THE NERVOUS

SYSTEM
 Your nervous system connects all
your body parts and transmits signals
from one part to another.
It is a system of cells, tissues,
and organs that regulates the body’s
responses to internal and external
stimuli.
Each part of the nervous system
has a specific role as it functions as
an important part of a system.
 Major Divisions of Nervous
System
1. Central Nervous System (CNS)
The CNS serves as the main processing
center for the entire nervous system.

2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The PNS connects the central nervous
system to the organs and limbs.
CNS consists of two
main components:

1.Brain
2.Spinal Cord
BRAIN
- This is an organ located within the skull that
functions as organizer and distributor of
information for the body.
It has three main parts:
1. Cerebrum – large, upper part of the brain that
controls activity and thought.
2. Cerebellum – the part under the cerebrum that
controls posture, balance, and coordination.
3. Brain Stem – the part that connects the brain to the
spinal cord and controls automatic functions such as
breathing, digestion, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Spinal Cord
This serves as a channel
for signals between the
brain and the rest of the
body, and controls simple
musculoskeletal reflexes
without input from the
brain.
 2 Main Divisions of (PNS)

a.Somatic Nervous System

b.Autonomic Nervous
System
Somatic Nervous System
This system is associated with the
voluntary control of body movements and
has two main parts:

1.Spinal Nerves – the nerves that carry

motor and sensory signals between the
spinal cord and the body.
2. Cranial Nerves – the nerve fibers that
carry information into and out of the brain
stem
Autonomic Nervous System
This system is associated with the
involuntary control of body movements and
has two subdivisions:
1.Sympathetic - it is activated when the
body is in a dynamic role or stress. (e.g.,
increased heart rate and breathing,
dilation of pupil, sweating, etc.)
2. Parasympathetic - it maintains body
functions and restores the
body to normal or relaxed mode.
THE NERVE
CELL
 The basic unit of the
nervous system is the
nerve cell. Nerve cells are
called neurons. Some exist
alone. Others are joined
together to form organs
like the brain and spinal
cord.
 There are twelve to
fourteen billions of neurons in
one part of the brain alone. A
neuron has a cell body
containing the nucleus.
Projecting out from the cell
body are root-like structures.
These are the dendrites and
axons.
Dendrites
- carry impulses towards the
cell body. A cell may have as
many as 200 dendrites
carrying impulses toward
the cell body. A single
dendrite can be over one
meter long.
Axons
- carry impulses away from
the cell body. Axons pass
impulses to the dendrites of
other neurons or cell body of
muscle cells. Axons can be
grouped together into cable-
like bundles called nerves.
 Axon is covered by
glial cells, which are
the most abundant
cell types in the
central nervous
system.
 Neurons are similar to
other types of cells because
they perform basic cellular
functions and have the same
components, like a nucleus,
cell membrane and other
organelles; but their primary
function is to receive and
transmit signal.
 Your hand represents the “cell body” (also
called “soma”); your fingers represent
“dendrites”, bringing information to the cell
body, your arm represents the “axon”, taking
information away from the cell body.
 Neurons are cells with
the special ability to carry
signals or impulses.
Thoughts, emotions,
learning, and many body
functions are carried by
nerve impulses in the
neurons.
 A nerve impulse is a
combination of an electrical
charge and a chemical
reaction.
It is like a running light.
It is how a nerve impulse
travels along a neuron. Just
like the domino effect.
A nerve impulse cannot jump from
one neuron to another. When a
nerve impulse comes to the end of
an axon, it produces the chemical,
called neurotransmitter, to be
released. The chemical crosses
the space between neurons called
synapse and stimulates the nerve
impulse to start in the next
dendrite.
 The nervous system is
assisted by five sense organs -
the eyes, ears, nose, tongue,
and skin. These sense organs
are constantly receiving
information from the
environment and sending
messages to the brain.
A stimulus (plural:
stimuli) is any factor in
the environment that may
trigger a nerve impulse. A
response is a reaction to
a stimulus..
A stimulus is received
by the body and a
response is made. An
organism must be able
to respond to a stimulus
in order to survive
Reaction time is the
length of time
between application
of a stimulus and
detection of a
response.
KEY CONCEPTS:
Neurons have the special ability to carry signals
or impulses. A nerve impulse is an
electrochemical signal moving along a neuron.
The space between neurons is called synapse. A
stimulus is any factor in the environment that
influences behavior. A response is a reaction to a
condition or stimulus. An organism must be able
to respond to a stimulus in order to survive.
Reaction time is the length of time between
application of a stimulus and detection of a
response.
 Neurons are specially
intended for information
processing and signaling.
They relay and receive
messages (impulse)
between the brain and
body, and within the brain
and spinal cord.
Motor neurons transmit
impulses from the brain to
muscles, glands, or other
neurons in the Peripheral
Nervous System (PNS).Sensory
neurons transmit impulses
from sensory nerves (receptor
cells) to the Central Nervous
System (CNS).
 Information travels in the
nervous system through the neurons
that transmit the impulse. The
sense organ receives the message,
and the information is sent by the
sensory neurons to the brain. The
brain then processes the
information and sends a response
through the motor neurons to the
organ, gland or muscle.