The Nervous

System
Part 1
 Structures of Nervous System

 Brain- Neurons enclosed in skull

 Spinal cord– connects to brain & enclosed in spinal
cavity
 Nerves- bundles of neuronal axons
 Cranial emerge from brain; spinal nerves- emerge from spinal
 cord
 Ganglia- groups of cell bodies outside brain & spinal
cord
 Enteric plexuses- networks in digestive tract
 Sensory receptors- monitor changes in internal or
external environments
The 2 Main Divisions

Peripheral Nervous System

Sensory Systems
Central Nervous System
Brain
Spinal Cord
Figure 9.1
Function
 Sensory Receptors ( Afferent nerves )
 Carry information into brain & spinal cord
 Integration- information processing
 Perception = awareness of sensory input
 Carry by short interneurons
 Motor activity- ( Efferent nerves )
 Signals to glands and muscles (effectors)
Figure 9.2
 Nervous System

 Neuron= nerve cell

 Specialized for signal carrying & information processing
 Neuroglia cells-support, nourish & protect neurons
 Neuroglia critical for homeostasis of interstitial fluid around
neurons
 Neuronal Structure

 Cell
body- nucleus, cytoplasm with typical
organelles
 Dendrites-highly branched input structures
emerging from cell body
 Axon- conducts away from cell body toward
another neuron or effector
 Emerges at cone-shaped axon hillock
 Axon terminals -at end of axon with synaptic
bulbs
Figure 9.3
 Myelination

 Axons covered with a myelin sheath

 Many layered lipid & protein creating insulations
 Increases speed of nerve conduction.
 Nodes of Ranvier= gaps in the myelin
 Nodes are important for signal conduction
 Somediseases destroy myelin- e.g. Multiple Sclerosis
& Tay-Sachs Disease
 Gray and White Matter

 White matter- primarily myelinated axons

 Gray matter- cell bodies, dendrites, unmyelinated axons,
axon terminals & neuroglia
 Conduction of Nerve Impulses

 Each section triggers next locally

 Refractory period keeps it going the right direction
 unmyelinated fiber- continuous conduction
 With myelin- saltatory conduction
 Can only be triggered at Nodes of Ranvier
 Myelinated fibers faster & larger neurons faster
Figure 9.6a
Figure 9.6b
 Synaptic Transmission

 Sequence of events at synapse

 Triggered by voltage change of the Action Potential
 Sending neuron = presynaptic
 Receiving neuron = postsynaptic
 Space between = synaptic cleft/ neuro-muscular junction
 Neurotransmitter carries signal across cleft
 Synaptic Transmission

 Binding at receptors
 Chemical trigger of ion channels
 May depolarize or hyperpolarize postsynaptic cell
membrane
 If threshold reached at axon hillock then postsynaptic
cell action potential results
Figure 9.7
 Neurotransmitters

 AcetylCholine (Ach)- common in PNS

 May be stimulatory or inhibitory
 Amino Acids-
 Glutamate, Aspartate, gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA),
glycine
 Modified amino acids-
 Norepinephrine (NE), Dopamine (DA), serotonin
 Neuropeptides – endorphins
 Nitric oxide (NO)
End of Part 1