The Central Nervous System (C.N.

S)
MINDARIE SENIOR COLLEGE
3A/3B HUMAN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

The Central Nervous System is made up of the brain and the spinal cord.

The brain

The brain

The spinal cord

Acknowledgement: Picture of model from Mentone Educational Centre B13

The main parts of the CNS (left side facing)

cerebrum

Spinal cord cerebellum

Acknowledgement: Picture of model from Mentone Educational Centre C15

The main parts of the CNS (right side facing)

cerebrum

spinal cord

cerebellum

Acknowledgement: Picture of model from Mentone Educational Centre C15

Cerebrum features
outermost layer contains the cerebral cortex (grey matter) middle layer contains the white matter innermost layer contains grey matter called the basal ganglia

Cerebrum
cerebral cortex

thalamus
cerebrum hypothalamus

cerebellum

mid-brain

pons varolii
spinal cord medulla oblongata
Acknowledgement: Picture of model from Mentone Educational Centre C15

The cerebral cortex

Acknowledgement: Picture of model from Mentone Educational Centre C15

Functional areas of the cerebral cortex

Primary sensory area Primary motor area Speech Primary visual area

Motor area for speech Primary auditory area

Visual association area

Auditory association area

Acknowledgement: Picture of model from Mentone Educational Centre C15

The functional areas of the cerebral cortex

thinking reasoning learning memory intelligence sense of responsibility perception of the senses initiation and control of voluntary muscle contraction

Cerebral cortex
cerebral cortex

thalamus
cerebrum hypothalamus

cerebellum

mid-brain

pons varolii
spinal cord medulla oblongata
Acknowledgement: Picture of model from Mentone Educational Centre C15

The functional areas of the cerebrum

sensory areas interpret impulses from receptors. motor areas control muscular movements. association areas are involved with intellectual and emotional processes.

Cerebrum
cerebral cortex

thalamus
cerebrum hypothalamus

cerebellum

mid-brain

pons varolii
spinal cord medulla oblongata
Acknowledgement: Picture of model from Mentone Educational Centre C15

The hypothalamus regulates:

heart rate body temperature movement of food through the alimentary canal food and water intake patterns of waking and sleeping contraction of the urinary bladder sexual cycles sensory information from internal organs associated with fear and anger the release of hormones from the pituitary gland

Hypothalamus
cerebral cortex

thalamus
cerebrum hypothalamus

cerebellum

mid-brain

pons varolii
spinal cord medulla oblongata
Acknowledgement: Picture of Model from Mentone Educational Centre C15

The medulla oblongata regulates:

heartbeat through its cardiovascular centre breathing rhythm through its respiratory centre the diameter of blood vessels through its vasomotor centre

Medulla oblongata
cerebral cortex

thalamus
cerebrum hypothalamus

cerebellum

mid-brain

pons Varolii
spinal cord medulla oblongata
Acknowledgement: Picture of model from Mentone Educational Centre C15

The spinal cord

The action of the spinal cord

Sensory neurons pick up signals from the skin and transfer that information to connector neurons in the spinal cord and/or brain. This information is relayed on to the motor neurons in the spinal cord to illicit a response.

connector neuron

sensory neuron

Acknowledgement: Picture taken from Newton & Joyce, Human Perspectives Book 2 Fig 21.3 Revised Edition 2000 pg 268

motor neuron

connector neuron

sensory neuron

Acknowledgement: Picture taken from Newton & Joyce, Human Perspectives Book 2 Fig 21.3 Revised Edition 2000 pg 268

motor neuron