THE NERVOUS

SYSTEM
Presented by: GROUP 9
WHAT IS THE NERVOUS SYSTEM?
Your nervous system is your body’s command center.
It’s made up of your brain, spinal cord and nerves.

Your nervous system works by sending messages, or electrical

signals, between your brain and all the other parts of your body.

These signals tell you to breathe, move, speak and see, for
example. Your nervous system keeps track of what’s going on
inside and outside of your body and decides how to respond to any
situation you’re in.

Your nervous system regulates complicated processes like thoughts

and memory. It also plays an essential role in the things your body
does without thinking, like blushing, sweating and blinking.
 F U N C T I O N
What does the nervous system do?

Your nervous system’s main function is to send messages from various parts of your
body to your brain, and from your brain back out to your body to tell your body
what to do. These messages regulate your:

Thoughts, memory, learning and feelings.

Movements (balance and coordination).
Senses (how your brain interprets what you see, hear, taste, touch and feel).
Wound healing.
Sleep.
Heartbeat and breathing patterns.
Response to stressful situations, including sweat production.
Digestion.
Body processes, such as puberty and aging.
HOW DOES THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
WORK?
Your nervous system uses nerve cells called neurons to send
signals, or messages, all over your body.

These electrical signals travel among your brain, skin, organs,

glands and muscles. The messages help you move your limbs
and feel sensations, like pain.

Your eyes, ears, tongue, nose and the nerves all over your
body take in information about your environment.
Then, nerves carry that data to and from your brain.
THE NERVE
CELL
The basic unit of the nervous system
It is called neurons
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF NEURONS.
Each type of neuron has a different job:

Motor neurons take signals from your brain and spinal cord to
your muscles. They help you move. They also assist with breathing,
swallowing and speaking.

Sensory neurons take information from your senses (what you

see, touch, taste, etc.) to your brain.

Interneurons communicate between motor and sensory neurons.

These neurons regulate your movement in response to sensory
information (like moving away from a hot surface) and play a role
in how you learn, think and remember.
PARTS OF THE • DENDRITES

NEURONS: - carry impulses towards the cell body.

• AXONS
- carry impulses away from the cell body.

• MYELIN SHEATH

- allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly

and efficiently along the nerve cell.

• CELL BODY
- also called soma. It is the core section of the
neuron which contains the nucleus.
PARTS OF
THE
NERVOUS
SYSTEM
 The nervous system has two main parts:

A. CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ( CNS )

Brain and spinal cord make up your CNS. Your brain reads signals
from your nerves to regulate how you think, move and feel.

B. PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ( PNS )

Your PNS is made up of a network of nerves. The nerves branch out
from your spinal cord. This system relays information from your brain
and spinal cord to your organs, arms, legs, fingers and toes.
 CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
A. BRAIN
- Organ located within the skull.
- Functions as organizer and distributor of information for
the body.

THREE MAIN PARTS OF THE BRAIN:

1. CEREBRUM

2. CEREBELLUM

3. BRAIN STEM
1. CEREBRUM
- Upper part of the brain.
- Controls activity and thought.
2. CEREBELLUM
- Under the cerebrum.
- Controls posture, balance and coordination.
Your nervous system
3. BRAIN STEM works by sending
messages, or electrical
signals, between your
- Connects the brain to the spinal cord and controls
brain and all the other
autonomic functions ( breathing, digesting, heart rate,
parts of your body.

and blood pressure.

B. SPINAL CORD

- Channels for signals between the brain and the

rest of the body, and controls simple
muscoloskeletal reflexes without input from the
brain.
PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
(MAIN AND SUB-DIVISIONS)
A. SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

- is associated with the voluntary control of body

movements.

TWO MAIN PARTS OF SNS:

• SPINAL NERVES - carry motor and sensory signals

between the spinal cords and the body.

• CRANIAL NERVES - nerve fibers that carry

information into and out of the brain stem.
B. AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

- regulates the activities you do without thinking

about them (involuntary movements).

TWO MAIN PARTS OF ANS:

• SYMPHATETIC - activated when the body is in a

dynamic role or stress ( e.g. increased heart rate
and sweating)

• PARASYMPHATETIC- maintains body functions

and restores the body to normal or relaxed mode.
WHAT DOES THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
LOOK LIKE?
Nerve cells (neurons) are the basis of your nervous system.
There are 100 billion neurons in your brain. These cells
connect throughout your entire body.

Imagine your nervous system as a tree. Your central nervous

system is the trunk of the tree that contains your brain and
spinal cord. The tree branches are your peripheral nervous
system (nerves). The branches extend from the trunk (brain
and spinal cord) to reach all parts of your body.
CONDITIONS AND DISORDERS
There are many conditions that affect your nervous system.
Some of the most common include:
Alzheimer’s disease
Cancer
Cerebral palsy
Epilepsy
Huntington’s disease
Infection (meningitis)
Parkinson’s disease
Stroke
Traumatic brain injury
Signs and symptoms of nervous system conditions vary by type but may
include:

Movement and coordination changes.

Memory loss.
Pain, numbness or a pins and needles feeling.
Behavioral and mood changes.
Difficulty with thinking and reasoning.
Seizures.

Some conditions, like a stroke, are medical emergencies that need

treatment quickly. If you notice the following symptoms, contact 911 or
your local emergency services number:

Muscle weakness or paralysis in one side of your body.

Sudden vision loss.
Slurred speech.
Confusion.
 WHAT TESTS CHECK THE HEALTH OF
YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM?
A healthcare provider may use one of the following tests to
check the health of your nervous system:

Computed tomography (CT) scan.

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).
Electroencephalogram (EEG).
Lumbar puncture (spinal tap).
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
 HOW ARE CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM TREATED?
A healthcare provider will review your symptoms to diagnose and treat any
conditions that affect your nervous system. Treatment varies for each
condition. So, your healthcare provider will take into consideration several
factors, like your age and general health, to create your treatment plan.
This plan may include:

Taking medications.
Having surgery.
Participating in counseling for mental and emotional support.
Receiving supportive care (to keep you comfortable).
WHEN SHOULD I CALL A HEALTHCARE
PROVIDER?
Contact a healthcare provider right away if you notice sudden
changes to your health like:

Muscle weakness
Vision problems or severe headaches
Slurred speech
Numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in your arms or legs
Tremors or tics (random muscle movements)
Changes in behavior or memory
Problems with coordination or moving your muscles
 C A R E

You can keep your nervous system healthy by:

Seeing a healthcare provider regularly.

Maintaining good health (like eating balanced foods).
Avoiding harmful substances (like not smoking tobacco).
Wearing protective gear or equipment (a helmet) when
playing sports or participating in certain activities.
Managing any underlying health conditions.
THANK YOU