Lesson 1
Structure of the Nervous
System
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, the students will be able to,
1.Explain the main parts of neuron
2.Differentiate sensory, motor and interneuron
3.Value the importance of reflex arc in emergency situation
Keywords
Neuron الخلية العصبية
Dendrite الزوائد الشجرية
Cell body جسم الخلية
Axon المحور
Reflex arc القوس االنعكاسي
العقدة Node
Synapse التشابك العصبي
Neurons
• Neurons are specialized nerve cells that help you
gather information about your environment,
interpret the information, and react to it.
• Neurons consist of three main regions:
• The dendrites
• A cell body
• An axon
Neurons are specialized cells
which help to gather, interpret and Dendrites receive signals
react to the information of our (impulses) from other neuron and
environment. conduct to the cell body
They are the communication net
work of our body.
Axon carries impulses from the
cell body to the other neurons and
muscles
Cell body is the portion of
neuron which contain cell
organelles including nucleus
Myelin sheath
It is a lipid covering on axon which forms an insulating layer. Name of
the lipid is myelin.
Nodes: gaps in myelin sheath
Nervous System
Synapse
Synapse: A
small gap
between axon
of one neuron
and dendrite of
another neuron
Assessment
1.Cells which are considered as body communication network
2.………………….is the part of neuron which contain cell organelles
including nucleus
3.Name of the lipid seen in neuron?
4.Longest part of neuron?
5.gap between axon of one neuron and dendrite of
another neuron is called……………
TYPES OF NEURONS
Types of neurons
Sensory neurons-Sensory neurons send impulses
from receptors in the skin and sense organs to the brain
and spinal cord.
Interneurons- Interneurons carry impulses to motor
neurons. They found in brain and spinal cord
Motor neurons- Motor neurons carry impulses away
from the brain and spinal cord to a gland or muscles,
resulting in a secretion or movement
Reflex Arc: a nerve pathway of sensory neuron interneuron motor neuron
Brain is NOT
involved
Spinal cord
is involved
Fast response
involuntary
Reflex arc
How do you
It is the basic structure of nervous system
respond when It is a nerve pathway consists of a sensory
you touch a hot neuron, interneuron and a motor neuron
object? Brain is not involved in reflex arc
Assessment
What would be a possible consequence if
you had to wait for the brain to interpret
the stimulus and signal an appropriate
response?
In this short amount of time, a
severe burn could occur.
Nerve impulse
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to,
1.Define nerve impulse
2.Realize what happens in and outside of cell during action
potential
3.Analyze the speed of action potential in both myelinated
and unmyelinated neurons
Keywords
Nerve impulse ن&&بضا&&لعصب
Action potential ج&ه&د ا&&لفعل
Threshold &عتبة ا&&لتنبيه
Neurotransmitter ا&&لناق&لا&&لعصبي
A Nerve Impulse
A Neuron at Rest
• Neurons at rest do not conduct impulses.
• Sodium ions (Na+) collect on the outside of the
cell membrane.
A Nerve Impulse
A Neuron at Rest
• Potassium ions (K+) collect on the inside of the
cell membrane.
• Negatively charged proteins actively transport
sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions
into the cell.
Importance of Na-K pump
Sodium –potassium (Na-K
pump) actively transport
sodium ions out of the cell
and potassium inside the cell.
For every 2 K ions pumped
into neuron, 3 Na pumped out
This maintain an unequal
distribution of positively
charged ions resulting in
positive charge outside and
negative charge inside of
neuron
Nerve impulse/ Action potential
Electrical charge (signal) that
travels along the neuron
A nerve impulse results from a
stimulus(touch/smell/sound)
• A nerve impulse is also known
as an action potential.
• The minimum stimulus to
cause an action potential to be
produced is called a threshold.
• When a stimulus reaches the
threshold, channels open in
the plasma membrane.
Action potential are described as “ALL or NOTHING” (a stronger
stimulus does not generate a stronger action potential.
