PHYSIOLOGY OF SENSORY

SYSTEM –NEURONS AND

SYNAPSE
DR. NYANGARESI JUSTINE
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students should be able;
•Describe structure of a nerve.
•Explain properties of a nerve.
•Enlist different classification of nerves.
•Enlist clinical pearls of this classifation.
NEURONS
The structural and the functional unit ofnervous system
STRUCTURE OF NEURON
STRUCTURE OF NEURON
DEFINITION OF TERMS – action potential
• ACTION POTENTIAL· These are abrupt, pulse-like changes in the
membrane potential that last a few ten thousandths of a second.
• The amplitude of an action potential is nearly constant and is not
related to the size of the stimulus, so action potentials are all or
nothing
• Phases of action potential;
• The resting or polarized state: -70mV, Na conductance low, K intracellular.
• Depolarization: sodium voltage gates open.
• Repolarization·
DEFINITION OF TERMS – membrane
potential
Factors that influence membrane potential:·
1. Concentration gradients of differentions across the membrane·

2. The permeability of the membrane tothese ions

DEFINITION OF TERMS – membrane
potential
DEFINITION OF TERMS – resting potential
DEFINITION OF TERMS – action potential
DEFINITION OF TERMS – action potential
PROPERTIES OF A NEURON
• Excitability·
• Conductivity·
• Unfatigability.
• Refractive period.
• All or none response·
• Summation.
• Accommodation
PROPERTIES OF A NEURON - Excitability
• Refers to respond to various stimuli·
• They are capable of generating electrical impulse upon stimuli.
PROPERTIES OF A NEURON -
Conductivity
Upon stimulation of nerve an action potential is generated.
This can be propagated along its entire length to the axon terminal and
is called conductivity.
Types: Saltatory and non saltatory conduction
PROPERTIES OF A NEURON - Refractory
period
This is the period during action potential the excitability of a nerve
become reduced
No new impulse can be generated when an Action Potential has been
generated.

Types of refractory period:

Absolute refractory period (ARP)
Relative refractory period( RRP)
PROPERTIES OF A NEURON - Refractory
period
Absolute refractory period
•This is the period the nerve shows no response at all, whatever may be the
strength of stimulus.
•Corresponds to the period from the time when firing level is reached till
the time when one third of repolarization is completed

Relative Refractory Period

It is the period, during which the nerve fiber shows response, if the strength
of stimulus is increased to maximum.
Relative refractory period extends through rest of the repolarization period.
PROPERTIES OF A NEURON - Unfatiguability
Nerve fibres can not be fatigued even when they are stimulated
continuously.
Because they only conduct after the refractory period.

All or none response:.

Either all of the action potential is seen or none at all. If a stimulus of
threshold strength is applied actionPotential will be generated. Further
increase in strength of stimulus or durationhas no effect on amplitude
of action Potential. But can affect frequency
PROPERTIES OF A NEURON -All or none
response
Either all of the action potential is seen or none at all.

If a stimulus of threshold strength is applied action Potential will be

generated.

Further increase in strength of stimulus or duration has no effect on

amplitude of action Potential.
PROPERTIES OF A NEURON –Summation &
accomodation
Summation:
Application of a sub threshold stimulus does note evoke an action potential.
However if sub threshold stimuli are applied in rapid succession they are added
and they produce an action potential.

Accommodation:
Application of continuous stimuli may decrease theexcitability of nerve fibre.
Mechanism: Continuous depolarization inactivates the sodium pump and
increases the efflux of potassium ions.
CLASSIFICATION
• According to structure
• According to distribution
• According to diameter and velocity of conduction (Erlangerand
Grasser's classification)
CLASSIFICATION
• According to structure
• According to distribution
• According to diameter and velocity of conduction (Erlangerand
Grasser's classification)
CLASSIFICATION of neurons – according
to structure
Let us look at Myelin first:
Definition: Myelin is a lipid-rich substance that surrounds the axons forming an electrically insulating layer

Composition: Composed of lipids and proteins which is white giving white matter in the brain.

