CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM INCOMING INFORMATION-RECEPTORS

Respond to stimuli:
Central nervous system (CNS)
nerve endings (dendrites of neurons)
brain and spinal cord enclosed in bony coverings sense organs (taste)
Functions of the spinal cord
spinal cord reflexes Sensory Pathway (PNS)
i t g ti ((summation
integration ti off iinhibitory
hibit and
d excitatory)
it t ) nerve
impulses
Afferent neurons
highway for upward and downward travel of sensory and somatic and visceral sensory neurons
motor information
Brain functions
sensations, memory, emotions, decision making, behavior

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MOTOR PATHWAY (PNS)

OVERVIEW OF SPINAL CORD
Efferent neurons
Stimulate and control effectors Information highway between brain and body
somatic motor neurons
Each pair of spinal nerves receives sensory information
and issues motor signals to muscles and glands
visceral motor neurons
Spinal cord is a component of the CNS while the spinal
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
nerves are part off the
h PNS
Sympathetic

Parasympathetic

They both control the same effectors (with few

exceptions) but have opposite responses in
the effectors

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FUNCTIONS OF THE SPINAL CORD ANATOMY OF THE SPINAL CORD

Conduction
bundles of fibers passing information up and down spinal
Cylinder of nerve tissue within the vertebral canal (thick
cord
as a finger)
Locomotion vertebral column grows faster so in an adult the spinal cord
repetitive,
p coordinated actions of several muscle ggroups
p only extends to L1
central pattern generators are pools of neurons providing 31 pairs of spinal nerves arise from cervical, thoracic,
control of flexors and extensors (walking) lumbar and sacral regions of the cord
Reflexes each cord segment gives rise to a pair of spinal nerves
involuntary, stereotyped responses to stimuli (remove hand
from hot stove)
involves brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves

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1
 MENINGES OF THE SPINAL CORD MENINGES OF VERTEBRA AND SPINAL CORD

3 Fibrous layers enclosing spinal cord

Dura mater
tough collagenous membrane surrounded by epidural
space filled with fat and blood vessels
epidural anesthesia utilized during childbirth
Arachnoid mater
layer of simple squamous epithelium lining dura mater and
loose mesh of fibers filled with CSF
(creates subarachnoid space)
Pia mater
delicate membrane adherent to spinal cord

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CROSS-SECTIONAL ANATOMY OF THE SPINAL AREAS IN THE SPINAL CORD

CORD Pair of dorsal or posterior horns
dorsal root of spinal nerve is totally sensory fibers

Pair of ventral or anterior horns

ventral root of spinal nerve is totally motor fibers

Connected by gray commissure punctured by a central canal

continuous above with 4th ventricle

Central area of gray matter shaped like a butterfly and

surrounded by white matter in 3 columns
Gray matter = neuron cell bodies with little myelin
White matter = myelinated axons 14-9 14-10

REFLEXES
WHITE MATTER IN THE SPINAL CORD Automatic response to change in environment

White column = bundles of myelinated axons that carry signals up and down Integration center for spinal reflexes is gray matter of
to and from brainstem spinal cord
3 pairs of columns or funiculi Examples
dorsal, lateral, and anterior columns
Each column is filled with named tracts (fibers with a similar origin, somatic reflexes result in skeletal muscle contraction
destination and function) autonomic (visceral) reflexes involve smooth & cardiac muscle
Ascending and descending tract head up or down and glands.
g
Contralateral means origin and destination are on opposite sides while heart rate, respiration, digestion, urination, etc
ipsilateral means on same side
Reflexes can be:
simple
involve peripheral nerves and the spinal cord
spinal reflexes
learned (acquired)
involve peripheral nerves and the brain

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2
REFLEX ARC THE PATELLAR TENDON REFLEX ARC
Specific nerve impulse pathway
5 components of reflex arc
Receptor
Registers stimuli
Sensory neuron
Transmits stimuli to the CNS
Integrating center
Part of the CNS that processes the information and generates
response
Motor neuron
Transmits the response to the effector
Effector
Muscle or gland
4 important somatic spinal reflexes
stretch, tendon, flexor(withdrawal) & crossed extensor reflexes

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CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM-THE BRAIN THE BRAIN

Longitudinal fissure - cerebral hemispheres.

gyri = folds; sulci = grooves
cortex = surface layer of gray matter
nuclei = deeper masses of gray matter
tracts = bundles of axons (white matter)
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MEDIAN SECTION OF THE BRAIN GRAY AND WHITE MATTER

Gray matter = neuron cell bodies, dendrites,

and synapses
forms cortex over cerebrum and cerebellum
forms nuclei deep within brain
White matter = bundles of axons
forms tracts that connect parts of brain

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3
 MENINGES OF THE BRAIN VENTRICLES AND CEREBROSPINAL FLUID
Internal chambers within the CNS
lateralventricles in cerebral hemispheres
thirdventricle = single vertical space under
corpus callosum
cerebral aqueduct runs through midbrain

fourth ventricle = chamber between pons and

cerebellum
central canal runs down through spinal cord

Lined with ependymal cells

Choroid plexus produce CSF
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CEREBROSPINAL FLUID
BRAIN VENTRICLES
Fills ventricles and subarachnoid space
Brain produces and absorbs 500 ml/day
choroid plexus creates by filtration of blood
Functions
floats
brain so it is neutrally buoyant
cushions from hitting inside of skull
chemical stability -- rinses away wastes

