The Nervous System

The “Master System”

 The Cellular Components
 Neurons G lia lC e lls


 -Function: transmit -Function : support

information n e u ro n s in p la ce a n d
 p ro vid e in su la tio n
 -There are 28 billion in -These cellsoutnumber
the human body th e n e u ro n s b y 1 to 1 0

ra tio
 -Longest neuron is a
little over 1 meter



 The Neuron

-the cell body, containing the nucleus (genetic material)

-dendrites, hair-like structures surrounding the cell body,

which conduct incoming signals

-the axon (or nerve fiber), varying in length from a millimeter

to a meter, which conduct outgoing signals emitted by the

neuron. Axons are encased in a fat-like sheath, called
myelin, which acts like an insulator and, along with the
Nodes of Ranvier, speeds impulse transmission
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 Glia

-Astrocyte - provides physical and nutritional support for neurons;

digests part of dead neurons as well as regulates the
extracelullar fluid around the neuron.
-Microglia - digests part of dead neurons

-Oligodendroglia - provides insulation for neurons (myelin)

-Satellate cell - provides physical support for neurons in PNS

-Schwann cell - provides insulation for neurons (myelin)

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How does it work?
When at rest a neuron is


polarized—that is, it has a

negative charge on the
inside of the cell relative
to the outside of the cell.
This is because it has a
higher concentration of
negatively charged ions on
the inside. When
stimulated, the nerve cell
membrane becomes
permeable to sodium ions,
which rush in temporarily
causing a positive charge
to build up on the inside
relative to the outside.
When the electrical
impulse reaches the end
of the axon it is
transferred to the next
nerve cell so the message
can continue.
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 Classifying Neurons

The nerve cell bodies are generally located in



groups. Within the brain and spinal cord, the

collections of neurons are called nuclei and
constitute the gray matter, so-called because of
their color. Outside the brain and spinal cord the
groups are called ganglia. The remaining areas
of the nervous system are tracts of axons, the
white matter, so called because of white myelin
sheath. Tracts carrying information of a specific
type, such as pain or vision, generally have
specific names.


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 Basic Neurons

Pyramidal Bipolar Motor Neuron Sensory • Sensory neurons carry

(Interneuron ) (multipolar ) Neuron
Cell
(unipolar ) signals from the outer parts
of your body (periphery)
into the central nervous
system.
• Motor neurons
(motoneurons) carry signals
from the central nervous
system to the outer parts
(muscles, skin, glands) of
your body.
• Interneurons connect
various neurons within the
brain and spinal cord.
• Receptors sense the
environment (chemicals,
light, sound, touch) and
encode
http this information
://health.howstuffworks .com/brain2.htm into
electrochemical
http ://healthmad.com/conditions-messages
and-diseases/brain-
anatomy-for-nurses-made-simple-self-learn-series/
that are transmitted by
More Shapes and Sizes

http://www.mind.ilstu.edu/curriculum/neurons_intro/neurons_intro.ph
 Somatosensory Receptors
 Input (afferent system) to the nervous system is in the form of
our five senses: touch/pain, vision, taste, smell, and
hearing. Pain, temperature, and pressure are known as
somatic senses. Sensory receptors are classified
according to the type of energy they can detect and
respond to. 


• Mechanoreceptors: hearing and balance, stretching. 

• Photoreceptors: light. 
• Chemoreceptors: smell and taste mainly, as well as
internal sensors in the digestive and circulatory
systems. 
• Thermoreceptors: changes in temperature. 
• Electroreceptors: detect electrical currents in the
surrounding environment.
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The System
 Anatomy
 Central Nervous System
Peripheral Nervous System
 (CNS) (PNS)


 -Brain -Nerve Network

of the Body
 -Spinal Cord

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 Physiology (function)

In the PNS, collections In the CNS, collections

of neurons are called of
ganglia neurons are called
nuclei

Involuntary Control Voluntary Control

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http://www.biologymad.com/NervousSystem/nervoussystemintro.htm
 Physiology of Autonomic Nervous
System
 Sympathe Pa ra sym p a th
tic e tic


 (stimulate ( calms )
 function)

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