Production: CNS: Oligodendrocytes. PNS: schwann cells

Function: Increases the speed at which impulses propagate along the myelinated fiber. By Saltatory
conduction:

Clinical Relevance: Damage to myelin causes several neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis
(MS) in the CNS and Guillain-Barré syndrome in the PNS.
CLASSIFICATION of neurons – according
to structure
FUNCTIONS OF MYELIN SHEATH:
IT PREVENTS LEAKAGE OF IONS BY 5000 FOLDS.

IT INCREASES VELOCITY OF CONDUCTION BY 5-50 FOLDS DUE TO SALTATORY

CONDUCTION i.e. ABOUT 100 m/s IN CASE OFMYELINATED NERVE FIBERS WHILE IN
NONMYELINATEDIT IS ABOUT 0.25 m/s.

SALTATORY CONDUCTION CONSERVES ENERGY BECAUSE ONLY NODES OF

RANVIER GET DEPOLARISED.
CLASSIFICATION of neurons – according
to structure
Myelinated fibres: Covered by my myelin sheath.

Unmyelinated fibres: Not Covered by my myelin sheath.

CLASSIFICATION of neurons – according
to structure
DIFFEENCES
CLASSIFICATION of neurons – according
to structure
Saltatory conduction
CLASSIFICATION of neurons – according
to Distribution
DIFFERENCES

Somatic fibres: supply skeletal muscles.

Visceral or autonomic fibres: supply the internal organs

CLASSIFICATION of neurons – according
to Distribution
Somatic fibres
These are a type motor nerve fibers.
The neurotransmitter released at the neuron endings is
acetylcholine(Ach).
It always leads to muscles excitation.
Inhibition takes place centrally due to participation of
interneurons.
CLASSIFICATION of neurons – according
to Distribution
Visceral or autonomic fibres

•These innervate smooth muscles, cardiac muscles and glands.

•Primarily maintain homeostasis with the help of autonomic nervous

system.

•They can lead to either excitation or inhibition of effector organs.

CLASSIFICATION of neurons – according
to Distribution
Visceral or autonomic fibres
CLASSIFICATION of neurons –
(Erlangerand Grasser's classification)
Erlanger and Grasser studied the action potential of mixed
nerve trunk
They observed that the different nerve fibre diameters had
different conduction speed.

So they divided nerve fibers into 3 groups.

CLASSIFICATION of neurons –
(Erlangerand Grasser's classification)
They observed that as Diameter increases
•Velocity of conduction increases
•Magnitude of electrical response increases.
•Threshold of excitation decreases.
•Duration of response decreases.
•Refractory period decreases.
CLASSIFICATION of neurons –
(Erlangerand Grasser's classification)
Groups.
•A group
•B group
•C group
CLASSIFICATION of neurons –
(Erlangerand Grasser's classification)
A Groups features
•A group is composed of largest fibers.
•The fibers of this group are myelinated.
•Both sensory and motor in function.
•It is found in somatic nerves
•Subclassification: 4 sub groups.
• Aα (afferent and efferent fibers)·
• Aß (afferent and efferent fibers)·
• Aγ (efferent fibers)·
• Aδ (afferent fibers)
CLASSIFICATION of neurons –
(Erlangerand Grasser's classification)
B GROUP.
The fibers of this group are myelinated.
Location: solely in preganglionic autonomic nerve.
CLASSIFICATION of neurons –
(Erlangerand Grasser's classification)
C GROUP
•It is composed of smallest fibers.
•All the fibers of this group are unmyelinated.
•Location: visceral and cutaneous nerves and postganglionic
sympathetic nerve.
•They have highest threshold
CLASSIFICATION of neurons –
(Erlangerand Grasser's classification)
Clinical pearls:
Susceptible to: Most least
•Hypoxia B C
•Pressure A C
•Local anesthetics C A
CLASSIFICATION of neurons – (other
classification)
Function:
•Motor:
•Sensory

Neurotransmitter:
•Acetylcholine
•Noradrenergic:
CLASSIFICATION of neurons – (other:
numerical classification)
Clinical pearls
• Demyelinating Diseases: Affect somatic, visceral afferents, motor
• Pain and temperature not affected
• Multiple sclerosis: Myelin destroyed in CNS.
• Guillain barre: demyelination of peripheral nerves.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students should be able;
•Describe structure of a nerve.
•Explain properties of a nerve.
•Enlist different classification of nerves.
•Enlist clinical pearls of this classifation.
END

ANY QUESTIONS