A Nerve Impulse
An Action Potential
• Sodium ions are rapidly pumped through
these channels, causing a temporary change in
the electrical charges.
• More positive charges are now inside the
membrane.
• The now positive charge inside the membrane
causes other channels to open, and the
potassium is quickly pumped out of the cell.
A Nerve Impulse
An Action Potential
• The potassium restores the positive charge
outside the cell.
• This rapid positive to negative to positive
charge reversal moves along the axon like a
wave.
• The movement can be seen by finding the
sodium-potassium reversal pattern in the
three diagrams.
A Nerve Impulse
A Nerve Impulse
Speed of an Action Potential
• Nodes along the axon allow ions to pass through
the myelin layer to the plasma membrane.
• The ions jump from node to node and increase the
speed of the impulse.
Myelinated neuron Unmyelinated neuron
Have myelin sheath Doesn’t have myelin sheath
Fast action potential (more Slow action potential (less
speed) speed)
Associated sharp pain Associated with dull pain
Synaptic Transmission
Learning outcomes
By the end of this lesson, the students will be able to,
1.Define a neurotransmitter
2.Value the importance of a neurotransmitter and synapse to
conduct action potential from one neuron to next neurons.
3.Summary of nerve impulse transmission along the axon and
synaptic transmission
Keywords
Synapse التشابك العصبي
Neurotransmitter الناقل العصبي
Neurotransmitter
Transmit = Pass on/
send out
Nervous System
An action potential is carried across these gaps by neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals those diffuses across a synapse and binds
to receptors on the dendrite of a neighboring neuron.
Example:
Acetylcholine
(Ach)
Neurotransmitters
• When an action potential reaches the
end of axon, small sacs called vesicles
carrying with neurotransmitters fuse
with the plasma membrane and
release neurotransmitter by
exocytosis.
Facts about Neurotransmitter
There are 25 known neurotransmitters
Once the neurotransmitters have done their
work, they are either:
1. destroyed enzymatically,
2. taken back into the terminal from which it
came
3. recycled and reused.
Neuronotransmitter stored
in tiny packages called
vesicles
Presynaptic
Neurone
Receptor
molecules
Synapse Postsynaptic
20nm Neurone
(nanometers)
wide
1. Nerve impulse arrives at
the synapse
IMPULSE
2. Chemical messenger (a
neurotransmitter) is released into
the synapse.
3. Neurotransmitter diffuses
across the synapse
4.
Neurotransmitter
binds with a
receptor on the
membrane of
the post-
synaptic neuron
IMPULSE
5. Binding of neurotransmitter to
receptor stimulates impulse in
postsynaptic neuron
Quiz
1. Which happens first after the threshold is reached
for an action potential?
A K+ ions enter the neuron.
B Negatively charged proteins leave the neuron.
C Na+ ions enter the neuron. CORRECT
D The myelin coat breaks down, allowing ions to
freely cross the plasma membrane.
Quiz
2. Which is true about action potentials?
A They move faster on C They move at one
neurons that have speed on all neurons.
myelin. CORRECT
B They move only on D They cannot move
neurons that do not between nodes on
have myelin. neurons.
Quiz
3. Which is the correct path that a nerve impulse will
follow in a reflex arc?
A motor neuron → C motor neuron →
interneuron → sensory sensory neuron →
neuron interneuron
B interneuron → motor D sensory neuron →
neuron → sensory interneuron → motor
neuron neuron
CORRECT
Quiz
4. Which is a chemical that diffuses across a synapse
and binds to receptors on a neighboring neuron?
A dendrite
B node
C neurotransmitter
CORRECT
D myelin
Quiz
5. Which is NOT a step that leads to the voluntary
contraction of a muscle?
A A neurotransmitter C An action potential
is released from a travels along the
sensory neuron. muscle fiber.
CORRECT
B Sodium ions enter D A neurotransmitter
skeletal muscle. binds to receptors on
skeletal muscle.
