NEURON, SENSORY

ORGAN AND
NERVOUS SYSTEM
Chew Woei Hong
Pang Shan Shan
ROLE OF NERVOUS SYSTEM
NS controls & coordinates the activities of human
body by:
1. Detecting changes (stimuli) by receptors inside
(internal environment) & outside (external
environment)
2. Processing the received sensory information about
these stimuli, and decides what to do
3. Initiating responses to these stimuli (taking
appropriate actions)
 STIMULUS SENSE ORGAN SENSATION
(RECEPTORS)
Light Eye Sight
Sound Ear Hearing
Chemicals in air Nose Smell
Chemicals in food Tongue Taste (sweet, salty, sour,
bitter)
Temperature Warm, hot, cold or cool
Pressure Pressure
Skin
Touch Texture
Pain Pain
DEFINITION:

STIMULUS: a change in environment which can be

detected by body system.
RESPONSE: action of the body towards a certain
stimulus.
RECEPTOR: sensory cell which detect stimuli.
EFFECTORS: organ which carries out the responses.
 ORGANISATION OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

HUMAN NERVOUS
SYSTEM

CENTRAL Links receptors & effectors to PERIPHERAL

CNS : relays signals between
NERVOUS SYSTEM CNS & rest of body
NERVOUS SYSTEM
[CNS] [PNS]

CRANIAL NERVES SPINAL NERVES

BRAIN SPINAL CORD
[12 pairs] [31 pairs]
 THE HUMAN BRAIN

SKULL
CEREBRUM

THALAMUS

HYPOTHALAMUS

CEREBELLUM PITUITARY GLAND

MEDULLA
OBLONGATA

SPINAL CORD VERTEBRA

HYPOTHALAMUS: Control the release of hormones from the
pituitary gland.
THALAMUS: Sorting the incoming and outgoing information from
receptors.
CEREBRUM: Control all voluntary muscle movements, Interprets
information from receptors.
PITUITARY GLAND: Control the secretion of hormones.
MEDULLA OBLONGATA: Control involuntary actions.
CEREBELLUM: Coordinates centre for body movements.
 THE SPINAL CORD AND ITS MAIN FUNCTIONS

INTERNEURONE DORSAL ROOT

DORSAL ROOT GANGLION

GREY
MATTER AFFERENT NEURONE
[ contains
cell bodies]
RECEPTOR

EFFERENT
WHITE
CENTRAL CANAL NEURONE
MATTER EFFECTOR
{contains
myelin-coated SPINAL NERVE
axons] VENTRAL ROOT
CROSS SECTION OF THE SPINAL CORD
The Neurons
 THE NEURONE

The nervous system is made up of millions of nerve

cells called neurones
Neurones transmit nerve impulses to other nerve
cells, glands or muscles.
There are three types of neurones
 STRUCTURE OF A TYPICAL NEURONE
1
2 The electrical signals
Dendrites are fibres that receive information or nerve impulses then
or signals from other neurones or from the travel along the
external environment and conduct them dendrites and converge
towards the cell body. dendrite on the cell body of the
Dendrites of afferent neurones have special neurone.
membrane adaptations that allow them to The cell body has a
Cell body nucleus and other
produce signals in response to specific stimuli
from the external environment such as organelles which are
nucleus found in cells.
pressure, light or heat.
The cell body
Direction
of nerve
integrates the signals
3 A long, thin fibre called the axon extends impulse and coordinates the
outward from the cell body. metabolic activities.
The axon conducts the nerve impulses
away from the cell body. 4
The axons are usually bundled together Myelin
into nerves sheath Some axons are
insulated by a thick coat
axon
5 of material called a
Nerve impulses are conducted along the axon Synaptic myelin sheath.
and finally reach the synaptic terminals terminals This sheath protects
[swellings at the branched ends of the axons] and insulates the axons,
and helps to speed up
located at the far end of each axon.
the transmission of the
The synaptic terminals then transmit these Muscle nerve impulses.
signals to the muscle cells, gland cells or the fibre
dendrites of another neurone. (effector)
Structure of an afferent (sensory) neurone

Carry sensory information

from receptors cells to
the brain & spinal cord
Structure of an efferent (motor) neurone

Carry sensory information

from brain & spinal cord to
the effectors
[muscle / gland cells]
Structure of an interneurone

Convey nerve impulses between the various

parts of the brain and spinal cord
Transmit nerve impulses between the
afferent neurones and efferent neurones
Transmit nerve impulses from one side of the
spinal cord to the other side, or from the
brain to the spinal cord and vice versa
Many of the neurones that carry out
integrative functions are the interneurones
and the efferent neurones respond to these
integrative signals
VOLUNTARY SYSTEM
Voluntary actions such is walking and talking are
under conscious control.
Voluntary control of the skeletal muscles is
governed by the cerebral cortex of the cerebrum
Information that reaches the cerebral cortex or the
conscious level results in a perception of the
external environment.
 VOLUNTARY ACTION
CEREBRUM

SENSORY
RECEPTOR I
STIMULUS (AFFERENT)
N
NEURONE
TE
R
N
E
U
R
O
MOTOR
RESPONSE EFFECTOR N
(EFFERENT)
E
NEURONE
 INVOLUNTARY ACTIONS
Involuntary actions that involve skeletal muscles allow
immediate action that does not require conscious effort
The responses to stimuli are involuntary, they are called reflexes.

Reflexes are rapid, automatic or involuntary responses to stimuli.

The nerve pathway involved in a reflex action is called a reflex
arc.
A simple reflex arc involves communication between the
neurones in the peripheral nervous system and the spinal cord
 A reflex arc involving 3 types of neurones and the spinal cord
NB: brain not involved
Afferent neurone

4.Efferent
neurone
Afferent
Interneurone Efferent neurone
neurone Synaptic terminal
dendrites

axon
Cell body

Cell body Cell body axon

dendrite axon

synaptic terminal myelin sheath

Synaptic terminal on
myelin sheath muscle fibre

receptor in
skin
 Stimulus Receptor
Nerve impulse travels
along an afferent nerve

Integrating centre
(Central Nervous
System)

Nerve impulse
travels along an
efferent nerve

Effectors (muscle or gland)

Appropriate responses
brings about a response

Pathway of Information Due to External Stimuli

 TRANSMISSION PATHWAY (GENERAL GUIDELINES)

3
Integration &
interpretation by
the central
2 nervous system 4
From receptors to
the central
nervous system From the CNS to
the effectors

1
Reception of 5
stimuli by
Response by
receptors
the effectors
 The transmission pathway of
4 The brain interprets the nerve impulses from
information
many interneurones that the doorbell is
3 The nerve impulses
ringing. The brain also decides that the door
pass from the afferent should be opened
neurones to the
interneurones in the
brain
2 Afferent
3 5 From the
The receptors neurone
trigger nerve interneurones,
2 4 nerve impulses
impulses in the
afferent are transmitted
neurones. to the efferent
neurones and
1 Interneurone 5 then to the
muscles
Receptors Efferent
in the ear neurone
1
Receptors in
the ear pick
up the ringing 6 Muscles in
of the the arm
6 The muscles in the arm carry
doorbell. out the response and open
the door