THE CONNECTING MECHANISM

(THE NERVOUS SYSTEM)

THE CONNECTING MECHANISM
Neuron is the basic conducting unit of the nervous system. Responsible in
making body necessary responses or actions. It has three principal parts:
• The Dendrites are specialized signal-receiving
structures where the impulse (input) enters
Neuron fiber carrying impulse to nerve cell
body from synapse.
• The Cell Body (the central region) which
integrates input and output. Compact central
portion of neuron.
• The Axon where the output is discharged.
Carries the nerve impulse away from the cell
body.
Types of Neurons
1. According to speed: Impulses in the fastest neuron move at the rate of
110 meters per second; in the slowest 0.5m per second. The speed of
condition is matched by the thickness of the myelin sheath (insulating
material around the axon). The more myelin, the faster the conduction.

2. Glia Cell or Neuroglia – other cells in the central nervous system. It is

smaller than neurons. Their function is to provide support to the neurons.

3. According to basic function:

a) Sensory neurons (afferent fibers) conduct impulses to the nervous system.
Carry messages towards the central nervous system from the receptors
such as the eyes, ears and other sense organs.
Types of Neurons
b) Connecting or Association neuron central or connecting conduct impulses
within the nervous system. These are ‘middle-men’ between neurons. They
are between the sensory and motor neurons. Most of them are found within
the central nervous system.

c) Motor neurons (efferent fibers) conduct impulses away from the nervous
system. These carry messages from the central nervous system to the muscles
and glands.
Divisions of the Human Nervous System
1.Automatic or Sympathetic Nervous System:
This system is so-called because many of its
activities are “autonomous” or “self-
regulating” such as digestion and circulation,
which go on even when a person is asleep or
unconscious. It consists of two antagonists
but integrated:

• Sympathetic System consists of nerves and

ganglia in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar
segments of gray matter of the spinal cord.
• Parasympathetic System is composed of
fibers from the cranial region, some below
the sympathetic system.
Divisions of the Human Nervous System
2. The Cerebro – Spinal System
• The brain and the spinal cord are protected by three meninges or
membranes; the dura mater is the outer membrane lining the inner
surface of the skull forming a protective covering for the brain. The
arachnoid is the thin membrane beneath the dura mater which secretes a
serious fluid keeping the inner surface moist; the pia mater is the
membrane dipping to the convolutions, fissures and the interior and is
rich in blood vessels.
a. The Central Nervous System – composed of the brain and the spinal
cord.
• BRAIN is that portion of the nervous system that is encased in the cranial
bones. It composed of soft nerve tissues covered by three membranes
together known as meninges.
• Spinal Cord - The spinal cord is composed mainly of nerve connections
running between the brain and the various parts of the body. It is long,
tapering tube which occupy the hollow interior of the vertebral column,
through the opening of which the spinal nerves enter and emerge from
the cord. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves.
Three Major Sub–Divisions of the Brain
 1. Hindbrain – within the hindbrain are the medulla oblogata,
cerebellum, and pons varoli.
• Medulla oblongata – The lowest portion of the brain.
It connects the spinal cord. It contains center that
regulate heartbeat, blood pressure, and breathing and
it controls the activities of the internal organs. Has
control over breathing, swallowing, digestion,
heartbeat.
• Cerebellum – is situated at the back of and above the
medulla. For muscles tone, body balance, coordination
of voluntary movement (as of fingers and thumb).
• Pons Varoli - contains nerves fibers that connect both
hemispheres of the cerebellum with each other as well
as with nerve fibers that transmit neutral impulses
upward and downward within the nervous system.
Midbrain – contains nerve tracks that connect the cerebrum with the brain stem and the
spinal cord. It also contains neurons that are important for visual and auditory functions. A
conduction and switching center; pupillary light reflex.
Forebrain – the highest part of the brain, is divided into three main
parts: the thalamus, the limbic system, and the cerebrum.
• Thalamus – is the brain’s major relay station
connecting the lower the lower structures of the
brain and the spinal cord with cerebrum. The way-
station for impulses coming up the spinal cord to the
cerebrum. In the thalamus lie the cell bodies of
important connecting neurons for the various
senses.
• Limbic System – includes such areas as the
amygdala, the hippocampus, the septum and
portions of the hypothalamus and thalamus is a
complex organization of neutral structures and
pathways carrying messages between the lower and
higher parts of the brain. It receives sensory
messages from the visceral organs and helps control
activities.
Two sub- Division of the Central Nervous
System
• Somatic Nervous System – form
by the efferent nerves leading to
the skeleton muscles. Somatic
motor nerves control most of
what we called behavior.
• Autonomic Nervous System –
regulates the automatic actions of
the viscera necessary to keep the
body in operation and to
reproduce the species. It is the
mainly responsible for the
activation of the smooth
muscles , the glands, and in part,
the heart muscles.
Lobes of the Brain
Brain Areas
1. Motor Area: (in front of the fissure of Rolando). The body is
represented in approximately upside-down form.
2. Body-sense Area: (in the parietal lobe). The lower
extremities are represented high on the area of the opposite
hemisphere.
3. Visual Area: (in the occipital lobe). Damage in the left
hemisphere will result in blind areas in the left side both
eyes.
4. Auditory Area: Both ears are totally represented on both
sides so that loss of one temporal lobe has very little effect
on hearing.
5. Speech Area: The motor-speech area (Broca’s speech area)
controls the tongue and jaws. It is located in the right
hemisphere of the left handed persons and vice versa -
according to conventional interpretation.
6. Association Areas: (areas of the brain not accounted for).
Bring together phenomena involving more than one sense.
7. Smell Area: Just below the frontal – near the temporal lobe.
8. Taste Area: Located behind the central fissure at the lower
part of the side of the brain.
The Peripheral Nervous System
• It is composed of the cranial
nerves, the spinal nerves and the
nerves of the autonomic nervous
system.
• Composed of nerves that
connect the brain and spinal cord
to the periphery of the body.
• This nerves, called the peripheral
nerves are found outside the
central nervous system. They
connect to the skin, muscles, and
glands.
Cranial Nerves: there are twelve pairs
of cranial nerves made up of sensory,
motor, and mixed nerves. Motor
nerves arise from cell bodies within
the brain; sensory nerves arise from
cell bodies outside the brain.
Spinal Nerves: there are thirty-one
pairs of spinal nerves. They emerge
form the cervical, thoracic, lumbar,
sacral and coccygeal areas of the
vertebral column through openings
between the vertebrae.
The Peripheral Nervous System
SPINAL NERVES