Nervous

System
organized into two parts
Central Nervous System (CNS)
consists of the brain and the
spinal cord. More than 99% of all
neurons in our body are located
in the CNS.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
connects the central nervous
system to the rest of the body. It
brings information to and from
the brain and spinal cord and
carries out the commands of the
CNS to execute various muscular
and glandular activities.
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 Two Major Divisions of the PNS

◎ Somatic Nervous ◎ Autonomic

System (SNS) Nervous System
(ANS)
consists of sensory nerves
which convey information takes messages to and
from the skin and muscles from the body’s
to the CNS about such internal organs
matters as pain and monitoring such
temperature and motor processes as
nerves which inform breathing, heart rate
muscles when to act. and digestion.

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 ANS is divided into two parts
◎ Sympathetic ◎ Parasympathetic
nervous system nervous system
arouses the body for calms the body. It
quick action. The brings the body to
sympathetic division its normal level of
generally acts to functioning.
arouse the body for
quick action
preparing it for
“fight, flight or
fright”.
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Spinal Cord
complex cable of nerves that
connects the brain to most parts of
the body. It is made up of bundles of
long nerve fibers and has two basic
functions:
(1) to permit some reflex movements
(2) carry messages to and from the
brain
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 Brain
◎ main switching unit of the central nervous
system and is the place to which impulses
flow and from which impulses originate
◎ highly organized organ that contains
approximately 100 billion neurons
Distinct areas: hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain

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 Brain
◎ contains more than 90% of the body’s
neurons
1.4 kgs or 3 lbs. average human brain or
about 2% of the total body weight
◎ protected by a bony covering called the
◎ Wrapped in 3 layers of connectie tissue
known as the

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 3 Major Divisions of the Brain
◎ Hindbrain ◎ Midbrain ◎ Forebrain
Found in even the -Smallest among -Thalamus
most primitive the 3 -Hypothalamus
vertebrates -between the -Cerebrum
3 Major Components hindbrain and
-Medulla forebrain and is
crucial for
-Pons hearing and sight
-Cerebellum -Responsible for
auditory and
visual reflex

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 Medulla
◎ lowest part of the brain stem
◎ narrow structure nearest the spinal cord; it is the
point at which many of the nerves from the left
part of the body cross to the right side of the
brain and vice versa
◎ contains white matter that conducts impulses
between the spinal cord and the brain
◎ Regulates respiration, digestion and circulation

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 Pons
◎ located above the medulla, the brainstem
enlarges to form the pons. Chemicals produced
in the pons help maintain our sleep-wake cycle.
◎ bridge
◎ area of the brain stem which contains mostly
white matter that provides a link between the
cerebral cortex and the cerebellum

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 Cerebellum
◎ regulates body balance and muscular
coordination
◎ coordinates and balances the actions of muscles
so that the body can move gracefully and
efficiently
◎ processes information about position and
controls posture by keeping skeletal muscles in a
constant state of partial contraction

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 Thalamus
◎ composed of gray matter which serves
as a switching station for sensory input
◎ passes information to the proper region
of the cerebrum for further processing.
The Thalamus relays and translates
incoming messages from the sense
receptors – except smell.

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 Hypothalamus
◎ control center for hunger, thirst,
fatigue, anger and body
temperature
◎ governs motivation and emotion and
appears to play a role in
coordinating the responses of the
nervous system in times of stress

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 Cerebrum
◎ control center of the brain
◎ responsible for all the voluntary (conscious)
activities
◎ site of intelligence, learning and judgment
◎ functions in language, conscious thought,
memory, personality development, vision
and other sensations
◎ divided into Left & Right Cerebral
Hemispheres
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 Brain Stem
◎ lowest part of the brain
◎ connects the brain & the spinal cord
◎ serves as the path for messages traveling
between the upper brain and spinal cord
◎ seat of basic and vital functions such as
breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate as
well as reflexes like eye movement & vomiting
◎ 3 main parts: medulla, pons & midbrain
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 Reticular Formation or Reticular Activating
System (RAS)

◎ governs the state of alertness

◎ group of cells which is an important
part of the medulla that helps to alert
or awaken the upper parts of the
brain
◎ helps control respiration & circulation
& serves as a filtering system for
incoming sensory signals
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 Limbic System
◎ encompasses structures that are critical for
forming memories & experiencing pleasure, as
well as for various motivational & emotional
activities
◎ loosely connected network of structures
under the cerebral cortex
◎ 2 principal structures: Amygdala &
Hippocampus
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 Limbic System
Amygdala Hippocampus
◎ (comes from the Latin ◎ special role in
word “almond” shape) storage of
◎ located w/n the base memories
of the temporal lobe
◎ discrimination of
objects that are
important in the
organism’s survival
and emotion

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 Cerebral Cortex

◎ The cerebral cortex is the thin layer of the brain that

covers the outer portion (1.5mm to 5mm) of the
cerebrum. It is covered by the meninges and often
referred to as gray matter. It also covers the cerebellum.

◎ The cerebrum is the most highly developed part of the

human brain and is responsible for thinking, perceiving,
producing, and understanding language. Most
information processing occurs in the cerebral cortex.
The cerebral cortex is divided into four lobes that each
have a specific function. These lobes include the frontal
lobes, parietal lobes, temporal lobes, and occipital lobes.
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 Frontal Parietal Temporal Occipital

Problem Solving Sense of touch Hearing Visioin

Judgment Seeing difference in size, Memory
Inhibition of behavior shape, color Understanding
Planning Spatial perception language
Motor planning Visual perception Organization
Personality Sense of taste Sequencing
Emotions Movement of body parts Music
Motivation Awareness
Awareness of abilities
Organization
Attention
Concentration
Mental flexibility
Speaking

Functions of the Four Lobes

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Brain Hemispheres
◎ Right ◎ Left Hemisphere
Hemisphere ◎ More dominant
-nonverbal & spatial in verbal tasks
tasks such as speaking
-control the left side & writing
of the body ◎ -controls the
right side

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