Escapes (4th ventricle) to surround brain

Absorbed into venous sinus by arachnoid villi
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HINDBRAIN - MEDULLA OBLONGATA PONS

Cardiac center
adjusts rate and force of heart
Vasomotor center
adjusts blood vessel diameter
Respiratory
p y centers
control rate and depth of breathing
Reflex centers
for coughing, sneezing, gagging, swallowing,
vomiting, salivation, sweating, movements of
tongue and head
Most of the fibers are crossing over
Left cortex controls right side of body
Bulge in brainstem, superior to
medulla
Ascending sensory tracts
Descending motor tracts
Pathways in and out of cerebellum
Nuclei
concerned with posture, sleep, hearing,
balance, taste, eye movements, facial
expression, facial sensation, respiration,
swallowing, and bladder control

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4
CEREBELLUM CEREBELLUM

Two hemispheres connected by White matter (arbor vitae)

vermis visible in sagittal section
Cortex = surface folds called Evaluation of sensory
folia input
coordination and locomotor
Output comes from deep gray ability
spatial perception
nuclei

granule and purkinje cells Timekeeping center

predicting movement of objects

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MIDBRAIN - CROSS SECTION RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM

Tegmentum Scattered nuclei in medulla, pons &
connects to cerebellum
and helps midbrain
control fine movements Reticular activating system
through red nucleus alerts cerebral cortex to sensory signals
Substantia nigra (
(soundd off alarm,
l flash
fl h light,
light smoke
k or
sends inhibitory signals to intruder) to awaken from sleep
basal ganglia and maintains consciousness & helps keep you
thalamus (degeneration awake with stimuli from ears, eyes, skin and
leads to tremors and muscles
Parkinson disease) Motor function is involvement with
Central gray matter = maintaining muscle tone
pain awareness

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DIENCEPHALON: THALAMUS AND CEREBRUM -- GROSS ANATOMY

HYPOTHALAMUS
Thalamus Functions
Relays signals from cerebellum to
motor cortex
Emotional and memory functions
Hypothalamus Functions
h
hormone ti
secretion
autonomic NS control
thermoregulation
food and water intake (hunger and
satiety)
sleep and circadian rhythms
memory (mammillary bodies) Cerebral cortex - 3mm layer of gray matter
emotional behavior extensive folds increase surface area - divided into lobes
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5
FUNCTIONS OF CEREBRUM - LOBES TRACTS OF CEREBRAL WHITE MATTER
Frontal Most of cerebrum is white
voluntary motor functions matter
planning, mood, smell and social judgement Types of tracts
projection tracts
Parietal f
from b i tto spinal
brain i l cord,
d fforms
receives and integrates sensory information internal capsule
commissural tracts
Occipital cross to opposite hemisphere
corpus callosum
visual center of brain
anterior and posterior commissures
Temporal association tracts
connect lobes and gyri within a
areas
for hearing, smell, learning, memory, emotional hemisphere
behavior 14-31 14-32

LIMBIC SYSTEM MEMORY

Information management
requires learning, memory and forgetting
Amnesia
anterograde amnesia - no new memories
retrograde amnesia cant remember old ones
Hippocampus
organizessensory and cognitive information into a
Loop of cortical structures
new memory
amygdala, hippocampus and cingulate gyrus
Cerebellum helps learn motor skills
Role in emotion and memory
Amygdala - emotional memory
pleasure and aversion centers 14-33 14-34

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM SYMPATHETIC DIVISION

Visceral motor neurons control The sympathetic division is called the fight or flight
heart rate system
breathing rate when the body needs to generate energy
digestion exercise, excitement, emergency, and embarrassment
blood pressure Fight or flight response
salivation increases heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, blood
Nerve impulses of these motor neurons start in the CNS flow to skeletal muscles, glucose metabolism
(medulla oblongata and pons) decreases the activities that are not essential at the
Pathway through: moment (digestive system organs are subdued- decreased
Spinal cord blood flow to that system
Cranial nerves

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6
PARASYMPATHETIC DIVISION
ORGANIZATION OF THE SYMPATHETIC DIVISION
The parasympathetic division is called the rest and
digest
activated when the body needs to conserve energy
digestion, defecation, and diuresis (urination)
Promotes necessary changes during these activities
rate blood pressure,
decreases heart rate, press re respiration rate,
rate
blood flow to skeletal muscles, glucose metabolism
increases the activity of and blood flow to the digestive
system organs

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EFFECTS OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS OF THE AUTONOMIC

EFFERENT SYMPATHETIC VS. PARASYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
The cells of each organ controlled by the ANS have both ACh and
NE receptors
organs are dually controlled
The response of the organ is determined by the identity of the
neurotransmitter released
the binding of ACh to its receptor will cause the effector to
respond in one way
the binding of NE to its receptor will cause the effector to
respond in the opposite way
The effect of ACh and NE is effector specific
NE increases heart rate, ACh decreases heart rate
NE decreases the secretion of saliva, ACh increases the
secretion of saliva

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