Physiology of Nervous

System

Organization and cells of the

Nervous System

Classes of neurons: Afferent neurons,

efferent neurons, and inter neurons

Glial cells
90% of neurons
Support the neurons physically and
metabolically

Protection and Nourishment of the

Brain

 The brain cells cant regenarate and fragile

The mechanism of protection:
It is enclosed by hard, bony structures (cranium
and vertebral column)
The three protective and nourishing membranes
(meninges) lie between bony covering and
nervous tissue
The brain floats in cushioning fluid
(Cerebrospinal fluid)
A highly selective blood-brain barrier limits
access of blood borne materials

Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)

BBB protects the nerve cells structurally
and physiologically
In brain capillaries, the cells connected by
tight junctions (no pore such in usual
capillaries)
O2, C02, alcohol, and other lipid soluble
substances penetrates through plasma
Membrane
Glucose, amino acid, and ions transported
by glucose membrane carriers

 Hypothalamus is not selaed by BBB

as the blood sampling to maintain
homeostasis

 The brain depends on constant

supplies of glucose and O2 (brain
uses 20% O2 and 50% glucose
consumed by the body)

Overview of the Central Nervous

Systems

 No part of the brain acts in isolation

(brain is network)
However, regions in the brain tend to
serve different functions

 Grouping of the part of the brain:

1. Brain stem
2. Cerebellum
3. Fore brain
a. Diencephalon
- Hypothalamus
- Thalamus

b. Cerebrum
- Basal Nuclei
- Cerebral cortex

 Brainstem
Control vegetative state/primitive
functions
Consist of :
Medulla oblongata
Pons
Mesencephalon

 Overall functions:
Site of cranial nerves
Within the brainstem are the neuronal
center (i.e respiratory control center,
basal nuclei,etc)
Regulating muscle reflexes involved in
equilibrium and posture
Reticular formation runs througout the
brain stem, the ascending fiber forms
RAS (Reticular Activating System)

 Cerebellum
Maintain proper position of body in
space
Subconscious coordination of motor
activity

 Diencephalon, consist of:

Hypothalamus
Controls many important functions to
maintain normal internal environment (body
temperature, sleep, hunger, thirst, and
circadian rhythm)

Thalamus
Control many primitive sensory processing
(as a relay site between subcortical area and
cerebral cortex)

Cerebrum
Cerebral Cortex
Outer shell of grey matter covering inner
core of white matter
Gray matter consist of cells body, and
white matter consist of tracts

 The four pair of lobes serve different

activities

 The parietal lobes acomplish

somatosensory processing
Consist of Censory homuculus and ather
association areas
The somatosensory cortex receives input
from the opposite part of the body
Simple awareness of touch, pain, and
pressure is detected by the thalamus
Somatosensory cortex precises the location
and intensity of the stimulus

 The Primary motor cortex in frontal

lobes controls the skeletal muscles
Control muscles in opposite part of the
body
The extent of representation is
proportional to precision and complexity
The higher motor area are also
important in motor control
(Supplementary motor area, premotor
cortex, and the posterior parietal cortex)

 Different region of the cortex control

different aspects of language

Basal Ganglia
Consist of several masses of gray matter
within the cerebral white matter
Important role:
1. Inhibiting muscle tone through out the body
2. Selecting and maintaining purposeful motor
activity while suppresing useless or
unwanted patterns of movement
3. Helping monitor and coordinate slow,
sustained contractions, especially relate to
posture and support

Afferent division: Receptor

Physiology

 A stimulus is a change detectable by the

body
Stimuli exist in various form : heat, light,
sound, pressure, and cehemical changes
Afferent neurons have senosry receptor at
periphery end
Stimuli bring about graded potential known
as receptor potential
The conversion of stimuli energy to receptor
potential known is as sensory transduction

 Each receptor specialized to one type of stimulus

Photoreceptors
Mechanoreceptors
Thermoreceptors
Osmoreceptors
Chemoreceptors
Nociceptors

Two types of receptor :

Specialized ending of a motor neuron
A separate receptor cell closely associated with the
peripheral ending of the neuron

 In afferent nerve fiber, initiat ion of action potential

is in the peripheral end of nerve fiber, contrary to
interneuron and efferent nerve fiber (in axon Hillock)

The strength of stimulus

Type of receptor according to speed

of adaptation
Tonic receptor (adapt slowly, i.e
muscle stretch receptor)
Phasic receptor (adapt fastly,
especially in a change of stimulus, i.e
pacinian corpuscle)

Mechanical receptor
Hair receptor, senses hair movement and very
gentle touch (rapidly adapting)
Merkels disc, detects light, sustained touch and
texture (slowly adapting)
Pacinian corpuslce, responds to vibrations and
deep pressure (rapidly adapting)
Ruffini endings, responds to deep, sustained
pressure and stretch of the skin (slowly
adapting)
Meissners corpuscle, sensitive to light, fluttering
touch (rapidly adapting)

 Other receptor (special senses)

Efferent Division: Autonomic

Nervous System

 Autonomic nerve pathway consist of

two neuron chain
Preganglionic fiber and
postganglionic fiber
Consist of two subdivision
Sympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic nervous system

Sympathetic Nervous
System
Originate in thoracic and lumbar region
Most symphatetic preganglionic fiber is very
short, synapses with postganglionic neuron
in sympathetic ganglion chain
Long postganglionic fiber originate in
ganglion chain, and end on the effector
organs
Some preganglionic fibers pass symphatetic
ganglion chain without synapsing, and end
at the collateral ganglia

Parasymphatetic division
Arise from cranial (brain stem) and
sacral areas of the CNS
Preganglionic fibers is longer than in
Symphatetic division because it ends
near effector organ
Very short post ganglionic fibers end
in the organs

 Both, sympathetic and

parasympathetic pre ganglionic
fibers release Acethylcholine (ACh)
Sympathetic postganglionic fibers
release norepinefrine
Parasymphatetic postganglionic
fibers release Acethylcholine

 Both nervous system exert opposite

effects to the organs by dual
innervation

 In dual innervation, the symphatetic

and parasymphatetic nervous
system continuosly exert its effect in
various organs, known as tonic
activity.
Changing tone can happened in
various situations to meet certain
metabolic demands

 Time of syphatetic dominance : in fight or

flight response.
In stressfull situations : increase heart rate,
increase blood pressure, constriction of blood
vessels to rise BP, widening of respiratory
airway to maximize airflow, dilatation of pupil
(for far vision), break glycogen and fat stores
for fuel, dilatation of blood vessels supplying
skeletal muscles

Time of parasymphatetic dominance: in

res-digest response

 In housekeeping and rest situautions

 Several exceptions:
Blood vessels and sweat glands
innervated only by Symphatetic nervous
system
The only blood vessels innervated by
both nervous sytem is in penis and
clitoris
Salivary glands are innervated by both
nervous sytem, but not antagonistic

Several different receptor types arae

available for each different
neurotransmitter

Summary: Distinguishing
Features

Efferent division: Somatic Nervous

System

Please refer to NMJ lecture

THANK YOU