ Homeostasis is the balance within a
system that keeps it operating within a
range of condition thus, it requires
constant monitoring (homeostatic
regulation) of all system in the body to
detect changes, and mechanisms that
react to those changes and restore
stability.
 HOMEOSTASIS
❑ Failure of homeostatic regulation
in just one system may result to
disease, deterioration, or worse,
death.
❑ These are the factors that affect
homeostasis: genetics, physical
condition, diet and nutrition,
venoms and toxins, psychological
health, side effects of medicines
and medical procedures.
 HOMEOSTASIS
❑ To achieve wellness of an
organism, all homeostatic
regulation mechanisms must
function properly.
❑ Homeostatic regulation requires
three important components
namely; receptors, control center,
and effectors.
 HOMEOSTASIS
❑ The receptors serve to sense
changes, called stimuli in the
environment that disrupt the state
of equilibrium.
❑ Equilibrium is the state wherein the
condition of a system is balanced
amidst competing influences,
resulting in steady state.
 HOMEOSTASIS
❑ These receptors are made up
of our various sensory
organs and their associated
afferent neurons.
❑ For example, the
temperature-sensitive
sensors in our skin and brain
sense the changes in the
temperature of our
environment.
HOMEOSTASIS
❑ The afferent neutrons
carry the signal away from
the body to the central
nervous system (CNS).
❑ The CNS serves as the
control center of the body
that receives and
processes such
information.
 HOMEOSTASIS
❑ It interprets the
signal and sends a
response through the
efferent neurons that
carry signal away
from the CNS and to
the effector organs.
 HOMEOSTASIS
❑ The effectors respond
to the information by
either opposing or
enhancing the stimulus.
❑ This continuous
process works in
harmony to restore and
maintain homeostasis.
 HOW DOES NERVOUS SYSTEM
MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS?
❑ There are two possible modes of homeostasis
maintenance either via negative feedback or
positive feedback mechanisms.
❑ A negative feedback
mechanism changes the
direction of the stimulus by
either increasing or
decreasing its relative
intensity as before.
❑ Simple stated, if the level of
the stimulus is too high , the
body does something to
decrease it and bring it back
to the equilibrium state.
❑ Conversely, if the stimulus
level is too low, the body
does something to increase it
and bring it back to the
equilibrium state.
❑ There are numerous
examples of feedback
mechanisms in our body such
as the ones mentioned in the
hormonal regulation of our
reproductive system earlier.
❑ Another typical example, is
the maintenance of glucose
levels in our body.
❑ After eating, your blood
glucose level rises, and this is
sensed by glucose receptors in
our central nervous system.
❑ The pancreas an endocrine
gland, also senses this
increase and release the
hormone insulin.
❑ Insulin stimulates the cell in
the various tissues of our
body to uptake glucose thus
lowering its level in the
blood.
❑ Meanwhile, during fasting or
starvation the blood glucose
level drops and this is again
sensed by the same glucose
receptors.
❑ The pancreas releases
the hormone glucagon
which stimulates the
liver to breakdown its
glycogen reserves into
glucose.
❑ This increases the
blood glucose level
and bring it to normal
values.
 POSITIVE FEEDBACK
❑ In contrast, a positive
feedback mechanism
maintains the direction
of the stimulus and may
even speed it up.
❑ There are only a few
examples of it in our
body and one of them is
the cascade of chemical
reactions that result in
blood clotting.
❑ When one clotting
factor is activated, it
triggers a cascade of
event that culminates
with the clotting of
fibrin that plugs the
wound and stops the
bleeding.
❑ Another example of
positive feedback is the
uterine contractions
during birth or
parturition.
❑ The hormone oxytocin stimulates the contraction of the uterus
which produces a painful sensation that is sensed by the
nervous system.
❑ Instead of decreasing the oxytocin level, its production is
further stimulated by the nervous system to quicken the
contractions until they are powerful enough to induce
childbirth.
Organs with their functions to
maintain internal body
environment
Formed element-platelets
❑ It assists blood clotting
 Red blood cells
❑ Helps in transporting hydrogen ion and oxygen
gas
White blood cells
❑ It fights against infections
 nutrients
❑ Required for cellular metabolism
 Proteins
❑ Create osmotic pressure, aids clotting, and
helps buffer blood.
 hormones
❑ Known as chemical messengers
 water
❑ Provides fluid environment
 salts
❑ Helps in metabolic activity and aids the
buffer in blood.
 wastes
❑ Produced by cellular metabolism.
 MAJOR
ENDOCRINE
GLANDS AND
THEIR HORMONES
 ADRENAL MEDULLA
❑ Hormone: Epinephrine and Norepinephrine
❑ Function: Stimulates fight or flight response
 ADRENAL CORTEX
❑ Hormone: Glucocorticoids
(e.g. cortisol)
❑ Function: Promotes
gluconeogenesis
❑ Hormone:
Mineralocorticoids: (e.g.
aldosterone)
❑ Function: Promotes sodium
re-absorption by kidneys
ANTERIOR PITUITARY
❑ Hormone: Thyroid-stimulating
hormones
❑ Function: Stimulates thyroid
gland
❑ Hormone: Adrenocorticotropic
hormones
❑ Function: Stimulates adrenal
cortex gland
❑ Hormone: Gonadotropin
hormones
❑ Function: Stimulates gonads
 GONADS
❑ Hormone: Androgen (male)
Estrogen and Progesterone (female)
❑ Function: Promotes secondary sexual characteristics
 HYPOTHALAMUS
❑ Hormone: Hypothalamic-releasing hormones
❑ Function: Regulates anterior pituitary hormones
 POSTERIOR PITUITARY
❑ Hormone: Anti-diuretic
hormone
❑ Function: Promotes water
reabsorption by kidneys
 PARATHYROID
❑ Hormone: Parathyroid
hormone
❑ Function: Maintains blood
calcium and phosphorus
levels
 THYROID
❑ Hormone:
Thyroid
hormones
❑ Function:
Increases
metabolic rates