Sensitivity a.k.

a Irritability
“Ability to Detect and Respond to Changes”
Objectives
⚫Define the term sensitivity
⚫Define the terms stimulus, response & sense
organ
⚫Explain the importance of sensitivity to the
survival of an organism.
⚫Describe sensitivity in plants
⚫Describe sensitivity in bacteria
⚫Describe sensitivity in animals
Sensitivity
⚫Sensitivity is the ability of an organism to
detect changes (stimuli) and respond to
them.

⚫ A stimulus is anything that can be detect

by an organism to cause a specific action.

⚫ A response is any specific action carried

out by an organism because of something
that was detected.
 Sensitivity
⚫Sensitivity is important to the survival of an
organism because it enables two main things
- Allowing organisms to be aware of harmful
things so that they can move away from them
or generate a response to them

- Allowing organisms to be aware of useful

things so that they can move towards them or
generate a response to them
 Sensitivity in Plants
⚫ Plants are sensitive to many stimuli such as
- Light
- Water
- Gravity
- Heat
- Pressure (Touch)
- Surfaces (Hard vs. Soft)
- Nutrients (Fertile vs. Barren Soil)
Can you suggest how a plant would respond
to each?
 Plant Sensitivity to Light
⚫This is called Phototropism.
⚫Tropism is the involuntary movement of all or
part of an organism in response to a stimulus.
⚫There is positive and negative tropism.
⚫ Positive tropism means the organism moves
closer to the stimulus.
⚫Negative tropism means the organism moves
away from the stimulus.
⚫ Auxins and cytokinins are special
chemicals involved in Phototropism.
 Plant Sensitivity to Light
⚫Auxins and cytokinins are special chemicals
involved in Phototropism.
⚫ Auxins move away from light and downwards
⚫Cytokinins move towards light and upwards.
Question
Which chemical facilitates positive tropism?
 Auxins
⚫ Auxins stimulate the elongation of cells
⚫Auxins are found in growing areas of plants
such as nodes, buds and shoots.
⚫Auxins move away from light to shady areas
that are growing.
⚫Auxins are usually responsible for the bending
of plants towards light.
Challenge!! – Using the information on this
slide & a drawing to explain the bending
Cytokinins
⚫ Those are plant hormones that encourage
cell division.

H/W
Find out how these hormones contribute to
plant sensitivity.
Stimulu Name of Response of Response of
s Response shoots Roots

Light Phototropis Grow towards Most show no

m light source response

Gravity Geotropism Grow away from Grow towards

direction of direction of
gravity gravity

Water Hydrotropis none Some species

m may grow
towards water

Touch Thigmotrop Grow towards Grows way from

ism direction of touch direction of touch
 Sensitivity in Bacteria
Acidic vs. Neutral > Carbs vs. No Carbs
>Hot vs. Cold
⚫ Most bacteria prefer an environment with a
pH that is neutral, acids destroy and kill their
colonies.
⚫ If inadequate carbohydrate sources exist,
bacteria will not thrive, so they move away
from these areas.
⚫ Excessive heat damages bacterial cells and
enzymes, therefore they stay away from
extremely hot or cold areas.
Sensitivity in Invertebrates
⚫Invertebrates are animals without
backbones.

⚫Invertebrates such as millipedes,

centipedes, earthworms and woodlice
move their whole bodies towards or away
from stimuli.

