The Nervous System

Dr Saw Ai Yong

The nervous system is divided into 2

main parts,
1.The central nervous system and
2.The peripheral nervous system
The Central Nervous System (C.N.S)
CNS consists of brain and spinal cord
enclosed in cranium and vertebral
column.
Both are surrounded and protected by
layers of non-nervous tissue,
collectively term meninges. These
layers from without inward, are the
dura, arachnoid and pia maters.
The space between the arachnoid and
pia mater, the subarachnoid space
contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

CNS is composed of large amount of

excitable nerve cells and their processes , which
is supported by specialized tissue called
neuroglia.
The interior of the CNS is organized into gray
and white mater.
Gray mater- consists of bodies of nerve cells
and proximal portion of their processes
embedded in neuroglia, it has a gray colour
White mater- consists of nerve fibers
embedded in neuroglia, it has a white colour due
to presence of lipid material in the myelin sheaths
of many nerve fibers.
The principal roles of the CNS are to integrate
and coordinate incoming and outgoing neural

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

PNS is composed of cranial nerves, spinal nerves
and their associated ganglion.
The peripheral nerves consist of bundles of nerve
fibers or axons. Although surrounded by fibrous
sheath as they run to different parts of the body,
they are relatively unprotected and are commonly
damaged by trauma.
PNS conveys neural impulses to the CNS from the
sense organs (eg the eyes and ears) and from
sensory receptors in various part of the body (eg
in muscle)
The PNS also conveys neural impulses from CNS
to the muscles and glands.

Major Divisions of the CNS and PNS

CNS
Brain
their ganglia -12
Forebrain
through the
Cerebrum
Diencephalon
Midbrain
Hindbrain
Pons
Medulla oblongata
Cerebellum

PNS
Cranial nerves and
pairs that exit the skull
foramina

CNS
Spinal cord
ganglia-

PNS
Spinal nerves and their
31 pairs that exit the

the vertebral
column through the
intervertebral
Cervical segment
Thoracic segment
nerves
Lumbar segment
Sacral segment
Coccygeal segment

foramina
8 cervical spinal nerves
12 thoracic spinal
5 lumbar spinal nerves
5 sacral spinal nerves
1 coccygeal spinal nerve

Both CNS and PNS are composed of somatic and

autonomic components.
The somatic component is concerned with the
innervation of straited muscles, tendons,
joints and skin.
The autonomic nervous system is concerned
with the innervation of involuntary
structures such as the heart, smooth
muscles and glands.
Although the nervous system is divided into
somatic and autonomic components, the
division is not clear cut in the CNS.
The division is clear cut only in the PNS.
However, in both divisions, the functional unit
is a reflex arc
consisting of

I
I
II

III

II
III

I Sensory neuron (afferent)

II Connector neuron
III Motor neuron (efferent)

III

Somatic Nervous System

Nervous System
1.Motor neurons have cell
are cells of the
bodies in the anterior horn of
ganglia situated outside
The spinal cord.
2.Motor endings are motor end
are not discrete like
plates of the striated muscles
muscles, but they

Autonomic
Motor neurons
autonomic
The CNS.
Motor endings
on the striated
are a

composite plexus between

and around
all the smooth muscle
fibers and
glands

The Autonomic Nervous System

ANS is a system of nerves and ganglia
concerned with the distribution of
impulses to the heart, smooth muscles and
glands.
The ANS consists of 2 parts
1.The Sympathetic system and
2.The Parasympathetic system
In basic morphologic plan, the sympathetic
and parasympathetic systems are
identical, for each possess preganglionic
fibers, peripheral autonomic cells and
postganglionic fibers.
The sympathetic system stimulates
activities that are performed during
emergency and stress situations (eg.,

III

VII
IX

X
T1 L2

S 2,3,4

Cervical ganglia

Stellate ganglia

Thoracic ganglia

Lumbar ganglia

Sacral ganglia

11

Ganglia impar

Parasympathetic

Differences between Sympathetic &

Parasympathetic systems

Sympathetic
1.Thoraco-lumbar
outflow. (T1 to L2)
2.Preganglionic neurone
lateral horn
3. Preganglionic fiber
short
4. Ganglion near
vertebral column
5. Postganglionic fiber
long

Parasympathetic
1. Cranio-sacral outflow
(CN: 3,7,9 & 10 and S
2,3,4)
2. Preganglionic neurone
brainstem & sacral
segment of spinal cord
3. Preganglionic fiber
long
4. Ganglion near target
organ
5. Postganglionic fiber
short

6. Neurotransmitter at preganglionic ending

Acetylcholine (Ach)
7. Neurotransmitter at
post-ganglionic ending
norepinephrine( a few
ending, Acetylcholinesweat gland)
8. Action Prepares body
for emergency

9. Widespread due to
many postganglionic
fibers

6. Acetylcholine

7. Acetylcholine at all
endings

8. Conserves & restores

energy

9. Discrete action with

few postganglionic
fibers

Sympathetic
activities (Fight,
Flight & Fright)

Parasympathetic
activities (Conserve and
store body resources)

Typical Spinal Nerve

A typical spinal nerve arises from the spinal
cord by two roots.
The ventral root contains motor or efferent
fibers from motor neurone in the ventral
horn of the spinal cord.
The dorsal root carries sensory or afferent
fibers from cells in the dorsal root ganglion.
The dorsal and ventral roots unite to form a
spinal nerve, which divides into two
branches a dorsal ramus and a ventral
ramus.
The dorsal and ventral rami of spinal nerves
contain
1.The motor or efferent fibers from ventral
horn cells of the spinal cord.

Nerve
A bundle of nerve fibers or axons in the PNS is
called a nerve.
Nerve plexus
A network of nerve is called nerve plexus ( eg,
the coeliac plexus in the superior part of
abdomen
Ganglion
A collection of nerve cells or neurones is called
a ganglia (eg the spinal ganglia)
Peripheral nerve
A peripheral nerve conveys sensory input to
the CNS and motor output to the muscle and

Medical Application
1.Spinal cord injuryies
2.Spinal nerve injuries
3.Head injuries
4.Fractures of the skull
5.Brain injuries
6.Intracranial haemorrhage & cerebral
haemorrhage
7.Space occupying lesions within the skull
8.Abnormal autonomic function
9.Computed Tomography (CT)
10.Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
11.Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
(9,10, 11- can detect the lesions of brain and
spinal cord)

Objectives of Nervous System

To classify the nervous system
To compare CNS and PNS
To compare SNS and ANS
To compare the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system
To describe the spinal nerve
To know the medical application of nervous system
References
1.Grays Anatomy ( The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice)
(Fourtieth Edition) Churchill Livingstone Elsevier
2.Textbook of Human Neuroanatomy Seventh Edition Inderbir
Singh Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers Ltd New Delhi