Nervous System

Hyacinth Mae R. Obiedo, PTRP

 Nervous System
• The master control and
communication system of the
body.
• It communicates with body cell
using electrical impulse.
• Works to regulate and maintain
body homeostasis.
 Four Primary Functions of
Nervous System
1.Sensing the world
Vision, hearing, smell, taste,
touch
2.Transmitting information
3.Processing information
4.Producing a response
• Fig 7.1 & 7.2 (Marieb)
 Sensory Input
• It uses millions of sensory receptors to
monitor changes occurring in both inside
and outside the body.
• The changes are called stimuli and the
gathered information is called Sensory
Input.
 Integration
• It process and
interprets the
sensory input
and decides
what should be
done at each
moment- a
process called
Integration.
 Motor Output
• The response that
occurs when your
nervous system
activates certain
parts of your body
• It causes a response
or effect by activating
muscles or glands
(effectors.
• Nerve tissue comprise of two
types of cells – neurons and
neuroglia
 Neuroglia
• “nerve glue”
• Make up about half the volume of the
CNS
• Smaller than neurons
• 5-25 times more numerous than neurons
• Cannot generate or propagate action
potentials
• Can multiply and divide in the mature
nervous system
 Neuron
• Functional unit of the nervous
system.
• Aka nerve cells, are highly specialized
to transmit messages (nerve
impulse) from one part of the body
to another.
• Connect all regions of the body to
the brain and spinal cord.
• Possess electrical excitability – ability
to respond to a stimulus and convert
it into an action potential.
 Parts of Neuron
• Cell body/soma = metabolic
center of the neuron
• Processes
–Dendrites: convey incoming
messages toward the cell body
–Axons: conduct messages away
from the cell body
• Myelin sheath= whitish, fatty
material which protects and insulates
the fibers and increases the
transmission rate of nerve impulse
–Oligodendrocytes
–Schwann cells
• Axon hillok = conelike region of the
cell body
 Types of Neurons
3 main types of neurons:
• Sensory neuron = detect stimuli
• Interneuron = relay sensory
signals to the brain then return
message back to motor neuron
• Motor neuron = pass message
from brain to the body for muscle
response
• This coordinated pathway is
known as the REFLEX ARC
 Reflex Arc
• “What happens when you step
on a dirt?”
• Reflex are automatic
• The stimulus (dirt) is received by
the sensory neurons in the foot
• This info travels to the spine,
where the interneuron transmits
signal to the brain (through the
spinal cord) and carries message
back and stimulates the motor
neuron, which moves the foot.
 Action Potential / Nerve Impulse
A progressive wave of electrical and chemical
activity along a nerve fiber that stimulates or
inhibits the action of a muscle, gland, or other
nerve cell.
*This is how the information moves from
sensory neurons to interneurons to motor
neurons
• Central Nervous System (CNS)
–Brain & Spinal cord
• Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
• Sensory Division
• Motor Division
–Somatic Nervous System
–Autonomic Nervous System
• Sympathetic Division
• Parasympathetic Division
 Organization of the Nervous System
• Structural Classification
– Central Nervous System (CNS)
– Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
• Functional Classification
– Sensory division / afferent division
– Motor division / efferent division
– Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
– Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
Central Nervous System
 Central Nervous System
(CNS)
• Consists of brain and spinal
cord
• Is also the source of thoughts,
emotions, and memories.
 Major Parts of the Brain
• Brain stem
• Cerebellum
• Diencephalon
• Cerebrum
Brain Stem
 Brain Stem
• Continuous with the spinal cord
• Consist of Medulla Oblongata, Pons,
Midbrain
 Medulla Oblongata
• Continuous with the superior part of the
spinal cord
• Forms the inferior part of the brain stem
• 90% of the axons from the cerebrum to
the spinal cord decussate/cross – each
side of the brain control voluntary
movements on the opposite side of the
body.
• Contains nuclei (collection of
neuronal cell bodies within CNS) that
control vital body functions:
–Cardiovascular center regulates the
rate and force of the heart beat and
diameter of blood vessels
–Medullary respiratory center adjust the
basic rhythm of breathing
– Vomiting center causes vomiting, the forcible
expulsion of the contents of the upper
gastrointestinal tract through the mouth.
– Deglutition center promotes deglutition
(swallowing) of a mass of food that has moved
from the oral cavity to the pharynx (throat)
– Sneezing center involves spasmodic contraction
of breathing muscles that forcefully expel air
through the nose and mouth.
