Nervous system

Divisions of the nervous system

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44B0ms3XPKU

1. CNS - central nervous system - made of brain (extension of the spinal cord) & spinal
cord
2. PNS - peripheral nervous system - made of cranial & spinal nerves

*ANS & SNS

Function/Role of the Nervous System

● To get us to respond for survival/protection

Brain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O-0CVAgaEM
*Medulla oblongata* missing from the diagram (USE TEXT!!)

Functions of the parts of the brain:

The cerebrum (the outer layer) - is split into two hemispheres and is highly folded. It
controls intelligence, personality, conscious thought, and high-level functions, such as
language and verbal memory.

The cerebellum - controls balance, co-ordination of movement and muscular activity.

The medulla oblongata - controls unconscious activities such as heart rate and breathing rate

The hypothalamus - is the regulating centre for (homeostasis) temperature and water
balance, blood pressure, blood sugar etc. within the body.
The pituitary gland - known as the master gland, controls the production of many hormones.

Other divisions of the brain:

Forebrain: cerebrum, hypothalamus

Midbrain: interconnecting nerves (pass info from fore to hind)
Hindbrain: cerebellum, medulla oblongata

Nerves

Neuron/Neurone- basic unit/ functional unit of the nervous system. Neurons are adapted to
carry electrical impulses (information) from one place to another (to and from the CNS).

Nerve - a bundle of fibers made up of many neurons

Many neurons make up a nerve fiber. *Node of Ranvier & cell body* missing (SEE TEXT)

Label the following parts without looking in your books/the diagram above.
How many parts did you get right?

The following is a practice quiz. Attempt it please.

https://www.ducksters.com/science/quiz/nervous_system_questions.php

Types of neurons:

There are three main types of neurons: sensory, relay & motor.

1. Sensory neuron
- Transmits impulses from sense organs (they have receptors) to CNS
Examples of receptors of the sense organs:
Skin: temperature receptors, pressure receptors, pain receptors
Ears: cochlea, semicircular canals
Tongue: taste buds
Eyes (photoreceptors): cones (colour vision; red, green, blue) day vision, rods (no
colour vision; night vision)

- Cell body is found along axon

2. Relay / Interneuron / Connector neuron

- Transmits impulses/ signals from sensory neurons to motor neurons
- A small neuron (appears like a motor neuron)

3. Motor neuron
 - Transmits impulses from CNS to effector organs (muscles/glands)
- Cell body is found at top of neuron

Functions of the parts of the neuron:

Dendrites: thin, branched extensions (endings) of the cell body which carry nerve impulses to
the cell body from other neurons.

Cell body: contains the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell organelles. It also controls the activity of
the neuron and makes all the proteins it needs.

Axon: a long thin fibre that transmits impulses over long distances (away from the cell body)

Node of Ranvier: constrictions (gaps) where the myelin sheath is absent which boost the
passage of nerve impulses along the axon.

Myelin Sheath: made of individual cells (called Schwann cells) with a fatty material in their
surface membranes which form layers that wrap around the axon. This causes the impulse to
move from node to node, speeding up the transmission of the nerve impulse.

Neuromuscular junction: where the neuron meets the muscle cell

Activity:
Draw and label a sensory and motor neuron.

Neurons have 2 main properties

1. Irritability - the ability to initiate/start/fire a nerve impulse
2. Conductivity - the ability to transmit a nerve impulse
Transmission of a nerve impulse

During the resting state, the electrical charge of the axon is negative inside and positive
outside. When an impulse is generated, sodium ions move into the membrane of the axon,
making the inside positive and the outside negative. Finally, when the axon recovers and
returns to rest, the sodium ions flow out, making the inside negative and the outside positive
once more.

Look at the following video on transmission of impulses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2ctEsGEpe0

Synapse - a gap between two neurons

It’s found where one neuron ends (axon terminal) and where one neuron begins (dendrites)

Example of a synapse:
Electrical impulse ----- > chemical impulse -------- > electrical impulse

Chemicals are known as neurotransmitters e.g. acetylcholine, GABA

Impulses (messages) that travel through neurons are electrical.

When they get to the axon terminal / end of the neuron, they are converted into chemical
impulses. These chemicals are enclosed within vesicles.
When the vesicles reach the terminal, they open and release the chemicals across the
synapse/gap. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters.
When the neurotransmitters reach the new neuron, they are reconverted into electrical
impulses once more.

Spinal cord

Spinal cord - is a relay system for impulses and a coordinating centre for actions.

Grey matter - is made up of cell bodies of motor and relay neurons

White matter - is made of axons of myelinated neurons that pass impulses to the brain

Diagram missing the relay neuron between the sensory and motor neurons!

1. Ventral root - takes motor neurons away from the spinal cord (to the front of spine/
bottom of diagram)
2. Dorsal root - takes sensory neurons to the spinal cord (to the back of spine/ top of
diagram)

Reflex actions:

A reflex is an action performed without conscious thought in response to a stimulus.

Reflex actions are of two types:

 1. Spinal reflex actions
A quick response to dangerous stimuli or harm
Carries impulses from sense organs to spinal cord then to effector organs
Neurons enter the dorsal root and pass impulses to relay neurons then to motor
neurons which finally exit via the ventral root
E.g. knee-jerk reflex

2. Cranial reflex actions

A little slower reflex than the spinal reflex action
Impulses are carried from the sense organ to the brain then to effector organs
e.g. pupils responding to light (dilation)

;
Reflex arcs (pathway that an impulse takes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn2RHLWST-k&t=50s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qiv8dUp_I3c

Three neurons involved.

1. Receptor in the skin detects a stimulus (the change in temperature).

2. Sensory neuron sends electrical impulses to relay neuron, which are located in the
spinal cord. They connect sensory neurons to motor neurons.

3. Motor neuron sends electrical impulses to an effector.

4. Effector produces a response (muscle contracts to move hand away from the
dangerous stimulus).

Knee jerk reflex:

A knee jerk reflex is an example of a spinal reflex action except there is no relay neuron.
sudden kicking movement of the lower leg in response to a sharp tap on the patellar tendon,
which lies just below the kneecap. In reaction, these muscles (the thigh muscles) contract,
and the contraction tends to straighten the leg in a kicking motion.