NERVOUS SYSTEM yuan singculan 12-S7

1.1 FUNCTIONS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

 Controls all the functions of the human body.
 Collects information from in and outside of the body.
 Relays messages to the brain and spinal cord.
 Processes information to determine the best response.
NERVOUS SYSTEM VS ENDOCRINE SYSTEM?
Uses neural Uses hormones;
impulses; its effects takes minutes or
are instantaneous hours to take effect,
but lasts longer
than neural
1.2 TWO MAINLY OCCURING impulses. NERVOUS
TISSUES
a) Neurons – forms communication networks that receive, process, and
transmit information. Connects to other using neurons at a junction
called synapse.

b) Neuroglia (A.K.A glial cells) –

guides the early development of the nervous system;
regulates the concentrations of chemicals surrounding the neurons,
participates in the formation of synapses.
In general, they work together to: control mood, appetite, blood
pressure, coordination, the perception of pain and pleasure, sense the
environment, ignore unimportant stimuli, move, learn, and remember.
NERVE NETS
i. Diffuse networks of neurons in the body walls of hydras,
jellyfishes, sea anemones, and other cnidarians.
ii. Stimulates muscle cells near the body surface; enabling the animal
to move.
iii. Nerve cells physically touch one another

GANGLIA
i. Clusters of neurons at its head end.
ii. Forms a nerve ladder – intertwining lateral nerves around a body
length.
iii. Uses the paired muscles to allow forward movement

VENTRAL NERVE CORD

i. Connected to the brain branches into each segment
ii. Cells that are sensitive to light, chemicals, and touch are found all
over the body surface.
1.3 PARTS OF A NERVE CELL
1. Cell Body – contains the nucleus, mitochondria (supps. ATP),
ribosomes (supps. protein), and other organelles.

2. Dendrites – short, branched extensions that transmit info. towards

the cell body.

3. Axons (A.K.A. nerve fibers) – transmits info. outwards to a

muscle, gland, or another neuron. Single extension w/ a branched
tip.
4. Myelin sheath – composed of fatty material that coats the axon.
Thereby speeding nerve impulse conduction.
 Schwann cells – neuroglia that composes the
myelin sheath in the PERIPHERAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM.
 Oligodendrocytes – neuroglia that composes the
myelin sheath in the CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM.

5. Nodes of Ranvier – short regions of exposed axon between

sections of the myelin sheath.
1.4 CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS)
 Consists of the brain, the dorsal, and the tubular spinal cord.
 Control center of the body

Spinal cords relays The brain analyzes Response messages

messages from the and interprets the are then relayed
body to the brain message. from the brain to the
spinal cord then to
the rest of the body
  TWO TYPES OF NERVOUS TISSUE IN THE CNS
a. Gray Matter – INFORMATION PROCESSING, consists of
NEURON CELL BODIES AND DENDRITES. Located at the
outer surface of the brain, a few inner structures, and is the central
core of the spinal cord.

b. White Matter – consists of MYELINATED AXONS that

transmit throughout the CNS; the periphery (outer edge) of the
spinal cord and most inner structures in the brain.

1.5 PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS)

 All the neurons outside of the brain and spinal cord make up the PNS.
 Main function is to relay messages towards and away from the CNS.

a. Sensory pathways – carry signals to the CNS from sensory

receptors in the skin, skeleton, muscles, and organs.
b. Motor pathways
i. Somatic (voluntary) nervous system – carries signals
from the brain to voluntary skeletal muscles.
ii. Autonomic (involuntary) nervous system – transmits
impulses from the brain to smooth muscle, cardiac muscle,
and glands. Enables the function of internal organs w/o
conscious awareness.
1.6 THREE CLASSES OF NEURONS
1. Motor neuron (multipolar) – brings info. from the CNS to an
effector (muscle or gland). Stimulates glands, muscle cells to
contract and
2. Interneuron (bipolar) – connects one neuron to another within
the spinal cord and brain. 90% of neurons are interneurons.
Receives info. from sensory neurons and generates messages
that motor neurons carry
3. Sensory neuron (unipolar) – brings info. to the CNS from the
rest of the body. Responds to light, pressure from sound, heat,
touch, pain, and chemicals (odor / taste).
1.7 ACTION POTENTIALS
 Neurons send messages by conveying action potentials. A neural
impulse is the propagation of action potentials like a wave along
an axon.
 Action potentials result from the movement of charged particles
(ions) across a neuron’s cell membrane.
i. A Neuron at rest has a NEGATIVE charge
a. Membrane Potential – the difference in electrical
charge between the inside and outside of a neuron.
b. Resting Potential – membrane potential when it is
not conducting a neural impulse.
 At rest, the interior of a neuron’s membrane
carries a slightly negative electrical charge
relative to the outside because it maintains
an unequal distribution of ions across its
membrane.
 The nervous systems devote 3 quarters of
its total energy budget in maintaining the ion
gradients.
 Neurons consume a lot of energy while “at
rest
 ii. A Neuron’s Membrane Potential REVERSES during an action
potential.
iii. The Myelin Sheathe speeds impulse conduction.
*refer to PDF :< taas ra kaayooo*

I. Neurons communicate at synapses

a. Presynaptic Cell – the neuron SENDING the message
b. Postsynaptic Cell – RECEIVES the message; may be a
neuron, a muscle cell, or a gland cell.
c. Synaptic Cleft – the space between two cells.
 The axon of a presynaptic cell enlarges at its
tip to form a knob-shaped synaptic
terminal
 Each terminal contains many small sacs that
hold neurotransmitter molecules
The interaction between a neurotransmitter and the ion channel may be:
a. Excitatory – the membrane of the postsynaptic cell may
become depolarized, increasing the probability of an
action potential
b. Inhibitory – opening ion channels that admit Cl- ions
makes the interior of the cell more negative and reduces
the likelihood of an action potential.
 The human brain uses at least 100 neurotransmitters.
 The 2 most common are the amino acids (glutamate and GABA –
gamma aminobutyric acid)
 Examples of neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine,
norepinephrine, and acetylcholine.

II. A Neuron Integrates signals from multiple synapses.

 The cell uses synaptic integration to evaluate incoming messages.
 If the majority of signals reaching the neuron are excitatory, the
membrane of the postsynaptic cell is stimulated to generate action
potentials.
 If inhibitory signals dominate, there will be no action potentials.