LESSON 2:

THE PATHWAY OF THE

NERVOUS SYSTEM
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
1. identify the parts and functions of a neuron;
2. discuss the role of sensory and motor neurons in the nervous system;
3. illustrate the pathway and function of the sensory and motor neurons;
and
4. infer the importance of the nervous system as the control system of
the body
THE NEURONS

• the basic unit of the nervous system.

• which carries impulses to the nervous system.
• parts: dendrites, nucleus, cell body, axon, nodes of
Ranvier, myelin sheath cells and the axon terminal.
 THE NEURONS

The dendrites receive the impulses and carry these toward the cell body
while the axon carries the impulses away from the cell body which
passes along the different parts of the neuron.

Axons then pass the impulses to the dendrites of the other neurons’ cell
body in the muscle cells. At the end of these dendrites, signals originate
as a dendrite is called the receptor site of neurons.
Classification of Neurons

1. Sensory or affective neurons carry impulses from the sense

organs to the brain and spinal cord.

2. Motor or effective neurons carry impulses from the brain and

spinal cord to the muscles

3. Associative neurons, located in the CNS, analyze and interpret

the data or impulses
How is a message transported?
The stimulus had triggered the information sent to the
central nervous system as the reaction to the stimulus
response happened.
The five sense organs collect the information and send it to
the brain in a nerve impulse..
A nerve impulse is a wave of a chemical reaction and
electrochemical change.

The information transmitted is called action potential

How is a message transported?

When a nerve impulse reaches the axon terminal,

neurotransmitters are released which send the information across
the synapse to stimulate the next neuron.

The information transmitted is called action potential.

Transmitting information
from neurons to another
target cell (muscle cell)
How is a message transported?

Meanwhile, reaction time happens in the length of time

between the activation of the stimulus up to its
recognition.
In order to live day by day, an organism must be able to
respond to these different stimuli.
As shown in Figure 2.3, once a stimulus is detected through a
receptor or a sense organ (eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue), the
sensory neuron carries the message to the brain from one nerve cell
to another. When the message is received by the brain, it processes
the information and orders the effector (muscles or glands) to
respond to the message. To deliver a response, the motor neuron
sends a message away from the brain.
Homeostasis

-Homeostasis is the condition wherein the human body system is

maintained in balance despite the changing factors outside. The organ
system of the body which includes the cells, tissues and other body
parts is responsible in maintaining the balance inside.
-Regulating the internal environment is very important to make the
organs function well.
The following components are necessary in
maintaining homeostasis:

1. Stimulus – The variable that is being regulated.

2. Sensor – It monitors the value of the variable and sends the

message to the control center
3. Control Center – It matches the data to the normal values

4. Effector – The organ, gland, muscle or other body parts

that act on the message from the control center to move back
to the set point to regulate the body.
To maintain the values in normal range, negative feedback
happens in a loop that includes the stimulus, sensor,
control center and effector
Negative feedback loops can control the body temperature
and even the glucose level. Positive feedback, on the other
hand, is not so common. This type of feedback serves to
intensify a response until endpoint is reached.

When homeostatic mechanism is not in balance, organ failure

or diseases could happen.