– Coughing center involves a long-drawn and deep
inhalation
Pons
 Pons
• Lies directly superior to the medulla
and anterior to the cerebellum
Midbrain
 Midbrain
• Extends from the pons to the
diencephalon
• Superior colliculi (nuclei; little hills) –
serves as reflex centers for certain visual
activities. Visual stimuli elicit eye
movements for tracking moving images
and scanning stationary objects. Govern
movements of the head, eyes, trunk in
response to visual stimuli
• Inferior colliculi – part of auditory
pathway, relaying impulses from the
receptors for hearing in the inner ear to
the brain
 Reticular Formation
• The broad region where white matter
and gray matter exhibit a netlike
arrangement
• It extends from the superior part of the
spinal cord, throughout the brain stem
and inferior part of the diencephalon
• Reticular Activating System –
ascending portion of reticular
formation consists of sensory axons
that projects to the cerebral cortex.
–Consciousness – a state of wakefulness
in which an individual is fully alert,
aware and oriented.
–Active during arousal or wakening from
sleep
– Help maintain attention (concentrating on a
single object or thought) and alertness
– Prevents sensory overload (excessive visual
or auditory stimulation) by filtering out
insignificant information so that it does not
reach consciousness.
– Inactivation of RAS produces sleep (a partial
consciousness from which an individual can
be aroused)
– Damage results in coma (a state of
unconsciousness from which an individual
cannot be aroused
Cerebellum
 Cerebellum
• Occupies the inferior and posterior
aspects of the cranial cavity
• has a highly folded surface that greatly
increases the surface area, allowing for a
greater number of neurons
• Posterior to the medulla and pons and
inferior to the posterior portion of the
cerebrum
• Responsible for equilibrium and balance
• Evaluates how well movements initiated
by motor areas in the cerebrum are
actually being carried out
• Smooth movements and coordinate
complex sequences of skeletal muscle
contractions.
• Regulates posture and balance
• Muscle tone
The Diencephalon
 The Diencephalon
• Superior to the midbrain
• Thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus
 Thalamus
• Largest part of diencephalon
• Sensory relay station for brain
– Pain, temperature, touch, taste,
proprioception, vision, auditory
– Except: olfactory – only modality directly
pass to the cortex
 Hypothalamus
• Functions as the body’s thermostat
• Regulate Autonomic Nervous System
• Endocrine function: regulates pituitary gland
• Thirst center
• Feeding center/hunger/satiety center
• Emotions: physical response
• Several desires
• Circadian rhythm – sleep wake cycle, vital
signs
• Temperature regulation
Heat loss - functions of anterior
hypothalamus
-vasodilation
-sweating
-panting (increase respiratory
rate)
• Temperature regulation
Heat production  functions of
posterior hypothalamus
-vasoconstriction
-shivering
-piloerection (goosebumps)
 Epithalamus
• Small region superior and posterior to the
thalamus
• Consist of pineal gland & habenular neuclei
• Pineal gland – size of a small pea and part of
endocrine system; secretes the hormone
melatonin
• Melatonin – thought to promote sleepiness
• Habenular nuclei – involved in olfaction,
emotional response to odors
Cerebrum
 Cerebrum
• Is the “seat of intelligence”
• It provides us the ability to read, write
and speak; to make calculations,
compose music, remember the past, plan
for the future, and image things that
have never existed before.
 Lobes of Cerebrum
• Frontal, Parietal, Occipital, Temporal
Frontal Lobe
 Frontal Lobe
• Concerned with the makeup of a person’s
personality, intellect, complex learning
abilities, recall of information, initiative,
judgement, foresight, reasoning,
conscience, intuition, mood, planning for
the future, and development of abstract
ideas
 Frontal Lobe
• Controls skilled, complex or delicate
movements and voluntary contractions
of specific muscles or groups of muscles
on the opposite side of the body.
• Identify odors & discriminate among
different odors.
• Voluntary scanning movements of the
eyes.
Temporal Lobe
 Temporal Lobe
• Receives information for sound and
involved in auditory perception.
• Receives impulses for smell and is
involved in olfactory perception.
• Stores information about faces, allows us
to recognize people by their faces
 Temporal Lobe
• Allows to recognize a particular sound as
speech, music or noise.
• Interprets meaning of speech by
recognizing spoken words. It is active as
you translate words into thoughts.
Occipital Lobe
 Occipital Lobe
• receives visual information, involved in
visual perception.
• Relates present and past visual
experiences and is essential for
recognizing and evaluating what is seen.
Parietal Lobe
 Parietal Lobe
• Receives impulses for touch, pressure,
vibration, itch, tickle, temperature, pain,
proprioception.
