The Structure of the Nervous system

Topic 6.1: The Structure of the Nervous system

6.1.1 Identify the neuron as the functional unit of the nervous system (Include its parts and their function)

6.1.2 Identify the direction that impulses travel through a neuron

6.1.3 Describe the three types of neurons (sensory, motor, and interneurons) and their involvement in the
reflex arc
6.1.4 Analyze diagrams and graphs to explain how a nerve impulse is transmitted through the neuron
(resting and action potentials)

6.1.5 Explain how a nerve impulse is transmitted in the synapse (include the function of
neurotransmitters)

6.1.6 Interpret data to explain the effect of the myelin sheath on the speed of an action potential

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6.1.1 Identify the neuron as the functional unit of the nervous system, to include its major parts and their function.

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,
and an axon.
 Parts of a neuron

Dendrites pass signals they receive on to the cell body in electrical impulses.
The axon passes those impulses on to the other neurons or muscles.

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Success Criteria 2. 5 minutes do!
 The major types of plant cells

6.1.2 Identify the direction that impulses travel through a neuron

6.1.3 Describe the three types of neurons (sensory, motor, and interneurons) and their involvement in the reflex arc.

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Success Criteria 2. 5 minutes do!
 Kinds of neurons

6.1.3 Describe the three types of neurons (sensory, motor, and

interneurons) and their involvement in the reflex arc.
There are three kinds of neurons: sensory
neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons.
1. Sensory neurons send impulses from receptors
in the skin and sense organs to the brain and
spinal cord.
2. Interneurons carry impulses to motor organs.
3. Motor neurons carry impulses away from the
brain and spinal cord to a gland or muscles,
resulting in a secretion or movement.
 Reflex Arc

The nerve impulse completes a reflex arc, or a nerve pathway that

consists of a sensory neuron, an interneuron, and a motor neuron. Notice
that the brain is not involved . A reflex arc is a basic structure of
the nervous system.
 Nerve impulse
6.1.4 Analyze diagrams and graphs to explain how a nerve impulse is transmitted through the neuron (resting and action
potentials)
 Nerve impulse

A neuron at rest:
The neuron in figure 3 is at rest, which means it is not conducting an impulse.
Notice that there are more sodium ions(Na+) outside the cell than inside the cell.
And there are more potassium (K+) ions inside the cell than outside the cell.
 Nerve Impulse
Recall that ions tend to diffuse across the plasma
membrane from an area of high concentration of
ions to an area of low concentration of ions.
Negatively charged Proteins found in the plasma
membrane work to counteract the diffusion of the
sodium ions and potassium ions into the cell.

For every two potassium ions pumped into a

neuron, three sodium ions are pumped out. This
maintains an unequal distribution of positively
charged ions, resulting in a positive charge outside
the neuron and negatively charged cytoplasm inside
the neuron.
An Action Potential
Another name for a nerve impulse is an action potential. The minimum stimulus to
cause an action potential to be produced is a threshold. However, a stronger
stimulus does not generate a stronger action potential. Action potentials are
described as being “all or nothing”, meaning that a nerve impulse is either strong
enough to travel along the neuron or it is not strong enough.
When a stimulus reaches the threshold, channels in the plasma membrane open.
Sodium ions rapidly move into the cytoplasm of the neuron these channels,
causing a temporary reversal in electrical charges. The inside of the cell then has a
positive charge, which causes other channels, causing a temporary reversal in
electrical charges. The inside of the call then has a positive charge, which causes
other channels to open. Potassium ions leave the cell through these channels,
restoring a positive charge outside the cell. Figure 4 shows that this change in
charge moves like a wave along the length of the axon.
Action Potential
Action Potential

 When a stimulus reaches threshold,

channels open in the plasma membrane.
 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.
 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.
 Synapse
6.1.5 Explain how a nerve impulse is transmitted in the synapse (include the function of neurotransmitters)
 Synapse

The Synapse
The small gap between the axon of one
neuron and the dendrite of another
neuron is called a synapse.
An action potential is carried across
these gaps by neurotransmitters.
 Neurotransmitters
The synapse
A small gap exists between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron. This gap is
called a synapse. When an action potential reaches the end of an axon, small sacs called vesicles
carrying neurotransmitters fuse with the plasma membrane and release a neurotransmitter crosses the
synapse and causes a muscle to contract.

A neurotransmitter is a chemical that diffuses across a synapse and binds to

receptors on the dendrite of a neighboring neuron. This causes channels to open on
the the neighboring cell and creates a new action potential .
Once a neurotransmitters has been released into a synapse, it does not remain there
for long. Depending on the neurotransmitter, it might simply diffuse away from the
synapse, or enzymes might break it down. Some neurotransmitters are taken up by
the the transport protein in the membrane of the neuron and used again.
Neurotransmitters
 Speed of the action potential

6.1.6 Interpret data to explain the effect of the myelin sheath on the speed of an action potential
 The myelin sheath has many gaps called, nodes.
 Na+ and K+ ions cannot diffuse through the myelin.
 So actional potential jumps from one node to next that speeds up the action potential (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.
Myelin sheath which insulates the axon membrane and reduces the ability of ions to leak out of the
axon.
 Factors affecting the speed of Action potential
• Diameter of the axon
• Temperature – warmer axon can conduct nerve impulses faster than a colder axon.