⚫Invertebrates are usually sensitive to

dryness, moisture, light, temperature,
touch and chemicals
 Sensitivity in
Invertebrates
Table showing the general responses of Invertebrates to 5
different stimuli
STIMULU RESPONSE AID IN SURVIVAL
S
Light Most move away Makes the organism harder
from light to be seen by predators
Moisture Most move away Prevent desiccation (drying
from dry area out)
Temperat Most move away Prevent extremes of
ure
from very low or temperature affecting
high temperature enzyme activity
Chemicals Move towards Enables organisms to find
chemicals given off food & avoid being harmed
by food & away from chemicals such as
from harmful pesticides
 Sensitivity in Animals
(Vertebrates)
Five (5) senses >>Multiple Stimuli
⚫Animals have multiple senses, usually 2 or more.
⚫The part of an animal that detects a stimulus is
called a sense organ.
⚫ Sense organs usually have specialized cells
called receptors that directly detect the stimulus.
⚫ The five (5) popular sense organs found in
different animals are the nose, skin, eyes, ears &
tongue
Sensitivity in Animals Cont’d
Sense Organs & their Stimuli
⚫ Ears >Sound Waves, Motion (Balance),
Gravity
List the rest!! Hint each have 2
⚫Eyes >
⚫Nose >
⚫Tongue >
⚫Skin >
The nervous system
The nervous system
⚫The nervous system is the major
controlling, regulatory, and communicating
system in the body. The nervous system
controls our lives and all of our body
functions.
The nervous system
⚫ Every action and every response to
anything is coordinated by the nervous
system, be it physical, mental (thought,
learning, and memory) or emotional.
⚫Internal changes are also coordinated by
the nervous system, for example:
⚫Regulation of blood sugar
⚫Water balance
⚫Temperature control
 The nervous system
⚫The nervous system is a very
complex system in the body. It
has many parts.
⚫The nervous system is divided
into two main systems,
✔ The central nervous system
(CNS) brain and spinal cord
✔The peripheral nervous system.
The nervous system
The central nervous system
⚫The central nervous system (CNS) is composed
of:
⚫ brain
⚫ spinal cord
The central nervous system
The Brain
 The CNS Nervous System
Structure Function

Cerebrum controls voluntary movements,

memory, speech, intelligence,
reasoning ability, personality
Thalamus relays sensory information from
all parts of the body to the
cerebral cortex
Hypothalamus regulates body temperature,
appetite, thirst, emotions
controls release of hormones
from pituitary gland
Midbrain controls reflex movements of
eye muscle, head and neck
 The CNS Nervous System
Structure Function

Cerebellum controls and coordinates

muscular activity
important in balance, posture
and movement
Medulla controls involuntary actions
oblongata such as heart rate, breathing
rate, peristalsis
The Brain
⚫The human brain weighs only 3
pounds.
Its function includes, regulating
the body's many processes,
and coordinating the cognitive
functions that distinguish
humans from other species.
⚫The brain is protected by the skull, And
consist of three main regions.
⚫Cerebral hemispheres
⚫ cerebellum
⚫and the medulla oblangata.
 Structure of the cerebrum
⚫The cerebrum fills
up most of your
skull, it makes up
about 85 percent of
the brain’s weigh.
Areas on the
Cerebrum are called
lobes. Frontal
Lobe, Parietal
Lobe, Occipital
lobe, andTemporal
Lobe
Structure of the cerebrum
⚫Areas on the
Cerebrum are
called lobes.
✔Frontal Lobe
✔ Parietal Lobe
✔ Occipital lobe
✔Temporal Lobe
 Structure of the cerebrum
⚫Areas on the Cerebrum are
called lobes.
✔Frontal Lobe-help control thinking,
planning, organizing, problem-solving,
short-term memory and movement.
✔ Parietal Lobe- help interpret
feeling, known as sensory information.
The lobes process taste, texture and
temperature.
✔ Occipital lobe- process images
from your eyes and connect them to the
images stored in your memory. This
allows you to recognize images.
✔Temporal Lobe- help process
information from your senses of smell,
Cerebrum
⚫Controls memory, personality and
conscious thought, it acts as the
integration centre for highly complex
functions, such as learning, memory and
emotion.
⚫ Medulla oblongata: Controls automatic and
homeostatic activities, such as swallowing,
digestion and vomiting, and breathing and heart
rate
⚫ Cerebellum: Coordinates unconscious functions,
such as movement and balance
⚫ Cerebral Hemispheres: Acts as the integration
centre for highly complex functions, such as
learning, memory and emotion
⚫ Hypothalamus: Maintains homeostasis via
coordination of the nervous and endocrine
systems, produces hormones secreted by
posterior pituitary
⚫ Pituitary Gland: Produces and secretes
hormones regulating many body functions - such
as ADH (water retention / osmoregulation)
function of the cerebrum
⚫Receives and analyze all the impulses from
the sense organs and send out response so
we can react to sensory input.
⚫ It is also where all the higher mental
activities such as memory and abstract
thoughts takes place.
 function of the cerebrum
⚫There are different areas of the cerebrum each
deals with different functions.
⚫The sensory areas in the cerebrum are the parts
that receives information.
⚫The motor area are the parts that produce the
responses by sending message to the muscle and
glands in the body.
⚫which then out their various activities (sight,
speech, hearing, sensation. Movements).
The cerebellum
⚫ Sits position at the back of the brain, under
the cerebrum. may be only 1/8th the size of
the cerebrum It controls muscular
coordination and balance.
⚫The cerebellum is used when we are
involved in any form of movements,
(running, walking. Writing , sewing).
 The medulla
oblongata\ brain stem
⚫The medulla oblongata, the lowest and most
hindmost part of the brain, it sits beneath the
cerebrum in front of your cerebellum.
⚫ It is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in length, is an
extension of the spinal cord It's functions are
involuntary, or done without thought.
The medulla
oblongata\ brain stem
⚫It connects the brain to the spinal cord and
controls automatic functions such as
breathing, digestion, heart rate, regulation
of body temperature and blood beat.
⚫These activities are carried out
unconsciously without our control.
Quick Quiz… 1.Name X
X a)Hypothalamu
s