• Receives impulses for taste and is
involved in gustatory perception and
taste discrimination
 Limbic System
• A ring structures on the inner border of
the cerebrum and encircling the upper
part of the brain stem
• “6th lobe”
• “emotional brain”
• Plays a primary role in a range of
emotions (pain, pleasure, docility,
affection and anger)
• Involved in olfaction and memory
• Amygdala – sexual activity, libido, sex
drive
 5 Structures of Limbic System
• Parahippocampus
• Uncus – olfaction
• Cingulate gyrus
• Hippocampus – declarative memory;
integration of short term to long term
memory
• Amygdala – behavior/sexual drive
Functional Difference
Between Right & Left
Hemisphere
Right Hemisphere Functions
• Musical & artist awareness
• Space and patter perception
• Recognition of faces and emotional
content of facial expressions
• Generating emotional content of
language
• Identify and discriminating among odors
 Left Hemisphere Functions
• Reasoning / analitical
• Numerical & scientific skills
• Ability to use & understand sign language
• Spoken & written language
Brain Dominance
Test
Are you Left or Right
Brain?
 Lets, take the test
There are 9 questions, you have 10
seconds to answer each of them. Keep
track of your answer and know your
result.
Let the test begin…
I would prefer ___ than ___.
A. Solving fun puzzle or
math problem
B. Playing music or drawing
It’s easier for me to
remember people by:
A. their name
B. their face
Fold your hand, which
thumb is on top?
A. Right
B. Left
When taking a test, which
style of question do you
prefer?
A. Objective (true or false /
multiple choices)
B. Subjective (discussion)
Cross your leg, which leg is
on top?
A. Right
B. Left
When you listen to a new
song, are you more
interested in the:
A. Lyrics
B. Melody / rhythm
Based on your opinion, do
you have a good
imagination?
A. No
B. Yes
Usually, I judged someone
based on:
A. Logical reason that
came up to my mind
B. My feelings toward that
thing
You have a formal event coming up but
are a little strapped for cash, so rather
than buying a dress/suit, you’ve
decided to have it made. What would
be the easiest way for you to describe
to the tailor what you want?
A. Describe it to him/her in a lot of
details
B. Draw him/her a picture
Spinal Cord
 Spinal Cord
• 17 inches (42 cm) long
• Extends from foramen
magnum to the first or
second lumbar vertebrae.
• Provides a two-way
conduction pathway to and
from the brain.
 Spinal Cord
• 31 pairs of spinal nerves
• Cauda equine – collection
of spinal nerves at the
inferior end of the
vertebral canal.
Gray Matter of Spinal Cord
• Looks like a butterfly or
letter H in cross section
• Composed of cell body or
neurons (gray=no
myelination)
White Matter of Spinal Cord
• Composed of myelinated
fiber tracts
• Three regions (dorsal
column, lateral column,
ventral column)
Peripheral Nervous
System (PNS)
 PNS
• Consists of nerves and
scattered ganglia
• Cranial nerves & spinal nerves
 Structure of a Nerve
• Nerve = a bundle of neuron
fibers found outside the CNS
• Connective tissue coverings:
endoneurium, perineurium,
epineurium
Connective Tissue Sheath
Each fiber – endoneurium
Group of fibers – perineurium
All fascicles - epineurium
Cranial Nerves
 Spinal Nerves
•31 pairs are formed by
the combination of the
ventral and dorsal roots
of spinal cord.
Autonomic Nervous
System (ANS)
 ANS
• Motor subdivision of PNS
that controls body activities
automatically.
• Relative stability of out
internal environment
depends largely on ANS.
 ANS
• Sympathetic Nervous
System & Parasympathetic
Nervous System
Parasympathetic Division
• Preganglionic neurons:
brain nuclei of cranial
nd
nerves (3, 7,9, 10) & 2 to
th
4 levels of sacral levels of
the spinal cord.
 Sympathetic Division
• Preganglionic neurons: first
nd
thoracic to 2 lumbar
levels of spinal cord
Parasympathetic division
aka craniosacral division
Sympathetic division aka
thoracolumbar division
 Sympathetic Nervous
System
• Mobilizes the body during
extreme situations (fear,
exercise, rage).
• Fight-or-flight system
 Sympathetic Nervous
System
Its function is to provide the
best conditions for responding
to some threat, whether the
best response is to run, to see
better, or to think more clearly.
Parasympathetic Division
• Most active when the body
is at rest
• “rest-and-digest” system
 Group 2 Short Group
Discussion
1. How does the heart work? What
does it do? (physiology of the heart)
2. What it is composed of? (anatomy
of the heart; chambers & associated
great vessels, heart valves)
Target time: 2 hours ONLY
Post test