The anatomy of the nervous

system
Aulia Iskandarsyah
 Nervous system
1. The central nervous system (CNS) is the
brain and the spinal cord.
2. The peripheral nervous system (PNS)
consists of the nerves outside the brain and
spinal cord.
a. Somatic nervous system
b. Autonomic nervous system
 Evolution of the Brain

Reptilian Paleomammalian Neomammalian

 The Spinal Cord
• Communicates with all
the sense organs and
muscles except those of
the head.
• Has a segmented
structure, and each
segment has on each side
a sensory nerve and a
motor nerve.
 The Autonomic Nervous System
• Consists of neurons that receive information
from and send commands to the heart,
intestines, and other organs.
• It has two parts:
– Sympathetic nervous systems : a network of
nerves that prepare the organs for vigorous
activity.
– Parasympathetic nervous systems : facilitates
vegetative, nonemergency responses.
The sympathetic nervous system (red lines) and parasympathetic nervous system
(blue lines)
 The Brain
• Has three major divisions: the forebrain, the
midbrain, and the hindbrain
 The Brain: embryonic development
• Develops from neural tube
• Brain subdivides into
– Forebrain
– Midbrain
– Hindbrain
• These further divide, each with a fluid filled region:
ventricle, aqueduct or canal
– Spinal cord also has a canal
• Two major bends, or flexures, occur (midbrain and
cervical)
Brain development
• Space restrictions force cerebral hemispheres to grow posteriorly
over rest of brain, enveloping it
• Cerebral hemispheres grow into horseshoe shape (b and c)
• Continued growth causes creases, folds and wrinkles
 Anatomical classification
• Cerebral hemispheres
• Diencephalon
– Thalamus
– Hypothalamus
• Brain stem
– Midbrain
– Pons
– Medulla
• Cerebellum

• Spinal cord
 Parts of Brain

Cerebrum
Diencephalon
Brainstem
Cerebellum
 simplified…

• Back of brain: perception

• Top of brain: movement
• Front of brain: thinking
 1. The Forebrain
• The most anterior and most prominent part of
the mammalian brain.
• Consists of two cerebral hemispheres, one on the
left and one on the right.
• Consists of:
– Diencephalon : Thalamus and hypothalamus
– Telencephalon : Cerebral cortex, Basal ganglia,
Hippocampus
– Limbic system (Cingulate gyrus, Hypothalamus,,
Amygdala, Olfactory bulb, Ventricles).
 Cerebrum -The largest division of the brain. It is
divided into two hemispheres, each of which is
divided into four lobes.

Cerebrum
Cerebrum

Cerebellum

http://williamcalvin.com/BrainForAllSeasons/img/bonoboLH-humanLH-viaTWD.gif
Cerebral Cortex - The outermost layer of gray
matter making up the superficial aspect of the
cerebrum.

Cerebral Cortex

Cerebral Cortex

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 Surface anatomy

• Gyri (plural of gyrus)

– Elevated ridges
– Entire surface
• Grooves separate gyri
– A sulcus is a shallow
groove (plural, sulci)
– Deeper grooves are
fissures
• Gyri (plural of gyrus)
– Elevated ridges
– Entire surface
• Grooves separate gyri
– A sulcus is a shallow groove (plural, sulci)
– Deeper grooves are fissures
 Lobes of the Brain

• Frontal
• Parietal
• Occipital
• Temporal

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8.tif.jpg
The Frontal lobe – Motor/Intellect
The Temporal Lobe - Auditory
 The Parietal lobe –
Sensory/visuospatial
The Occipital lobe - Visual
 Diencephalon (part of forebrain)
Contains dozens of nuclei of gray matter
• Thalamus
• Hypothalamus
• Epithalamus (mainly pineal)
 Thalamus (egg shaped; means inner room)
– Gateway to cerebral cortex: every part of brain that
communicates with cerebral cortex relays signals through a
nucleus in the thalamus (e.g. certain nucleus for info from
retina, another from ears, etc.)
– Processing (editing) occurs also in thalamus

Coronal section
 Hypothalamus
• “Below thalamus”
• Main visceral control center
– Autonomic nervous system (peripheral motor neurons
controlling smooth and cardiac muscle and gland
secretions): heart rate, blood pressure, gastrointestinal
tract, sweat and salivary glands, etc.
– Emotional responses (pleasure, rage, sex drive, fear)
– Body temp, hunger, thirst sensations
– Some behaviors
– Regulation of sleep-wake centers: circadian rhythm
(receives info on light/dark cycles from optic nerve)
– Control of endocrine system through pituitary gland
– Involved, with other sites, in formation of memory
 Hypothalamus
(one example of its functioning)

Control of endocrine
system through
pituitary gland
 Epithalamus
• Third and most dorsal part of diencephalon
• Part of roof of 3rd ventricle
• Pineal gland or body (unpaired): produces melatonin signaling
nighttime sleep
• Also a tiny group of nuclei Coronal section
 Limbic system
(not a discrete structure - includes many brain areas)
• Most important parts:
– Hipocampus
– Amygdala
– Cingulate gyrus
– Orbitofrontal cortex (not labeled; is behind eyes - part of
the prefrontal cortex but connects closely)
 Limbic system (cont)
• Called the “emotional” brain
• Is essential for flexible, stable, adaptive functioning
• Links different areas so integration can occur
– Integration: separate things are brought together as a whole
– Processes emotions and allocates attentional resources
• Necessary for emotional balance, adaptation to
environmental demands (including fearful situations,
etc.), for creating meaningful connections with others
(e.g. ability to interpret facial expressions and respond
appropriately), and more…
 Hippocampus
• A large structure between the thalamus and
the cerebral cortex.
• Critical for storing certain kinds of memories.
 The Ventricles
• The nervous system begins its development as a tube
surrounding a fluid canal.
• Filled with CSF (cerebrospinal fluid)
2. The Midbrain
• Consists of tectum,
tegmentum, substansia nigra.
• The swellings on each side of
the tectum are the superior
colliculus and the inferior
colliculus.
• Both are important for sensory
processing—the inferior
colliculus for hearing and the
superior colliculus mainly for
vision.
• Substantia nigra gives rise to
the dopamine-containing
pathway that facilitates
readiness for movement
 3. The Hindbrain
• Consists of:
– The medulla
– The pons
– The cerebellum.
The human brainstem

The medulla controls some

vital reflexes—including breathing, heart
rate, vomiting, salivation,
coughing, and sneezing
Control of
movement, balance
and coordination.
Two major hemispheres: three lobes each
Anterior
Cerebellum
Posterior
Floculonodular Separated from brain stem by 4th ventricle
Vermis: midline lobe connecting hemispheres

Outer cortex of gray

Inner branching white matter, called
“arbor vitae”
 Functions of cerebellum
• Smooths, coordinates & fine tunes bodily movements
• Helps maintain body posture
• Helps maintain equilibrium
• How?
– Gets info from cerebrum re: movements being planned
– Gets info from inner ear re: equilibrium
– Gets info from proprioceptors (sensory receptors informing where the
parts of the body actually are)
– Using feedback, adjustments are made
• Also some role in cognition

• Damage: ataxia, incoordination, wide-based gait,

overshooting, proprioception problems
Brain protection

1.Meninges
2. Cerebrospinal fluid
3. Blood brain barrier
 Meninges
1. Dura mater: 2 layers of fibrous connective tissue,
fused except for dural sinuses
– Periosteal layer attached to bone
– Meningeal layer - proper brain covering
2. Arachnoid mater
3. Pia mater

Note superior
sagittal sinus