b)Cerebellum

c)Cerebrum

d)Medulla
Quick
2. Name Y
Quiz…
a)Pituitary
gland

b)Brain stem
Y
c)Cerebellum

d) Pons
Quick 3. Name Z
Quiz…
a)Medulla

b)
Z Thalamus

c)Cerebru
m

d)Medulla
Quick 4. Name Z
Quiz…
a)Cerebral
cortex
W
b)
Hypothalamus

c)Pituitary
gland

d)Thalamus
Quick Quiz…
⚫5. What might be the symptoms if your
cerebellum was damaged?

a)Memory Loss

b) Deafness

c)Lack of balance

d)Personality change
Quick
Quiz…
⚫6. What occurs in the cerebrum?

a)Conscious thought

b) Heartbeat control

c)Control of hunger

d) Control of the gut

Quick
Quiz…
⚫7. What does the hypothalamus
NOT control

a)Fight instincts

b) Mating instincts

c)Hormones

d) Vision
Quick
Quiz…
⚫8. Which is the largest part of the
brain?

a)Pituitary gland

b) Cerebrum

c)Medulla

d) Cerebellum
Quick
Quiz…

⚫9. What does the pituitary gland

produce?

a)Electrical impulses

b) Acids

c)Hormones

d) Salts
Quick
Quiz…
⚫10. Roughly how heavy is the
human brain?

a)1lbs

b) 2lbs

c)3lbs

d) 4lbs
The spinal cord
The central nervous
system
⚫The Spinal Cord is connected to the brain
and is about the diameter of a human
finger.
⚫From the brain the spinal cord descends
down the middle of the back and is
surrounded and protected by the bony
vertebral column.
The central nervous
system
⚫The spinal cord is the principle route for the
passage of sensory information to and from
the brain. it begins as a continuation of the
medulla oblongata of the brain
The central nervous
system
⚫The spinal cord is surrounded by a clear
fluid called Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF), that
acts as a cushion to protect the delicate
nerve tissues against damage from banging
against the inside of the vertebrae.
The peripheral nervous
system
The peripheral nervous
system
⚫All the nerves and nerve cells
outside your central nervous
system make up your peripheral
nervous system.

