INTRODUCTION AND

ORGANIZATION OF
THE NERVOUS
SYSTEM
RAYMOND V. CRUZ,PTRP

FUNCTION OF THE NERVOUS

SYSTEM

receive

sensory stimuli
and to transmit them to
effector organs, whether
muscular or glandular

2 MAIN (ANATOMY) DIVISIONS

OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
CENTRAL

NERVOUS SYSTEM

BRAIN
SPINAL CORD

PERIPHERAL

NERVOUS SYSTEM
CRANIAL NERVES
SPINAL NERVES
ASSOCIATED GANGLIA

CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM
BRAIN AND
MENINGES

SPINAL CORD

CEREBROSPINAL

FLUID
NEURONS, NEUROGLIA,
AXONS (NERVE FIBERS)
GRAY MATTER VS. WHITE
MATTER

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM

Spinal

and cranial

nerves
Associated ganglia
consist of bundles of
nerve fibers or axons
Relatively unprotected

2 FUNCTIONAL DIVISIONS OF
NERVOUS SYSTEM

SOMATIC

NERVOUS

SYSTEM
AUTONOMIC

SYSTEM

NERVOUS

SOMATIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
innervates

the
structures of the body
wall (muscles, skin, and
mucous membranes).

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
contains

portions of the central and

peripheral systems

concerned

with the innervation of

involuntary structures

divisions
Sympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic nervous system

MAJOR DIVISIONS OF
THE CENTRAL
NERVOUS SYSTEM

SPINAL CORD
situated

within the vertebral

canal of the vertebral
column
surrounded by three
meninges
Protected by cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF)

SPINAL CORD
Roughly

cylindrical
Begins superiorly at the foramen
magnum
tapers off into the conus
medullaris
FILUM TERMINALE prolongation
of the pia mater
Attached to 31 spinal nerves

SPINAL CORD
composed

of an inner core
of gray matter

surrounded

by an outer
covering of white matter

SPINAL CORD
Cervical

segments
Thoracic segments
Lumbar segments
Sacral segments
Coccygeal segments

BRAIN
lies

in the cranial cavity

surrounded by three
meninges
The cerebrospinal fluid
surrounds the brain in the
subarachnoid space.
Ventricles

BRAIN
Divided

into three major

divisions
Forebrain
Midbrain
Hindbrain

BRAIN
FOREBRAIN
Telencephalon (Cerebrum)
Diencephalon
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Subthalamus
Epithalamus

BRAIN
MIDBRAIN

BRAIN
HINDBRAIN
Pons
Medulla oblongata
Cerebellum

BRAIN
BRAINSTEM
Midbrain

(mesencephalon)
Pons
Medulla oblongata

BRAIN
composed

of an inner
core of white matter,
which is surrounded by
an outer covering of
gray matter

MAJOR DIVISIONS OF THE

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM

CRANIAL NERVES

With

associated
ganglia
12 pairs

SPINAL NERVES
With

associated ganglia
31 pairs
8 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral
1 coccygeal

SPINAL NERVES
Anterior

root and
posterior root
Posterior root ganglion
Cauda equina
Anterior and posterior
ramus

GANGLIA
Ganglia

may be divided into

sensory ganglia of spinal
nerves (posterior root
ganglia)
Sensory ganglia of cranial
nerves
Autonomic ganglia.

FUNCTIONAL UNITS OF
NERVOUS SYSTEM

Neurons
Nerve

fibers or axons

Nuclei
Ganglia
Glial

cells

PLANES AND TERMS

PLANES AND TERMS

EARLY DEVELOPMENT
OF THE NERVOUS
SYSTEM

Three main cells in the

embryo
Endoderm

gives rise to the gastrointestinal

tract, the lungs, and the liver
Mesoderm
gives rise to the muscle, connective
tissues, and the vascular system
Ectoderm
gives rise to the entire nervous
system.

Neural
Neural

plate
groove
Neural folds
Neural tube
Anterior and posterior
neuropores
Neural crest

NEURAL TUBE
Cephalic

end form three primary

brain vesicles
Caudal end form spinal cord

NEURAL CREST
the

cells of the posterior root

ganglia
the sensory ganglia of the
cranial nerves
autonomic ganglia
the cells of the suprarenal
medulla
melanocytes.

 The

end.