The Nervous System

BY
MS. SARA GHAZAL
LECTURER PSYCHOLOGY
The Nervous System

 All behavior results from activity in the cells of the nervous system
 The nervous system is divided into two parts:
1. The Central Nervous system
 The CNS consist of the Brian and the spinal cord
2. The peripheral nervous system
 the peripheral nervous system includes all of the nerves that branch out from the brain and
spinal cord and extend to other parts of the body including muscles and organs. Each part
of the system plays a vital role in how information is communicated throughout the body.
The Nervous System
 Structure of Brain

Brain
 The deeply grooved structure lies safely and securely in our skull.
 The average adult human brain weighs 1.3 to 1.4 kg (approx. 3 pounds).
 If you look at it from the outside the brain is pinkish gray in color; soft, spongy, and mottled.
 The brain contains billions of nerve cells (neurons) and trillions of "support cells".
 Parts of the Brain

Parts of the Brain

The brain is made of three main parts:
a. Fore brain
b. Mid brain
c. Hind brain
The Forebrain

Fore Brain consist of the following parts:

i. Cerebrum
ii. Thalamus
iii. Hypothalamus
iv. Limbic system
Forebrain

1. Cerebrum
 Largest part of the human brain, associated with higher brain functions such as thought
and action..
 Occupies 2/3 of the brain’s total mass
 Consists of two symmetrical halves or hemispheres; The right cerebral hemisphere
controls the left side of the body and vice versa.
• Cerebrum regulates the brain’s higher thought and emotional functions.
Cerebral Lobes

a. Frontal lobe
 The frontal lobe is the largest of the lobes. As indicated by their name, they’re located in the front part of the brain. They
coordinates high-level behaviors, such as motor skills, problem solving, judgment, planning, and attention. The frontal lobes also
manage emotions and impulse control.
b. Parietal lobe
 Associated with Interpretation of language, words, sense of touch, pain, temperature.
 Interprets signals from vision, hearing, motor, sensory and memory
c. Temporal lobe
The temporal lobes are located on either side of the head on the same level as the ears. They coordinate specific functions,
including visual memory (such as facial recognition), verbal memory (such as understanding language), and interpreting the
emotions and reactions of others.
d. Occipital lobe
They’re heavily involved in the ability to read and recognize printed words, along with other aspects of vision.
Fore Brain cont…

2. Thalamus
 The pair of egg-shaped structures
located at the top of the brainstem.
3. Hypothalamus
 One of the smallest structures in the brain.
 Control behaviors e.g. hunger, thirst, emotions, regulation of body temperature.
 Homeostasis
 Hypothalamus maintains the body’s internal equilibrium e.g. looking for food when energy
levels are low, causing constriction of the blood vessels when body temperature falls.
Fore Brain cont…

4. Limbic System
 Evolutionarily the structure of limbic system is rather old.
 The limbic system, often referred to as the "emotional brain", is found buried within the
cerebrum.
 At the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres it is a structure; associated with
emotions e.g. fear and aggression, and drives like hunger and sex; regulates, body
temperature, blood sugar level and blood pressure.
Mid Brain

 The midbrain is located between the hindbrain and forebrain, but it is actually part of the
brain stem.
 midbrain helps control eye movement and processes visual and auditory information.
Hind Brain

Hind Brain consist of the following brain parts:

i. Cerebellum
ii. Pons
iii. Medulla oblongata

Brain Stem
 The brain stem, containing 2 structures, is found in all vertebrates.
 It contains four structures:
 1. Medulla
 2. Pons
Hind brain

1. Cerebellum
• "Cerebellum" comes from the Latin word for "little brain”. The cerebellum is located behind
the brain stem.
• Cerebellum is somehow similar to the cerebral cortex: the cerebellum is divided into
hemispheres and has a cortex that surrounds these hemispheres.
• It carries 10% of the weight of the brain.
 Its function is to coordinate body movements i.e. coordination, maintenance of posture &
balance.
 Damage to cerebellum results into jerky and uncoordinated body movements.
Hind Brain cont..

2. Medulla/ Medulla Oblongata

 Located at the top of the spinal cord and continuous with it.
 Damage to Medulla can be fatal as it is the center responsible for vital functions i.e., respiration, heart beat,
and blood pressure.
 help communicate between the spinal cord & various parts of the brain.
3. Pons
 Pons = Latin word for bridge
Bridge connecting spinal cord with brain and parts of brain with each other.
 The pons seems to serve as a relay station carrying signals from various parts of the cerebrum to the
cerebellum.
 It has parts that are important for the level of consciousness and for sleep.
 The Spinal Cord

Spinal Cord
 Continuation of the Medulla Oblongata.
 The spinal cord is about 45 cm long in men and 43 cm long in women and weighs about
35-40 grams.
 The spinal cord is a long, fragile tubelike structure that begins at the end of the brain stem
and continues down almost to the bottom of the spine. The spinal cord consists of nerves
that carry incoming and outgoing messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
Spinal Cord
 In most adults, the spine is composed of 26 individual back bones (vertebrae). Just as the
skull protects the brain, vertebrae protect the spinal cord. 
 The vertebrae help in movements such as walking and jumping, sitting, twisting etc. 
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

 PNS has two important parts

1. Skeletal/Somatic Nervous System
• Controls the voluntary movements of our skeletal muscles.
• It reports the current state of skeletal muscles and carries instructions back.
2. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
 Considered as the “self governing or self-regulatory mechanism” because of its involuntary operation.
 Controls the muscles of internal organs e.g. heart, stomach etc
• Comprises two sub systems;
a. Sympathetic and b. parasympathetic nervous systems.
Autonomic Nervous System types:

a. Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)

This part of ANS arouses us for defensive action…. fight or flight.
If something alarms, endangers, excites, or enrages a person, the sympathetic nervous system accelerates heart
beat, slows digestion, raises the sugar level in blood, dilates the arteries and cools the body through
perspiration; makes one alert and ready for action.
b. Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)
When the stressful situation subsides, parasympathetic nervous system begins its activity.
It produces an effect opposite to that of sympathetic nervous system.
It preserves energy by decreasing heart beat, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugar and so on.
In daily life situations, both sympathetic and parasympathetic systems work together to keep us in steady
internal state maintaining the homeostasis.
 Brain studying tests

 Electroencephalogram (EEG): recording of the electrical signals being transmitted

within the brain, through electrodes attached to the skull.
 Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT): a computer constructs an image of the brain
by combining thousands of separate X-rays taken from slightly different angles.
 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): the scan produces a powerful magnetic field to
provide a computer generated, detailed image of the structure of the brain.
Cont…

 Super Conducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID): a scan sensitive to minute

changes in the magnetic field occurring when neurons are firing.
 Positron Emission Tomography (PET): a scan showing biochemical activity within the
brain at any given moment.

The End