⚫ Its task is to relay information

from your brain and spinal cord to
the rest of your body and from
your body to your brain and spinal
cord.
Peripheral nervous
system
⚫The peripheral nervous system is
subdivided into the:
1.sensory-somatic nervous system and the
2.autonomic nervous system
The peripheral nervous
system
⚫The sensory-somatic system consists of
⚫12 pairs of cranial nerves and
⚫31 pairs of spinal nerves.
⚫Our sensory-somatic system consists of 12
pairs of cranial nerves, which emerge from
your brain and mainly serve your head and
neck. It also contains 31 pairs of spinal
nerves, which branch off from your spinal
cord and supply the rest of your body.
The peripheral nervous
system
⚫The nerves in the peripheral nervous
system (PNS) connect the central nervous
system (CNS) to sensory organs (such as
the eye and ear), other organs of the body,
muscles, blood vessels and glands.
The peripheral nervous
system
⚫our sensory-somatic system
consists of 12 pairs of cranial
nerves, which emerge from
your brain and mainly serve
your head and neck.
⚫.
The peripheral nervous
system
⚫It also contains 31 pairs of
spinal nerves, which branch off
from the spinal cord and supply
the rest of the body.
 The peripheral nervous
system
⚫The nerves in the peripheral
nervous system (PNS) connect the
central nervous system (CNS) to
sensory organs
⚫(such as the eye and ear), other
organs of the body, muscles, blood
vessels and glands.
 The peripheral nervous
system
⚫The autonomic nervous system
(ANS) regulates the functions of our internal
organs such as the heart, stomach and intestines
, it consists of sensory neurons and motor
neurons that run between the
hypothalamus and
medulla oblongata(central nervous
system ) and various internal organs such as
the: heart, lungs, viscera, glands (both
exocrinecentral nervous system ) and various
 The peripheral nervous
system
⚫It is responsible for monitoring conditions in
the internal environment and bringing about
appropriate changes in them. The
contraction of both smooth muscleIt is
responsible for monitoring conditions in the
internal environment and bringing about
appropriate changes in them. The
contraction of both smooth muscle and
cardiac muscle is controlled by motor
The peripheral nervous
system
⚫ The actions of the autonomic nervous system are
largely involuntary (in contrast to those of the
sensory-somatic system). It also differs from the
sensory-somatic system is using two groups of
motor neurons to stimulate the effectors instead of
one. We are often unaware of the ANS because it
functions involuntary and reflexively. For example,
we do not notice when blood vessels change size or
when our heart beats faster..
The nervous system
⚫The nervous system is made
up of nerve cells called neurons
that are "wired" together
throughout the body.
⚫Neurons carry messages in the
form of an electrical impulses.
⚫The messages move from one
neuron to another to keep the
body functioning.
Parts of a neuron
⚫A neuron is a nerve cell, it is the basic unit
of the nervous system. They are
specialized cells which can transmit
electrical messages (nerve impulse) around
the body. Its main Function is to transmit
messages from one part of the body to
another There are 3 types. Sensory, motor
and relay(connecting )neurones.
Parts of the neuron
Neuron
⚫A typical neuron has all the parts that any cell
would have and a few specialized structures
that set it apart. The main portion of the cell
is called the soma or cell body. It contains
the nucleus, which in turn contains the
genetic material in the form of chromosomes.
Parts of a neuron
⚫ Dendrites are Numerous short-branched
structures extending from the soma parts of
the neuron. They are the receptors of a
neuron that receive electrical signals from
other neurons to the Cell body of the nerves.
 Parts of a neuron
⚫Axon (nerve fiber) is an elongated structure
protruding away from the cell body and is
severely branched at the end. it conducts
electric impulse away from the cell body of
the nerves to the dendrite of another neuron.
The end of an axon is called an axon
terminal.
neuron
Parts of a neuron
⚫The cell body also known as the soma. It
mainly comprises the nucleus and cytoplasm. It
is responsible for controlling metabolic
activities. It powers the neuron by synthesizing
energy and is in charge of the neuron's growth
and repair.
Properties of a neuron
⚫Irritability: is the ability of neurons to be
stimulated (to respond to a stimulus) and
convert it into a nerve impulses. Neurons
can respond to external stimulation by
electric charge.
⚫ conductivity - is their ability to transport
the electrical impulses to its target. Nerve
impulses can generate be generated until
the end of fiber.
nerves
⚫A bundle of neurons is called a nerves.
Nerves carry electrochemical signals to and
from different areas of the nervous system
as well as between the nervous system and
other tissues and organs.
How impulses are transmitted
between neurons
How impulses are transmitted
between neurones
⚫The synapse
⚫Nerves are not joined together. There is a
tiny space between the point where one
nerve cell end and another starts. The
synapse is a small gap (junction)
separating neurons
How impulses are transmitted
between neurones
⚫neurons carry messages in the form of
electrical signals called nerve impulses
and cannot cross the synapse. In order for
an impulse to pass from one neuron to
another The impluse trigger the release of
tiny amount of chemical substances called
neurotransmitter.
How impulses are transmitted
between neurones
⚫ The chemical diffuses across the synapses
where it set off an electric impluse that will
pass along the neuron. The impulse crosses
the synapse not as an electric impulses
but a chemical one.
 Neurons
⚫There are three
types of nerves
based on their
composition:
1.sensory
(afferent)
2.motor (efferent)
3.Mixed
(intermediate/
relay)
Neurons
⚫ neurons can be divided into three types:
⚫ Sensory neurons, are sensitive to various non-neural
stimuli. There are sensory neurons in the skin, muscles,
joints, and organs that indicate pressure, temperature,
and pain. they pass information about stimuli such as
light, heat or chemicals from both inside and outside your
body to your central nervous system
⚫ Motor neurons, which pass instructions from your central
nervous system to other parts of your body, such as
muscles or glands. are able to stimulate muscle cells
throughout the body, including the muscles of the heart,
diaphragm, intestines, bladder, and glands.
⚫ Association neurons, which connect your sensory and
motor neuronsre the neurons that provide connections
between sensory and motor neurons, The neurons of the
central nervous system, including the brain, are all
interneurons.
Sensory neurons

⚫The neurons that conduct

impulses from the receptors
or sense organs to the
central nervous system.
⚫They evoke sensations of
touch, pain, heat, cold,
vision, hearing and taste.
Motor neurons

⚫The neurons that

conduct impulses from
the central nervous
system to the effectors
(muscles or glands).
⚫They cause movements
of muscles and secretion
of glands.
interneuron
⚫Also called association
neuron and connecting
neuron, these neurons
connect one neuron with
another.
⚫For example in many
reflexes interneurons
connect the sensory
⚫Nerves arise from the spinal cord and goes
from it to all parts of the body these nerves
are made of 2 nerves fibres;
⚫Sensory fibres: which takes information
from sensory receptors into the spinal cord
and then the brain.
⚫Motor Fibres: take messages out from the
brain and spinal cord to the muscles and
glands in the body.
Voluntary actions
⚫When some one touches your hand, the
sensors in the skin are stimulated. The
sensory neuron carry a signal from the skin
of your hand to the spinal cord.
⚫The relay neurons in the spinal cord carry
the signal to the brain.
⚫If you wish to pull your hand away, a signal
would be initiated in the brain.
Voluntary actions
⚫This signal is then carried from the brain to
the spinal cord along the relay neuron to
the appropriate muscles contract.
⚫As a result the hand moves away the action
is voluntary and under the control of the
brain.
involuntary actions
⚫Some action are invoulntary and are not
under the control of the mind (brain).
⚫An immediate and involuntary response to
a stimulus is called a reflex action.
⚫For example when you touch something
hot, your hand with draws from the hot
object quickly and automatically.
Reflex arc
⚫When you touch a hot object, the heat
stimulates the sensory neurons which makes
up the touch sensor, in your skin.
⚫The sensory neurons pass the message to the
spinal cord. In the spinal cord the message is
then passed to the relay neurons,
⚫which in turn relay the message to the
muscles in your arm though the motor
neurons. The muscles contract to make the
hand withdraw from the hot object
 inVoluntary actions
⚫The path followed by
the signal to produce
the reflex action is
called the reflex arc.
⚫Sense organ (sensory
neurons) spinal cord
(relay neurons) muscles
in arm (via motor
neurons) muscles
contract
Assessment
⚫Differentiate between reflex action and
reflex arc(4 marks).
⚫Differentiate between neurons and
nerves(3 marks).
⚫Where are interneuron (relay associate)
founds (1 mark)
⚫ Which parts of the brain carry out
voluntary & involuntary actions? (2marks)
Drugs & The Nervous
System
⚫Drugs are chemicals that alter the
functioning of our bodies.
⚫ Drugs can be categorized as prescription
or non-prescription drugs
Some include
Alcohol, Ecstasy, LSD, Marijuana,
Painkillers, Steroids
⚫ QUESTION –
1. Which of these are prescription drugs?
2. Why do you think a prescription is needed
for some drugs?
 Drugs & The Nervous
System
Alcohol
⚫Alcohol acts as a depressant on the brain
and other nerve tissue by slowing their
function.
⚫Three 3 phenomena associated with
Alcohol use include Acute Intoxication,
Chronic Usage, and Withdrawal.
⚫ Too much alcohol affects your speech,
muscle coordination and vital centers of your
brain.
⚫Too much alcohol causes numbness and pain
in your hands and feet, disordered thinking,
dementia, and short-term memory loss.
 Drugs & The Nervous
System
Steroids
⚫Steroids are drugs any of a large group of
natural or synthetic fatty substances
containing four carbon rings, including the
sex hormones
⚫ Prescribed steroids can be used for asthma,
allergy, rheumatoid arthritis, and
dermatological disorders.
⚫ Corticosteroids work by inhibiting synthesis
of inflammatory proteins or inducing
synthesis of anti-inflammatory proteins.
⚫ Misuse of steroids include body building,